Monthly Archives: October 2017

Higher Education Through the Looking Glass

Posted on 29 October 2017 by Athene Donald

I feel as if the Higher Education sector has somehow stepped through Alice’s mirror. Everything is topsy-turvy and has been for some time.  It is hard to know where the next attack will come from. Labour peer Lord Adonis started … Continue reading →

Posted in Brexit, Daily Mail, David Lammy, Festival of Ideas, Research, Science Funding | Comments Off on Higher Education Through the Looking Glass

A danger to science and so much more

Posted on 29 October 2017 by Steve Caplan

Recent polls demonstrate that a shocking number of Americans believe ridiculous conspiracy theories. For example, nearly 1/3 of Americans believe that the Federal Drug Administration in the US deliberately withholds new drugs that target cancer from the American public. In addition, … Continue reading →

Posted in conspiracy theories, Conway, education, facts, Obama, science, science Trump, truth | Comments Off on A danger to science and so much more

It’s Time to Break the Silence

Posted on 26 October 2017 by Athene Donald

One of the pleasurable duties of being Master of a Cambridge College is getting a chance to talk to a wide cross section of people across the dinner table. This week it was the College’s Scholars’ Feast, a feast which … Continue reading →

Posted in Barbara Stocking, education, Equality, harassment, sexual misconduct | Comments Off on It’s Time to Break the Silence

Why we need to better educate the public about science–and stop bill “S. 1973, The Basic Research Act”

Posted on 24 October 2017 by Steve Caplan

The 20th and 21st centuries have arguably been the “Golden Age” for science in the US and other developed countries. Within a generation we have gone from people routinely dying as a result of simple bacterial infections to the power … Continue reading →

Posted in bill S. 1973, biomedical research, CRISP/Cas9, Darwin, education, enzymes, funding, grant review, medical advances, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, NIH, NSF, peer review, Rand Paul, Research, science, taxpayer advocate, The Basic research Act, vaccinations | Comments Off on Why we need to better educate the public about science–and stop bill “S. 1973, The Basic Research Act”

Thin slicing a thin-skinned president

Posted on 21 October 2017 by Steve Caplan

A wonderful elementary school friend who I haven’t seen for over 40 years recently drew my attention to a Canadian journalist and author named Malcolm Gladwell. I first read his book “Outliers,” a book that examined how the very most … Continue reading →

Posted in Blink, Gladwell, Outliers, Politics, president, Research, science, thin slicing, Trump | Comments Off on Thin slicing a thin-skinned president

Thinking about Compassion

Posted on 20 October 2017 by Athene Donald

Compassion. That seems to be a word that is much in the air around me recently. I alluded to it in a recent post in the context of the need for self-control, but have discussed it more extensively in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Equality, jerks, leadership, Science Culture, students | Comments Off on Thinking about Compassion

Dusty Files and Old-fashioned Methods

Posted on 16 October 2017 by Athene Donald

It’s that time of year again when lecturers dust down their files, refresh their memories, and stride out to inspire the next generation of freshers keen to take down their every word. Except, it’s not like that any more. That … Continue reading →

Posted in demonstrations, education, lecture notes, lectures, Powerpoint | Comments Off on Dusty Files and Old-fashioned Methods

On harassment, the power differential and a modicum of hope

Posted on 14 October 2017 by Sylvia McLain

In 1991, I came down with a sudden stomach bug. As is common when I am too ill to think, all I could manage was planting myself in front of the television in an effort to keep myself mildly distracted … Continue reading →

Posted in Abuse of Power, Anita Hill, Marchant, sexual harassment, Weinstein | Comments Off on On harassment, the power differential and a modicum of hope

In which life slips past

Posted on 12 October 2017 by Jennifer Rohn

Time is passing. My baby son has somehow turned four years old, and a very significant birthday approaches in a month’s time for me as well. Birthday Boy The seasons are changing.

Posted in academia, Domestic bliss, Gardening, Teaching, The profession of science, Work/life balance | Comments Off on In which life slips past

Tears and Smiles

Posted on 8 October 2017 by Athene Donald

There is always some trigger for blogposts, sometimes from the news, sometimes from one’s daily life. It is rare that my trigger is someone else’s blog but so it is today. This blog is written by a person who I … Continue reading →

Posted in bereavment, Churchill College, jenny Martin, Science Culture | Comments Off on Tears and Smiles