Category Archives: funding

More Than A-Levels

Posted on 20 August 2024 by Athene Donald

Last week saw the annual media interest in A-Level results (at least in England). Commentators noticed, for instance, the substantial increase in STEM subjects, with over 100,000 students taking Maths. This figure was remarkable as it was the first time … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in BTECs, careers, education, funding, productivity, T Levels | Comments Off on More Than A-Levels

The Politics of White Lab Coats

Posted on 13 February 2021 by Athene Donald

Everyone knows what a scientist looks like. The species is easily identifiable because they wear a white lab coat wherever they go. It is almost as if, if you don’t wear a white coat you can’t be a serious scientist, … Continue reading →

Posted in funding, Horizon Europe, Prime Minister, Science Culture, Science Funding, vaccination | Comments Off on The Politics of White Lab Coats

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”

Corruption is contagious: just ask the former US Health and Human Services Secretary

Posted on 30 September 2017 by Steve Caplan

This week, as Caribbean Islands including Puerto Rico are struggling from the horrific effects of Hurricane Maria, as running water and electricity have all but disappeared, and as the first rumors of possible cholera have emerged from the rubble, America’s … Continue reading →

Posted in chartered jets, CRISPR/Cas9, Dan Diamond, Doudna, funding, grants, NIH, private jets, Rachana Pradhan, Research, science, Tom Price, Trump, waste, Zhang | Comments Off on Corruption is contagious: just ask the former US Health and Human Services Secretary

Paid overtime for post-docs? Implications!

Posted on 13 July 2016 by Steve Caplan

A new rule issued by the US Department of Labor, scheduled to go into effect on Dec. 1, 2016, is likely to have a major impact on the structure of the biomedical research enterprise in this country. This rule, which … Continue reading →

Posted in biomedical research, funding, grant, lab, labor, NIH, overtime, post-doc, post-doctoral fellow, postdoctoral fellow, principal investigator, Research, salary, science, stipend, wages | Comments Off on Paid overtime for post-docs? Implications!

Science Funding from Europe and Commissioner Moedas

Posted on 1 July 2016 by Athene Donald

I went to Brussels this week for a Plenary meeting of the European Research Council’s Scientific Council. It was a strange week to go. As I sat on Eurostar and stared out at the passing countryside I strongly felt, what … Continue reading →

Posted in Brexit, ERC, funding, Research, Science Funding | Comments Off on Science Funding from Europe and Commissioner Moedas

How much is my sanity worth?

Posted on 11 May 2016 by Steve Caplan

I think that many scientists today would likely agree that writing grants (and worrying about funding) can drive a person to insanity. A question that I’ve never really pondered until recently is “Would I trade my sanity for a grant?” … Continue reading →

Posted in funding, grant, proposal, relief, Research, sanity, science | Comments Off on How much is my sanity worth?

Hey, I didn’t even get the grant!

Posted on 15 January 2016 by Steve Caplan

Scientists today spend a considerable chunk of their time writing: grants, protocols, manuscripts, reviews, grant reviews, etc. One of the bureaucratic requirements that most of us are familiar with is the “progress report.” Every year — or even after every … Continue reading →

Posted in awardee, bureaucracy, foundation, funding, grant, humor, No, progress report, Research, science, scientist, Writing | Comments Off on Hey, I didn’t even get the grant!

Ch-ch-ch-changes…

Posted on 23 September 2015 by Stephen

There’s a very real chance that this could turn out to be an actual blogpost. In the original sense of the word: a web-log of what’s been happening. Posts have been rather sparse on Reciprocal Space of late. That’s not … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, funding, Guardian, Scientific Life, Times Higher | Comments Off on Ch-ch-ch-changes…

Has a career in science become a dog’s life?

Posted on 17 November 2013 by Steve Caplan

Ginger, after retrieving a gazillion tennis balls on a beautiful Sunday morning. “A dog’s life?” Certainly a misnomer if I’ve ever heard one; at least for this dog, life is good.

Posted in careers, dog, funding, grants, investigators, NIH, personnel, proposals, Research, science, scientists | Comments Off on Has a career in science become a dog’s life?