Re: PhD studies & Recent diagnosis...

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Hey,


Gregory Casamento
GNUstep Lead Developer / Black Lotus, Principal Consultant
http://www.gnustep.org - http://heronsperch.blogspot.com
https://www.openhub.net/languages/objective_c

On Fri, May 29, 2026 at 00:36 Gryllida <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi Gregory,
>
> > Just letting you guys know.  I am currently studying for my PhD in CS.
> >  I am letting you guys know this because there may be times I am
> > excessively busy.   One of the reasons I have been playing with AI
> > recently is due to the fact that it is the center of my studies and
> > dissertation.  It was my concentration for my Bachelor's Degree... so
> > it makes sense to continue with it. :)
>
> This sounds interesting! Congratulations! What is the PhD
> research topic? The field that you described is rather broad.


I haven=E2=80=99t settled on a subject for my dissertation yet.  One I am
considering is the nature of consciousness.  The idea is that consciousness
could be an emergent property in complex systems.  As we have observed with
LLMs many of the things it doesn are unexpected and not specifically
programmed. Or possibly to study the larger impact of AI on software
development. That last one is more to the point but a bit more pedestrian
than the first.

> Also, I was recently diagnosed with a liver problem.  It's related to
> > when I was very heavy.  The doctor has me on a special protocol because
> > of it.
>
> Is this full time PhD study?


It=E2=80=99s an accelerated program.


> How is the prognosis for the liver?


Stage 2, bad but recoverable with the right treatment.

> I am not given to letting people know personal business, so the only
> > reason I am saying anything is because I want you guys to understand
> > what is going on with me, just in case.  The community is very
> > important to me and the last thing I want is to leave you guys unaware.
>
> Is the PhD study keeping you busier than work that you were doing before
> it?


It=E2=80=99s twice a week so it=E2=80=99s a bit.

Are you still working alongside it?


Yes of course. I also have financial aid (a grant) so I am not paying for
it.


> Do you get time off at some point, if so, perhaps there could be
> opportunity for a 2-3 day online workshop about GNUstep?


From work.  Of course.   A 2-3 day workshop would be a lot of fun.


> Are you planning to write AI-related codes into GNUstep?


No.  I don=E2=80=99t think that=E2=80=99s necessary.


> Thanks.
>
> Regards,
> Gryllida


Yours, GC

>
>

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<div dir=3D"auto">Hey,</div><div><br clear=3D"all"><br clear=3D"all"><div><=
div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature" data-smartmail=3D"gmail_signature=
"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><font face=3D"mon=
ospace" style=3D"font-family:monospace;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Gregory Casamento<=
br>GNUstep Lead Developer / Black Lotus, Principal Consultant<br><a href=3D=
"http://www.gnustep.org" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"font-family:monospace">=
http://www.gnustep.org</a> - <a href=3D"http://heronsperch.blogspot.com" ta=
rget=3D"_blank" style=3D"font-family:monospace">http://heronsperch.blogspot=
.com</a><br></font></div></div><div dir=3D"ltr"><font face=3D"monospace" st=
yle=3D"font-family:monospace;color:rgb(136,136,136)"><a href=3D"https://www=
.openhub.net/languages/objective_c" style=3D"font-family:monospace;color:rg=
b(17,85,204)" target=3D"_blank">https://www.openhub.net/languages/objective=
_c</a></font></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br><div class=3D"gma=
il_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Fr=
i, May 29, 2026 at 00:36 Gryllida &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]=
m">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_=
quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,=
204);padding-left:1ex">Hi Gregory,<br>
<br>
&gt; Just letting you guys know.=C2=A0 I am currently studying for my PhD i=
n CS.=C2=A0 <br>
&gt;=C2=A0 I am letting you guys know this because there may be times I am =
<br>
&gt; excessively busy.=C2=A0 =C2=A0One of the reasons I have been playing w=
ith AI <br>
&gt; recently is due to the fact that it is the center of my studies and <b=
r>
&gt; dissertation.=C2=A0 It was my concentration for my Bachelor&#39;s Degr=
ee... so <br>
&gt; it makes sense to continue with it. :)<br>
<br>
This sounds interesting! Congratulations! What is the PhD <br>
research topic? The field that you described is rather broad.</blockquote><=
div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">I haven=E2=80=99t settled on a=
 subject for my dissertation yet.=C2=A0 One I am considering is the nature =
of consciousness.=C2=A0 The idea is that consciousness could be an emergent=
 property in complex systems.=C2=A0 As we have observed with LLMs many of t=
he things it doesn are unexpected and not specifically programmed. Or possi=
bly to study the larger impact of AI on software development. That last one=
 is more to the point but a bit more pedestrian than the first.=C2=A0</div>=
<div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"marg=
in:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1e=
x" dir=3D"auto">&gt; Also, I was recently diagnosed with a liver problem.=
=C2=A0 It&#39;s related to <br>
&gt; when I was very heavy.=C2=A0 The doctor has me on a special protocol b=
ecause <br>
&gt; of it.=C2=A0 =C2=A0<br>
<br>
Is this full time PhD study?</blockquote><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div d=
ir=3D"auto">It=E2=80=99s an accelerated program.=C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"aut=
o"><br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px =
0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex" dir=3D"auto"=
><br>How is the prognosis for the liver?</blockquote><div dir=3D"auto"><br>=
</div><div dir=3D"auto">Stage 2, bad but recoverable with the right treatme=
nt.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" styl=
e=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);paddin=
g-left:1ex" dir=3D"auto">&gt; I am not given to letting people know persona=
l business, so the only <br>
&gt; reason I am saying anything is because I want you guys to understand <=
br>
&gt; what is going on with me, just in case.=C2=A0 The community is very <b=
r>
&gt; important to me and the last thing I want is to leave you guys unaware=
.<br>
<br>
Is the PhD study keeping you busier than work that you were doing before<br=
>
it?</blockquote><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">It=E2=80=99s =
twice a week so it=E2=80=99s a bit. =C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div=
><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border=
-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex" dir=3D"auto"> Are you st=
ill working alongside it? </blockquote><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=
=3D"auto">Yes of course. I also have financial aid (a grant) so I am not pa=
ying for it. =C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><blockquote class=3D"g=
mail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204=
,204,204);padding-left:1ex" dir=3D"auto"><br>Do you get time off at some po=
int, if so, perhaps there could be <br>
opportunity for a 2-3 day online workshop about GNUstep?</blockquote><div d=
ir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">From work.=C2=A0 Of course. =C2=A0 =
A 2-3 day workshop would be a lot of fun.=C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br>=
</div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;b=
order-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex" dir=3D"auto"><br>
Are you planning to write AI-related codes into GNUstep?</blockquote><div d=
ir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">No.=C2=A0 I don=E2=80=99t think tha=
t=E2=80=99s necessary.=C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><blockquote c=
lass=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px soli=
d rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex" dir=3D"auto"><br>
Thanks.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
Gryllida</blockquote><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Yours, G=
C</div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;=
border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex" dir=3D"auto"><br>
</blockquote></div></div>

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