Ian Manchester
ianmanchester.bsky.social
Ian Manchester
@ianmanchester.bsky.social
Professor @ Sydney Uni
Director of Australian Centre for Robotics (ACFR) and ARIAM Hub
Interested in control, robotics, robust ML
Reposted by Ian Manchester
The deadline is in <4 days! Dec 1, Sydney time. Computer Science (including Theory) people on the academic job market, do apply!

usyd.wd105.myworkdayjobs.com/en-GB/USYD_E...
November 27, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
Reminder: the School of Computer Science at #USyd is hiring across the board, equiv. tenure-track positions!

Join us at @sydney.edu.au! Deadline ⏰ December 1 🇦🇺
The School of #ComputerScience at #USyd is hiring! Multiple continuing (≡ tenure-track) positions in all areas, with particular focus on the ones listed below.

Women and candidates from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

⏰ Apply by Dec 1: usyd.wd105.myworkdayjobs.com/en-GB/USYD_E...
November 14, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
📢 Come be my colleague: the School of Computer Science at 🇦🇺 #USyd is hiring!

Multiple tenure-track-equivalent positions across the board (including theory!), but with a specific focus on Cybersecurity and Trustworthy Digital Systems, and ML/AI.

⏰ Dec 1
usyd.wd105.myworkdayjobs.com/en-GB/USYD_E...
Multiple Continuing (Tenure-Track) Academic Positions, School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney
Join a thriving Faculty of Engineering at a University ranked amongst the world’s best teaching and research institutions Located in the heart of Sydney’s bustling inner west quarter, close to beaches...
usyd.wd105.myworkdayjobs.com
September 29, 2025 at 11:45 PM
I've signed! I've always thought this was a strange rule that really makes it much more difficult to have a flexible pathway to a research career, which obviously impacts some groups more than others.
Amazing!* Let's not stop there—let's demonstrate our support to 🇦🇺 PhD students, and make sure those who have to go part-time are not getting the short end of the stick!

📋 www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/...

*"If your petition receives 50 or more signatures, it will usually be referred to a Minister."
September 5, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Very interesting! I wonder if such a detailed breakdown exists anywhere for Australia?
This report is a nice summary of some facts on science funding in America
indicators.sciphil.org/key-findings
September 4, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
Surf's Up
Surf's Up (Remastered 2009)
YouTube video by The Beach Boys - Topic
www.youtube.com
June 11, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Wow! I'm actually pleasantly surprised by these numbers!
June 11, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
2/2
Now, some other possible headlines that would fit same space, match just as well with the data in the piece, and convey an entirely different impression. And—my opinion— say more about what the realities actually are.

Entire rest of world envies this US model.

(Byline for these heds? JMF)
April 19, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
A question I want to see asked to candidates. What is your vision for #research in 🇦🇺? What do you say to the researchers at the CSIRO & unis, systematically underfunded by Labour & Coalition alike? The ones your talks of Oz innovation rely on?
@australia.theguardian.com @caitlinecassidy.bsky.social
April 17, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
Not surprising, but certainly a blaring alarm for technology transfer. AI-enabled applications will need to show obvious value and respect user concerns (e.g. privacy) #AI #ML
April 7, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Hop in the bin 2024, there you go
January 1, 2025 at 1:26 AM
My Christmas Day experience: all the members of my extended family asking me how to turn off the AI assistant features on their phones.

Anyone else?
December 25, 2024 at 8:17 AM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
An illustrated guide to never learning anything
December 25, 2024 at 12:26 AM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
The set of ways to learn linear algebra is convex
December 24, 2024 at 5:57 PM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
Come work with us at the School of Computer Science of U Syd 🇦🇺! Equiv tenure-track, good salary, I'll provide the coffee. Deadline in 1.5 days (Dec 2)

usyd.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/USYD_E...
December 1, 2024 at 3:24 AM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
Poem by Joseph Fasano
November 29, 2024 at 8:57 PM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
Here's a suggestion: instead of having a government patting itself on the back about how Australia 🇦🇺 "punches above its weight" in research, increase the goddamn funding for basic research.

You won't regret it. Believe me, we'll punch even higher!
November 28, 2024 at 10:32 PM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
Don't let the new ARC legislation hit you on the way out, former Education Minister, Simon Birmingham.

I can't celebrate someone's "service" when all they did for higher ed and research was wreck stuff just for political point-scoring. Good riddance.
Simon Birmingham’s intervention in research funding is not unprecedented, but dangerous
Projects submitted to the Australian Research Council are vetted heavily by panels of experts. Minister Birmingham’s decision undermines this process.
theconversation.com
November 28, 2024 at 6:15 AM
TIL that a helicopter is a more efficient mode of transport than turning yourself into a rabbit. But next time you book a flight to a conference, maybe stop and think whether it would be better to send a salmon in your place?
A person on a bicycle is by far the most energy-efficient among animals and machines per distance traveled relative to body weight. The bicycle is magic.

www.jstor.org/stable/24923...
November 25, 2024 at 6:44 AM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
I have seen some anti-peer-review takes on here, and, believe me, I understand the frustrations, but I would urge caution before doing or publicly saying anything too drastic. We live in age rife with misinformation and anti-intellectualism—not everyone wants academia to survive
November 24, 2024 at 11:06 AM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
I was recently pointed to these notes - fbullo.github.io/ctds/ - which seem to be very cool stuff! The link includes both typed notes and slides, so there's something for everyone.
November 20, 2024 at 11:51 AM
There's about 10 days left to apply for our faculty positions in robotics (below).

For those considering applying, I'll highlight that @yisongyue.bsky.social (Caltech) has done an AMAZING service in providing faculty application tips and example materials here:
yisongyue.medium.com/checklist-of...
November 21, 2024 at 12:28 AM
Starter packs are a great idea!

Minor suggestion: a tab/option to see posts by accounts that I'm not already following.

@bsky.app
November 18, 2024 at 9:09 PM
Reposted by Ian Manchester
Wow, massive influx this past week of people who’ve helped me and their fellow researchers for years over on twitter. Hello! 🫂

It seems Melon Husk has failed to separate researchers from one of their abiding joys: gentle critique of government funding bodies.
November 16, 2024 at 8:43 AM