Monthly Archives: February 2011

In which I wait for spring to come

Posted on 13 February 2011 by Jennifer Rohn

Dusk was already falling, along with a light drizzle, earlier this afternoon as I pushed brown ovoid objects repeatedly into heavy wet earth. Carelessly dressed against the cold, my muddy fingertips going numb, I worked the trowel and hoped I … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic bliss, Gardening | Comments Off on In which I wait for spring to come

On becoming (naturalised, half) British

Posted on 13 February 2011 by Sylvia McLain

I am undertaking ‘a journey to citizenship’ and happily (thankfully) I just passed the test and can apply for citizenship soon. Fortunately I can be a US/UK citizen; the UK isn’t particularly concerned with dual citizenships and the US wants … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Britain, dual citizenship | Comments Off on On becoming (naturalised, half) British

On becoming (naturalised, half) British

Posted on 13 February 2011 by Sylvia McLain

I am undertaking ‘a journey to citizenship’ and happily (thankfully) I just passed the test and can apply for citizenship soon. Fortunately I can be a US/UK citizen; the UK isn’t particularly concerned with dual citizenships and the US wants … Continue reading →

Posted in Britain, Guest posts | Comments Off on On becoming (naturalised, half) British

Indigestible Committee Paperwork

Posted on 13 February 2011 by Athene Donald

Each summer it is standard for publications to produce lists of exam howlers to remind us just how woefully ignorant some of our students are at all levels. I have never seen a list of comparable statements regarding crass errors … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Science, hyperbole, industrial collaboration, Outreach, Pathways to impact, Research, research council funding, Science Funding | Comments Off on Indigestible Committee Paperwork

An Inconsistent Truth?

Posted on 13 February 2011 by Stephen

The Science Museum in London is a national shrine to human ingenuity. Its existence is a testament to the value that our society places on inquiry and innovation, its worth paradoxically underscored by the fact that, even in these impecuious … Continue reading →

Posted in AltMed, History of Science, science, Science Museum, Traditional Medicine | Comments Off on An Inconsistent Truth?

Harder, harder

Posted on 12 February 2011 by Erika Cule

One careers seminar offered to undergraduates during my degree discussed the pros and cons of pursuing postgraduate study. After the seminar, I spoke to the Careers Tutor responsible for undergraduates in our department. I told him that I was finding … Continue reading →

Posted in PhD | Comments Off on Harder, harder

The four Yorkshiremen at NIH…

Posted on 11 February 2011 by Steve Caplan

I said it. It didn’t mean to slip out, but it did. Well, I can’t cap the genie back in the bottle, can I? So here it is: “When I was at the NIH…” When I was a young student, … Continue reading →

Posted in monty python, NIH, postdoct, Research, science, students | Comments Off on The four Yorkshiremen at NIH…

Progression and Backlash

Posted on 9 February 2011 by Athene Donald

One of the blogs that I try to read regularly – beyond my local microcosm of Occam’s Typewriter – is that of FemaleScienceProfessor, also known as FSP for short .  You can guess I would feel a sense of shared … Continue reading →

Posted in affirmative action, Equality, maternity leave, minority, positive action, tenure clock, tenure track, Women in science | Comments Off on Progression and Backlash

Small and Very Far Away

Posted on 9 February 2011 by Stephen

As Father Ted might have explained it to Dougal, this one is very small: Atom but that one is far away.

Posted in Astronomy, cosmos, Father Ted, molecules, Protein Crystallography, proteins, science | Comments Off on Small and Very Far Away