Monthly Archives: August 2011

Dyed-in-the-wool cheapskate

Being genetically half Irish and an eighth Scottish, I have green eyes and curly brown hair that used to have a fair bit of red in it. The first white hair showed up when I was 19, much to my … Continue reading

Posted in English language, family, first world problems, personal, Silliness | Comments Off on Dyed-in-the-wool cheapskate

Waste not, want not [10]

Discussion of ‘waste’ in both higher education and scientific research seems to keep popping up in my life. Both in Science Question Time (from August 24th) and in some comments here on Occam’s Typewriter posts by both Jenny Rohn and … Continue reading

Posted in higher education, Science Question Time, waste | Comments Off on Waste not, want not [10]

Where is Physics Barbie?

This article first appeared in Times Higher Education on 25th August 2011. The title is as it appears there. Diversity matters, be it in the make-up of Parliament, among our television presenters or in our boardrooms. It matters in science … Continue reading

Posted in A level choices, career choices, cultural stereotypes, education, Equality, toys, Women in science | Comments Off on Where is Physics Barbie?

Separating science and religion

When I was an undergraduate student in Jerusalem, I held a part-time job and worked full time in the summer one year as a bellboy and doorman at the Jerusalem Sheraton-Plaza Hotel. The multi-faceted experiences that I had could probably … Continue reading

Posted in bellboy, elevator without music, fed up, Hebrew University, hotel, hyenas, Jewish, no tip, orthodox, Research, Sabbath, science, Science Funding, silliness that isn't funny, stairs, work | Comments Off on Separating science and religion

A momentary lapse of reason—Chapter Five

Chapter Four The Outlier Sabine was thinking furiously, knowing she had said the wrong thing. She had seen the change in Slaters eyes; wry amusement replaced almost with boredom. Merde! Think, woman.

Posted in A momentary lapse of reason | Comments Off on A momentary lapse of reason—Chapter Five

Nota bene

“It is disrespectful to the speaker to show up to a lab meeting – especially one at which a student is giving a practice presentation for an upcoming comprehensive exam and has specifically asked for feedback – without a pen, … Continue reading

Posted in career, grant wrangling, rants, science | Comments Off on Nota bene

Not log tables [6]

  Room to spread out I come from a family of decidedly womble-ing tendencies. In other words, we tend to acquire objects, and do not tend to throw them away.

Posted in Family business, Getting old, History, The Life Scientific | Comments Off on Not log tables [6]

A momentary lapse of reason—Chapter Four

Chapter Three The Postdoc Brad stared at the printout in front of him. There it was again, that damned high molecular weight peak he had seen on both previous runs. Everything else was normal, or as close to normal as … Continue reading

Posted in A momentary, A momentary lapse of reason | Comments Off on A momentary lapse of reason—Chapter Four

Bafflement and effort

From Robbins to McKinsey – The Dismantling of the Universities by Professor Stefan Collini (Faculty of English, University of Cambridge) is a thoughtful, articulate and damming critique of the Browne report (pdf) and subsequent Higher Education White Paper (pdf). © … Continue reading

Posted in 1984, bafflement, Browne report, effort, George Orwell, Higher Education White Paper, longreads, university | Comments Off on Bafflement and effort