Monthly Archives: May 2018

Writing, Creativity and Grief

Posted on 28 May 2018 by Athene Donald

What acts are best to provoke creativity? Some poets – from Samuel Taylor Coleridge to Dylan Thomas – seem to have felt that drug- or alcohol- induced hazes may be effective, but I don’t think many scientists would recommend that … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Science, Dictionary of National Biography, Sir Sam Edwards, Thomas Edison | Comments Off on Writing, Creativity and Grief

Strategic Developments at UKRI

Posted on 24 May 2018 by Athene Donald

The new super-research council (in UK terms) UKRI that acts as an umbrella organisation – sitting above the seven research councils plus Innovate UK and Research England – launched its Strategic Prospectus a few days ago. Not so much a … Continue reading →

Posted in Horizon2020, interdisciplinarity, Interdisciplinary Science, Nurse Review, place, Science Funding | Comments Off on Strategic Developments at UKRI

In which a new Doctor is born

Posted on 18 May 2018 by Jennifer Rohn

No, not that Doctor. (Besides, I’m not sure any graduate student would care to regenerate and repeat the experience for all eternity!) My first PhD candidate, Harry Horsley, recently had his viva. Here he is, about an hour before the … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, careers, students, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which a new Doctor is born

How might the Athena Swan Process Emerge?

Posted on 13 May 2018 by Athene Donald

When groups of (comparative) strangers sit around a table, it is impossible to predict what will emerge in the way of new ideas. Readers of this blog will not be surprised to know that I think diversity – of background, … Continue reading →

Posted in AdvanceHE, Athena Forum, diversity, Equality, letters of reference, Women in science | Comments Off on How might the Athena Swan Process Emerge?

Once upon a time there was respect for scientists…

Posted on 12 May 2018 by Steve Caplan

Some families sit together and watch sitcoms, entertainment, or sports. Not my family; we are the classic science geeks. Two parents who both are researchers with a lab to run, one adult child who is a sophomore microbiology/biochemistry student at … Continue reading →

Posted in Charité, education, Erich, Koch, Professor, Research, science, von Behring | Comments Off on Once upon a time there was respect for scientists…

Book reviews – Knowledge Translation edition

Posted on 11 May 2018 by Cath@VWXYNot?

I realised recently that the “everything I used to blog about is now on Twitter or Goodreads instead” trend of recent years means that I never got around to mentioning my new job! After ten years of grant writing and … Continue reading →

Posted in blog buddies, book review, career, communication, cycling, Knowledge translation | Comments Off on Book reviews – Knowledge Translation edition

The best experiment

Posted on 5 May 2018 by Steve Caplan

It has been a long winter, but spring is finally here. It’s a beautiful day, starting from breakfast on the deck, watching the birds over the lake. And it’s time for someone who hasn’t done an experiment in a dozen … Continue reading →

Posted in backyard garden, farmer, Research, science, tomatoes | Comments Off on The best experiment

In which science imitates life, number 365: zones of death in public transport

Posted on 3 May 2018 by Jennifer Rohn

I was waiting for the bus this past weekend, ridiculously early to get my son to his swimming lesson across town. Or so I thought. We waited, and waited, and Joshua jumped up and down anxiously, looking adorable with his … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua, Scientific thinking, Silliness | Comments Off on In which science imitates life, number 365: zones of death in public transport