Such dinners are where funding for post docs take place. I'd get mine pressed if you are that concerned Stu.

My youngest is looking at post doc but at the same time, being lured towards interviews with companies carrying out the sharp end of what he has been researching for his PhD. The world has moved on and not in the best direction since I was involved. My chair (visiting, not staff) is in healthcare and even that is feeling the pinch.

The discussions over dumbing down and getting messages across are poignant in this field. The evidence points to large regional centres of excellence for complicated medical work and the politics point to accessible care. Both aspirational, both with merit. Completely different structures needed to satisfy. Anybody wishing to say the evidence base must always trump ignorance needs to take my place addressing large public meetings with hostile press and genuinely frightened members of the public, and try saying the evidence trumps their wishes.