Author Archives: Jennifer Rohn

About Jennifer Rohn

Scientist, novelist, rock chick

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 →

Posted in Lablit, Scientific papers, The profession of science, Writing | Comments Off on In which numbers lie – except when they flatter us

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 →

Posted in Science journalism, Scientific papers, The profession of science, Writing | Comments Off on In which they don’t make authorship like they used to

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 →

Posted in Lablit, Science-fiction, Writing | Comments Off on In which fantasy informs reality – and saves the planet

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.

Posted in students, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which we say goodbye

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 →

Posted in Scientific method, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which a picture’s worth a thousand words

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 →

Posted in The profession of science | Comments Off on In which we welcome a new friend

In which science policy suits up

Posted on 12 July 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

What must Britain do to retain its global scientific reputation in a changing world? This evening at the Royal Society, various men of science, industry and politics gave us their opinion (“UK Research: Building Bridges, Building Prosperity”). These included the … Continue reading →

Posted in Policy, Politics, Science Funding, Science Is Vital, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which science policy suits up

In which I am not worthy

Posted on 27 June 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

I am still pinching myself. The good folks from the Edinburgh Book Festival have invited me to get up on stage with one of my favorite authors, Neal Stephenson, to discuss the importance of science fiction on science fact. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Lablit, Nostalgia, Science-fiction, Writing | Comments Off on In which I am not worthy

In which we look to the horizon: science is more vital than ever

Posted on 19 June 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

When Science Is Vital joined with hundreds of other organizations to successfully fend off threatened cuts to the science budget in 2010, the next Spending Review seemed aeons away. By now, of course, most scientists in Britain have heard the … Continue reading →

Posted in Policy, Politics, Science Funding, Science Is Vital | Comments Off on In which we look to the horizon: science is more vital than ever