My dept. has just decided to update their website so that every PhD student gets their own page. Basically, it'll be a photograph, biography and lists of research interests/publications/conferences attended. They've asked everyone to provide their information so it can be included, but I've got some reservations about the whole thing. Any thoughts from anyone?

I would also have some reservations. Please search for the previous post about 'facebook'.

If you really have to do it, keep it very short and simple, i.e. just state in one sentence what your research is about, but don't provide a photograph (just say you don't have one). Always remember that every bit of information you provide is google-able (and downloadable); in other words, you should think carefully what information you want to provide for the world, old school friends, future employers etc.

It's nothing to be too relaxed about and the implications are far-reaching.

P.S.: I know it's a good thing for networking and all that, but IMO the negative factors are clearly carrying more weight. On the other hand, it's a personal decision but be aware that you don't have to provide this information. It's the last human freedom to decide freely about personal data.

That's the link

http://www.postgraduateforum.com/showmessage.asp?thread=6083&cat=4&keyword=addicted%20to%20facebook&newview=1&stype=TM&category=0

Keyword: 'who is addicted to facebook'

We've been having this discussion in our department too. Personally, I can't see what's wrong with putting your research on the web (unless it's of a sensitive nature). I've had some contact and collaboration because of it, and your department just wants to show off how many things it's doing.

Photos certainly shouldn't be mandatory, and if it's on a department web page there shouldn't be too much personal or embarrassing information anyway...

I'm not really worried about the information being personal or embarrassing (although as Otto points out, it's important to remember people can google you - something that seems funny now, might not in a few years). I guess my main concern is the effect it will have on the students. Doing a PhD is hard enough already. If we can look up our fellow students - that is, people we actually know - then surely it can only create an overly competitive environment: people checking what everyone is up to, and trying to do 'better' than others. I don't think that kind of pressure is necessarily helpful.

Quite a few around here have webpages. I have one, but then I've appeared on the webpages of most companies I've worked for without incident (for the last 7 years). I wouldn't worry about it, so long as you're not giving out personal data, use your webpage to sell yourself to the world.

I would hope that we're all too busy to be checking up on each other! And if so, is it much different than being competitive in the coffee room or at a department seminar?

Also, I feel it's quite difficult to be competitive in a department where people study a range of different subjects.

I think if you just put a recent conference/presentation abstract etc up on there that won't cause too much to be competitive about. All I can say is that I've had nothing but a positive experience having a department webpage (gives my Mum something to read too...)

coastman, I know what you're saying about everyone studying different things, but I don't necessarily mean "competitive" in that way. I mean more like, "oh my god, everybody in the dept. has a publication except me" which leads to feeling inadequate, depressed, etc.

Fair enough. What you said makes sense, TheCoastman.

On the other hand, there are still some users on this forum who are on mySpace, YouTube, facebook and this forum with their real name (you know who you are). Maybe it would be worth re-considering this for obvious reasons.

Yeah people should be a bit more careful on those things. My rule is 'if I wouldn't like my Mum to read it, then don't put it on!'

We have this for our research group. My photo is up but it's the smallest one I could get away with, so if you met me in real life and had seen the pic, you wouldn't know it was me

It has its uses but then again, I get annoying emails from students in one particular country emailing me about funding opportunities in my group......

Why do you have reservations about this?

For jobs later on, one of the skills will be to present yourself in a concise, written form. The web site will be a good place to practice that. Just the thought process alone will help: Ie: how to strongly represent your research while not over-representing, etc. With the knowledge that people will read it, it often gives us a different perspective on self-presentation. The same questions can be applied to ones c.v.

A good opportunity. All the best