Author Archives: Jennifer Rohn

About Jennifer Rohn

Scientist, novelist, rock chick

In which I am not a science cheerleader

Posted on 29 November 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

There is something seductive about the scientific profession: it exerts a gravity so powerful that it can hoover all of the surrounding universe into its warped perspective. If you have your heart set on being a scientist, you set off … Continue reading →

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In which I prepare to be terminated – again

Posted on 20 November 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

The afternoons are darkening, the leaves are scattering to the ground — and the usual seasonal missive from HR has arrived in my inbox. They need my clothes, my boots and my motorcycle Actually, although I’m on rolling 3-monthly contracts, … Continue reading →

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In which I powder my nose

Posted on 9 November 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

It’s rather disconcerting to enter a stall in a public lavatory, sit down – and see your own name staring back at you on the inner door advertising. Does this mean I’ve really hit the big-time?

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In which we excavate the Tubes that Time Forgot

Posted on 31 October 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

I’ve written before about “the churn”, which is a term established scientists tend to use when they want to make short-term lab contracts sound like a good thing – instead of the relentless waste of talent and reagents and constant … Continue reading →

Posted in The profession of science | Comments Off on In which we excavate the Tubes that Time Forgot

In which numbers lie – except when they flatter us

Posted on 10 October 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

Bibliometrics have been making me cross recently. In the past month, I’ve stumbled across two instances where journal impact factors were being used in a grossly inappropriate way to assess the worth and quality of scientist colleagues. This exposure in … Continue reading →

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In which they don’t make authorship like they used to

Posted on 24 September 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

I recently had the pleasure of helping to judge the Max Perutz Science Writing Prize competition, held by the Medical Research Council in collaboration with the London Metro newspaper. The brief for aspiring young writers was to explain why their … Continue reading →

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In which fantasy informs reality – and saves the planet

Posted on 11 September 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

The discussion about what fiction can do for science is best encapsulated by the often heard, emblematic plea: Where’s my bloody jetpack, then? Okay, so the technorati may still be earthbound on Segways while they wait for the price of … Continue reading →

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In which we say goodbye

Posted on 23 August 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

Over the summer, our lab has been invaded by an exotic species with a dynamic life cycle and an all-too-brief half-life. No, I’m not talking about some new strain of uropathogenic E. coli or other variety of bad-assed bug.

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In which a picture’s worth a thousand words

Posted on 15 August 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

A significant part of the scientific process is documenting what you observe. This activity is not merely a formality for the record. In some cases, it’s not until we study and analyze our results that the experimental situation can start … Continue reading →

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In which we welcome a new friend

Posted on 17 July 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

There is nothing like the joy of finally getting a piece of lab equipment that you desperately need. OK, so it was fun messing around with the Poor Man’s Shaking Incubator (see the exclusive video of the prototype in action … Continue reading →

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