Monthly Archives: June 2015

Data not shown: time to distribute some common sense about impact factors

It’s that time of year when all clear-thinking people die a little inside: the latest set of journal impact factors has just been released. Although there was an initial flurry of activity on Twitter last week when the 2015 Journal … Continue reading

Posted in Open Access | Comments Off on Data not shown: time to distribute some common sense about impact factors

That dumb flag – It’s time to let it go

I miss my home town. I miss the sound of cicadids on a summer evening. I miss the construction of a fine, Southern sentence. I miss running around in bare feet.

Posted in Confederacy, Confederate flag, Dylann Roof, Heritage not hate, racism | Comments Off on That dumb flag – It’s time to let it go

What Next after Tim Hunt? (#just1action4WIS)

Last week the world erupted into a storm of outrage over remarks Sir Tim Hunt, Nobel Prize winner, made in Korea. Unacceptable, indefensible remarks. He has been made to resign from positions and committees for which he has worked so … Continue reading

Posted in discrimination, Equality, personal responsibility, Royal Society, Science Culture, Women in science | Comments Off on What Next after Tim Hunt? (#just1action4WIS)

In which we kill the messenger: is Twitter dystopian?

In the past week there has been a lot of talk about sexism in science. I don’t want to rehash any of the arguments (though you can hear some of my views on Radio 4 and in the Telegraph). One … Continue reading

Posted in The profession of science, Women in science | Comments Off on In which we kill the messenger: is Twitter dystopian?

Cry, cry, cry (for backwards Nobel Laureates)

So this happened – at The World Conference of Science Journalism, at a lunch sponsored by Korean female scientists and engineers – just yesterday. So as a human being, I am not sure I particularly care what Professor Tim Hunt, … Continue reading

Posted in Royal Society, Tim Hunt, WCSJ, Women in science | Comments Off on Cry, cry, cry (for backwards Nobel Laureates)

Faking It

I seem to have given a lot of talks recently in which the phrase ‘faking it’ sat at their heart. You will realise I am not referring to talks about protein aggregation, microscopy or other scientific subjects when the use … Continue reading

Posted in career progression, independenc, Science Culture, self-confidence | Comments Off on Faking It

In which you can take the girl out of the lab…

I suppose most scientists have the problem of taking their work home with them. And by this I don’t mean the stacks of papers you need to read, or the manuscript you’re writing, or the grant application you’re still cobbling … Continue reading

Posted in Gardening, Scientific thinking, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which you can take the girl out of the lab…