Author Archives: Austin

About Austin

Middle-aged grouchy white male. Hair greying but hasn't all fallen out yet. Spreading waistline ill-concealed by baggy jumper.Semi-extinguished physiology researcher turned teacher. Known for never shutting up. Father of two children (aged 6 and 2) who try to out-talk him. Some would call that Karmic Revenge.

Slight return

Posted on 11 November 2020 by Austin

I wrote this somewhere else, and it got sufficiently long that I thought it might as well go here, since the blog is still here. Prompted by Nov 11th, of course, but by other things too. ——————————————————————————————

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More about Everest pioneer Griff Pugh

Posted on 10 June 2014 by Austin

I’ve got a piece out today over at The Conversation about Griffith Pugh, who I mentioned a couple of days ago. I won’t post it here in full, I think. There weren’t enough edits to make it worth posting a … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Physiology | Comments Off on More about Everest pioneer Griff Pugh

Two more days to vote for the unsung hero of Everest

Posted on 8 June 2014 by Austin

  A couple of days ago the June e-Newsletter from the Physiological Society dropped into my inbox. Among other stuff it contained this:   ———————————————————————————-

Posted in Blog-ology, History, Physiology, The Life Scientific | Comments Off on Two more days to vote for the unsung hero of Everest

Yes, chess. Look away now.

Posted on 8 September 2013 by Austin

In which I revisit my youth as a chess-playing dweeb. Sort of. Contrary to an earlier threat, I haven’t posted much here about my chess-playing activities over the last year and a bit. Partly this is because these days chess … Continue reading →

Posted in chess, Getting old, Nerdishness, Procrastination | Comments Off on Yes, chess. Look away now.

IUPS Part 2

Posted on 28 July 2013 by Austin

Now that IUPS 2013 has concluded successfully, I thought I should add a few of my conference thoughts, other than those mentioned in the earlier post.   As I am a lazy so-and-so, and I can’t muster too much thinking … Continue reading →

Posted in conferences, Getting old, History, Physiology, The Life Scientific | Comments Off on IUPS Part 2

Too Many Tweets Make A… Historical Record?

Posted on 25 July 2013 by Austin

In which we debate the historical usefulness of hashtags, especially in connection with scientific conferences like IUPS 2013. I occasionally get asked, within my University and even beyond it, to pose as some kind of social media expert. Which I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in conferences, History, Physiology, The Interwebz, The Life Scientific | Comments Off on Too Many Tweets Make A… Historical Record?

Shame. Or should that be ‘Postdocalypse’?

Posted on 25 July 2013 by Austin

Not IUPS-related tonight – but something that should concern the people there – should concern *us*. Especially the people WITH senior positions. Scientific research has a lot going for it as a job.

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IUPS Part 1

Posted on 23 July 2013 by Austin

A dispatch from the IUPS conference in Birmingham. I have to admit to some trepidation when it comes to big international mega-conferences like the IUPS (International Union of Physiological Sciences). They have never entirely agreed with me. The first conference … Continue reading →

Posted in conferences, Grumbling, Medicine, Physiology, Universities | Comments Off on IUPS Part 1

Happy Birthday DC

Posted on 19 July 2013 by Austin

It is a pleasure to wish a Happy Birthday today to my friend Professor David Colquhoun, who, as he reaches the palindromic age of 77, is still fighting the various fights for good science – and reality in general – … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting old, History, Pseudoscience, The Life Scientific, Universities | Comments Off on Happy Birthday DC

Father’s Day

Posted on 16 June 2013 by Austin

I must admit I hadn’t noticed it was Father’s Day until I switched on the computer this morning, what with us being a notoriously ‘Something’s Day’-averse lot at Chez Elliott. I was, BTW, not woken with croissants and coffee. let … Continue reading →

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