where I am now

Cilantro café, the 26th of July Street branch in Zamalek. Now that’s what I call a tiring week. A memo was sent out by the Provost, reminding people that all research involving human subjects must go through the Institutional Review Board, which I happen to chair.

They responded in droves. Many, many studies, quite a few of them by students, came rolling in (students are the least likely to know about the proper procedures, of course).

What I like about this sort of work is that people send you their proposals expecting crummy service, because (we all know) much paperwork service in life does tend to be crummy and dilatory. So, just by responding to them quickly, you can give them a huge morale boost that often lights a fire under their research. Heck, even just by being polite you exceed their expectations.

It’s so easy to cheer people up and help them do better work. And if that can be done, then the whole world benefits, because the world is a happier place when you have people working at full steam rather than tripping others or feeling embittered or self-pitying. If people are doing interesting work, it’s a crime of sorts not to sustain their good morale. In an administrative position, you have lots of opportunities to do that, and that’s why I like it.