Oh what the heck

Both PZ Myers and Orac have done this meme now, so I might as well jump on the bandwagon (plus, as Orac noted, it's a convenient excuse for a post after a long day).

Academic Blog Survey

Overview:

The following survey is for bloggers who are actual or aspiring academics (thus including students). It takes the form of a go-meme to provide bloggers a strong incentive to join in: the 'Link List' means that you will receive links from all those who pick up the survey 'downstream' from you. The aim is to create open-source data about academic blogs that is publicly available for further analysis. Analysts can find the data by searching for the tracking identifier-code: "acb109m3m3". Further details, and eventual updates with results, can be found on the original posting:

http://pixnaps.blogspot.com/2005/09/academic-blog-survey.html

Instructions:

Simply copy and paste this post to your own blog, replacing my survey answers with your own, as appropriate, and adding your blog to the Link List.

Important (1) Your post must include the four sections: Overview, Instructions, Link List, and Survey. (2) Remember to link to every blog in the Link List. (3) For tracking purposes, your post must include the following code: acb109m3m3

Link List (or 'extended hat-tip'):
1. Philosophy, et cetera
2. Pharyngula
3. Respectful Insolence
4. Rhosgobel
5. Add a link to your blog here

Survey:

Demographics
Age - 25-35
Gender - Male
Location - Southern California
Religion - None
Began blogging - January 2004
Academic field - Biology
Academic position [tenured?] - Instructor [no; one more year to go ...]

Approximate blog stats

Rate of posting - Daily
Average no. hits - 125/day
Average no. comments - less than 1/day
Blog content - a mix of personal and professional life, political / current events, cooking, Linux, teaching, and biology.

Other Questions

1) Do you blog under your real name? Why / why not?
- No, I write anonymously. I've posted a detailed list of my reasons here, but two of my primary reasons are that I'm untenured and don't want postings here to influence tenure decisions (and other professional decisions), and I don't want students basing their impressions of me on my writings here.

2) Do colleagues or others in your department know that you blog? If so, has anyone reacted positively or negatively?
- None that I know of.

3) Are you on the job market?
- No, thank goodness.

4) Do you mention your blog on your CV or other job application material?
- No. That would rather conflict with #1, wouldn't it?

5) Has your blog been mentioned at all in interviews, tenure reviews, etc.? If so, provide details.
- No. Unlike Orac and PZ Myers, I am privy to most conversations that occur during the tenure review process, so I'm nearly certain that it has not been brought up.

6) Why do you blog?
- Because I enjoy it. It allows me to create an easily referenced record of things I find interesting, allows me to share information I find relevant with others, encourages me to interact with (and read) other academic bloggers, and acts as a mini-diary for important events in my life. It's also a handy way to keep friends and family up to date. I sometimes have illusions that by writing about certain topics I might be able to educate people and provide useful resources for others, but my hit counter keeps those illusions nicely in check.