Monthly Archives: May 2011

Middle

Posted on 7 May 2011 by Henry Gee

About a year ago I had a mid-life crisis. Now, popular wisdom has it that men having mid-life crises should buy red sports cars and have affairs with younger women. As for the first – I am quite happy with … Continue reading →

Posted in Cromer, Domesticrox, pilum, Politicrox, sternum, symbolic of our struggle against oppression | Comments Off on Middle

Why do these things always sneak up on me?!

Posted on 7 May 2011 by Cath@VWXYNot?

It can’t just be me, surely… I don't have TIME to make a better graph! GAAAH! This time tomorrow I’ll be on a 10 hour flight to London, where I will see my sister for the first time in more … Continue reading →

Posted in family, personal, Silliness, travel, UK | Comments Off on Why do these things always sneak up on me?!

The Speed of X-rays

Posted on 6 May 2011 by Stephen

I was back at the Diamond Light Source today — the synchrotron that we use to blast protein crystals with X-rays to figure out the structures of protein molecules. The beamlines at the synchrotron where we do our experiments have … Continue reading →

Posted in Diamond Light Source, Modern technology, Protein Crystallography, science | Comments Off on The Speed of X-rays

Training FAIL

Posted on 6 May 2011 by Cath@VWXYNot?

I just spotted this, from last year’s form: Someone apparently got more traininf over the last 12 months: the typo has been corrected for this year’s form.

Posted in Canada, career, English language, Silliness | Comments Off on Training FAIL

The Power of Images

Posted on 6 May 2011 by Athene Donald

The low numbers of female role models to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers is often cited as a major problem in encouraging girls into science and then keeping them there. Comments on this blog have also remarked … Continue reading →

Posted in inspirational, Julia King, Robert Taylor, Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society, Science Culture, UKRC, Women in science, Women of Outstanding Achievement | Comments Off on The Power of Images

Congratulations to Athene

Posted on 6 May 2011 by rpg

On behalf of the entire Occam’s Typewriter crew, I’d like to extend congratulations to Athene Donald for her Lifetime Achievement Award from the UKRC: Professor Dame Athene Donald of the University of Cambridge was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award … Continue reading →

Posted in Women in science | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Ph.D. survival: is a jack of all trades a master of none?

Posted on 6 May 2011 by Steve Caplan

Over the years science has changed a great deal. In just the last 50 years or so we’ve seen a major revolution in scientific research, due primarily to our understanding of DNA and ultimately how it codes for protein. But … Continue reading →

Posted in biochemistry, cell biology, coffe bean (just checking if you are awake), detergent, DNA, education, gel electrophoresis, graduate students, immunoprecipitation, jack of all trades, kits, lysate, mentor, Ph.D., PI, postdoc, protein, Research, science, students | Comments Off on Ph.D. survival: is a jack of all trades a master of none?

Let there be lights!

Posted on 5 May 2011 by Cath@VWXYNot?

I’ll take even the smallest of victories in this benighted week… Way back in December 2007, I wrote to the city to request a stop light at a dangerous intersection on my bike route; the Ontario Street bike route crosses … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, cycling, Politics, Vancouver | Comments Off on Let there be lights!

Managing and sharing data

Posted on 5 May 2011 by Frank Norman

The UK Data Archive (UKDA) has published the third edition of its guide Managing and sharing data. The 36-page guide is available as a free pdf download, or you can request the UKDA to send a print copy. Although written … Continue reading →

Posted in Research data | Comments Off on Managing and sharing data

Measles

Posted on 5 May 2011 by Henry Gee

When I was about five or six I came down with measles. I can’t remember if it was the first or second time I had it (yes, I am one o’ them okkered buggers to have caught it twice), but … Continue reading →

Posted in isolation, Larry The Lamb, measles, Medicine, Norman Lamb, Politicrox, Research, syringe | Comments Off on Measles