Category Archives: Uncategorized

In which there’s no cure like a good geeky read

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Jennifer Rohn

With the arrival of September, autumn has arrived in London with a vengeance. The air is crisp and cold, marigolds wither on my back porch, and the campus is full of robed, jubilant undergraduates ready to accept their diplomas and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

In which I ponder the power of perspective

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Jennifer Rohn

Whenever you stick your head above the parapet and express a strong opinion in a high-profile venue, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll receive a large number of emails in response. Most of the follow-up I receive tends to be from … Continue reading →

Posted in Scientific method, Scientific thinking, The profession of science, Uncategorized, Women in science | 47 Comments

In which we rev up again

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Jennifer Rohn

It’s been a long, cold winter. Science Is Vital has been in hibernation, but now we’re back. After half a year since the government’s Autumn Spending Review, the implications of the science budget’s cash freeze are starting to kick in. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

In which I marvel at a serious swag #fail

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Jennifer Rohn

Who doesn’t love a good conference swag bag? Yes, I know it’s frequently full of useless tat destined to go straight into the hotel bin. But what jolts the adrenalin as you paw through the bulging canvas sack in your … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 19 Comments

In which I question my own sell-by date

Posted on December 9, 2010 by Jennifer Rohn

The scientific profession is inherently broken. I’ve blogged in the past about the glut of increasingly desperate post-docs battling it out for a diminishing pool of permanent positions funded by a dwindling pot of research funding. As the culture of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 43 Comments

In which I come over all SF

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Jennifer Rohn

Science: it’s not just a profession, but a way of life. And sometimes it’s hard to switch off the all-pervasive geeky filter through which we view the entire world. Of course, the UK press’s habit of weirdly juxtaposing nouns as … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 18 Comments

In which I correspond

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Jennifer Rohn

In my secret heart, I have always longed to live in the Victorian era. Through the rosy-tinted glow of idealized histories (the sort that neglect to mention things like head lice), I’ve imbibed stories of poets corresponding with ornithologists about … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 23 Comments

In which I contemplate the ranks of the invisible

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Jennifer Rohn

The word ‘feminist’ has ugly connotations, so much so that I often hesitate before pointing out gender inequities. Does it do any good to state the obvious, given that it is unlikely to rectify injustice, and indeed risks riling up, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 75 Comments

In which we experience a visitation

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Jennifer Rohn

As a force of nature, you can’t get much more powerful than a first-year rotating graduate student: one part youthful stamina and nine parts unrelenting enthusiasm. This year in our institute I took part in a new experiment for dealing … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 10 Comments

In which even the Government thinks science is vital

Posted on October 19, 2010 by Jennifer Rohn

My heart is light. Several early indicators suggest that the UK science budget is to be spared. Although a freeze on funding will correspond to a cut in real terms of about 10% after four years, due to inflation, it … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 24 Comments