eegilbert

However, the paper does offer a compelling causal mechanism. Also, it appears they performed follow-up pilot studies on the effects of erythritol consumption—as opposed to its simple presence in the blood. The following quote from the article is repeated in the linked Science commentary:

"The present studies suggest that following ingestion of an artificially sweetened food harboring typical levels of erythritol as artificial sweetener, plasma levels of erythritol remain elevated for many days, well above the thresholds necessary to enhance stimulus-dependent platelet reactivity, even among healthy volunteers."

I agree with Derek Lowe. I'll be avoiding erythritol until subsequent studies prove that it's safe.

Some of my immediate colleagues are hostile to this!

Agree with the substance of your point: often the importance of classes varies with the structure of the program (e.g., quals).

I need to fix that. Apologies. Somebody already caught it an earlier round of feedback, and I just haven't gotten to it yet with the pandemic. But will soon.

This is my syllabus. :-)

I tell all my prospective students to talk to my former students.

That's You Need A Budget, which I love paying for.

I agree with most of this. However, I might take issue with the motivation you ascribe to professors: "only car[ing] about increasing the number of academics who studied in their lab." Another explanation, one that I find myself feeling sometimes, is simply mismatched incentives. Practicing academics and students headed to industry simply have different incentives, and that can add friction to the relationship.

I think it would be helpful and useful for departments to consider other ways to facilitate industry pathways that don't so heavily rely on the advisor.

It's really quite sad that someone with this much skill is spending this much time on a project like this.