Monthly Archives: May 2015

On starting small

Posted on 31 May 2015 by rpg

We’re still here. No need to send a search party… yet.

Posted in Don't try this at home, personal, Photography, rose | Comments Off on On starting small

Science, Culture and All That Jazz

Posted on 31 May 2015 by Athene Donald

People seem to think that science and culture are two different things. Just as Stefan Collini, in his 2012 book ‘What are Universities for? ’ constantly referred to scientists and scholars, as if scientists were unable to join the (implied … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Science, Matthew Arnold, Melvyn Bragg, Science Culture, Two Cultures | Comments Off on Science, Culture and All That Jazz

How Broad is Broad?

Posted on 24 May 2015 by Athene Donald

Most conferences provide food for thought and my participation this week in the Global Scholars Symposium in Cambridge certainly fulfilled my expectations in this respect. Although I was meant to be the one doing the talking, there was also time … Continue reading →

Posted in career paths, interdisciplinarity, Research, Science Culture, Science policy | Comments Off on How Broad is Broad?

Do you have a sponsor? (Do you need one?)

Posted on 17 May 2015 by Athene Donald

I have been reading the book by Sylvia Ann Hewlett on sponsorship: (Forget a Mentor) Find a Sponsor. Sylvia very kindly gave me a copy of this book when I met her in March where we were both talking at … Continue reading →

Posted in advice, careers, mentors, Science Culture | Comments Off on Do you have a sponsor? (Do you need one?)

We’ve all got troubles (including the Open Science Framework)

Posted on 16 May 2015 by Sylvia McLain

Surprisingly to some and not-so-surprisingly to others, we scientists have our own fair share of troubles in the way we perform our day job – bias, fraud, irreproducibility, lost results, bad data management, difficulty in publishing non-conclusive results. We also … Continue reading →

Posted in bias, Open Science Network, scientific publishing, The Trouble with Scientists | Comments Off on We’ve all got troubles (including the Open Science Framework)

On the Loss of a Giant

Posted on 9 May 2015 by Athene Donald

At the turn of the year I wrote about the death of Ed Kramer, one of the two key people in my life who turned me into the person I am as a scientist. I am deeply saddened to learn … Continue reading →

Posted in Cavendish Professor, Science Culture, Sir Sam Edwards, soft matter physics | Comments Off on On the Loss of a Giant

Being an expert in (membrane) recycling has perks!

Posted on 8 May 2015 by Steve Caplan

This morning I awoke to the following email (and yes, “OMICS” does it again): Dear Dr. Steve Caplan, Greetings of the day. Hope you are doing well.

Posted in barcelona, emminence, endocytosis, humor, mitosis, OMICS, recycling, Research, science | Comments Off on Being an expert in (membrane) recycling has perks!

Knowledge versus Experience

Posted on 4 May 2015 by Athene Donald

One of the things that is always said about teaching is that it shows you what you do or don’t know. You can’t flannel an explanation to a student who keeps asking probing questions though you may manage to do … Continue reading →

Posted in career progression, Communicating Science, mentoring, public speaking, Science Culture | Comments Off on Knowledge versus Experience

Women and Minorities have got it good, if they are fictional of course.

Posted on 4 May 2015 by Sylvia McLain

As all y’all know, because I am constantly reminding everyone, I am from Tennessee. I like to think I am not racist and I really sincerely hope I am not racist, but the culture I grew up in has a … Continue reading →

Posted in racism, Sexism in STEM, Women in science | Comments Off on Women and Minorities have got it good, if they are fictional of course.

Missed opportunity

Posted on 3 May 2015 by Cath@VWXYNot?

From my Facebook feed: It should totally be called a beehemoth! Whoever first called it a wasp moth sucks!

Posted in freakishness, nature, photos, Silliness | Comments Off on Missed opportunity