Monthly Archives: May 2016

How to look at Art?

Posted on 30 May 2016 by Stephen

I was sneered at on Twitter yesterday for sneering at people taking pictures of the Impressionist paintings on display at the Musée D’Orsay in Paris. Fair enough perhaps. I had adopted an exaggerated version of the pontifical tone that comes … Continue reading →

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Would you like fries with that ? (my time at the wonderful world of Wendy’s

Posted on 23 May 2016 by Sylvia McLain

I graduated from high school in 1986. I was 18, I had a job and a $600 Chevy Chevette and was living in an apartment with (too many) other folks and wasn’t going to University. I was gainfully employed at … Continue reading →

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“Saving One” — my new lab lit novel

Posted on 21 May 2016 by Steve Caplan

Over the past two years, I have been avidly writing and editing my new lab lit novel, Saving One. This is the story of a widowed biomedical researcher at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, who has a … Continue reading →

Posted in biomedical research, book, Books, characters, fiction, kidney transplant, Kindle Scout, lab lit, laboratory, medical thriller, National Institutes of Health, NIH, nomination, polycystic kidney disease, Research, researcher, Saving One, science, Writing | Comments Off on “Saving One” — my new lab lit novel

What’s Missing from the White Paper?

Posted on 19 May 2016 by Athene Donald

This post first appeared on the Campaign for Science and Engineering’s website on 19-5-16 With over 600 responses to the Green Paper consultation, Jo Johnson and his team have had plenty of advice to consider. And some of the White … Continue reading →

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In which the old girl rides again

Posted on 17 May 2016 by Jennifer Rohn

As you can see, my young apprentice, your experiments have failed. Now witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational second-hand confocal microscope! My love-affair with second-hand lab equipment continues unabated.

Posted in Kit, Research, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which the old girl rides again

ICYMI No. 5: Asking universities to be open about research assessment

Posted on 14 May 2016 by Stephen

I first wrote about the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) when it was launched in May 2013. DORA is a simple statement asking the different players in the business of academic research to free themselves from the damaging … Continue reading →

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The Competitive Streak in Academia

Posted on 13 May 2016 by Athene Donald

Does being competitive necessarily mean foregoing kindness? In essence this was the question posed to Uta Frith at the end of her public conversation with me last week (you can hear the whole conversation here). Uta didn’t give a completely … Continue reading →

Posted in Carol Robinson, impact factor, Mary Beard, Meaning of Success, Science Culture, Uta Frith, Women in science | Comments Off on The Competitive Streak in Academia

How much is my sanity worth?

Posted on 11 May 2016 by Steve Caplan

I think that many scientists today would likely agree that writing grants (and worrying about funding) can drive a person to insanity. A question that I’ve never really pondered until recently is “Would I trade my sanity for a grant?” … Continue reading →

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Transitory Mercury

Posted on 9 May 2016 by Stephen

I wasn’t sure if I was going to get to see today’s celestial encounter. The forecast was for blanket cover by early afternoon and the blue skies of the morning had largely filled with cloud by lunchtime, when the transit was … Continue reading →

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Putting a Value on the Intangible

Posted on 8 May 2016 by Athene Donald

Does being around trees make you less stressed? A recent study claims it does and, for many of us, green spaces undoubtedly confer a sense of peace and a place to sit and relax. Do trees confer benefits that can … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, economists, education, gardens, widening participation | Comments Off on Putting a Value on the Intangible