Author Archives: Jennifer Rohn

About Jennifer Rohn

Scientist, novelist, rock chick

In which nature imitates science – number 327

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Jennifer Rohn

Sometimes when you look at something from a different angle, you see something you’d never otherwise have noticed. We’ve been trying to grow melons in the greenhouse, without much success: hundreds of female flowers have unfurled, but only a handful … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic bliss, Gardening, Scientific thinking, Silliness | Comments Off on In which nature imitates science – number 327

In which we recommend a classic lab lit novel in honor of the Pluto flyby

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Jennifer Rohn

The big day is finally arrived: in just a few hours, we are about to get our closest look yet at Pluto. Call it what you will – planet, dwarf planet, even the last word in that classic American solar … Continue reading →

Posted in LabLit, Writing | Comments Off on In which we recommend a classic lab lit novel in honor of the Pluto flyby

In which we kill the messenger: is Twitter dystopian?

Posted on June 14, 2015 by Jennifer Rohn

In the past week there has been a lot of talk about sexism in science. I don’t want to rehash any of the arguments (though you can hear some of my views on Radio 4 and in the Telegraph). One … Continue reading →

Posted in The profession of science, Women in science | 16 Comments

In which you can take the girl out of the lab…

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Jennifer Rohn

I suppose most scientists have the problem of taking their work home with them. And by this I don’t mean the stacks of papers you need to read, or the manuscript you’re writing, or the grant application you’re still cobbling … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Scientific thinking, The profession of science | 2 Comments

In which the small fish contemplates the bigger pond

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Jennifer Rohn

The wandering path of my unconventional scientific life is about to shift yet again. It’s with mixed feelings that I report another lab move – same Division, another new campus. The retro digs in Bloomsbury, with its polished hardwood trimmings, … Continue reading →

Posted in Careers, Staring into the abyss, The profession of science | 2 Comments

In which the forest emerges

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Jennifer Rohn

The clocks have gone forward, the crocuses wither, the tulips unfurl. The students have dispersed for Easter, full of dread about the immunology exam that will pounce on their return. Budding life forms I put one grant application to bed … Continue reading →

Posted in Careers, Gardening, Scientific thinking, Staring into the abyss, Students, Teaching, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which the forest emerges

In which Charles Fernyhough comes to Fiction Lab

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Jennifer Rohn

One of the great things about being the LabLit Guru™ is that I am constantly receiving interesting books to look over. A stack of lab lit, yesterday – plus an intriguing hanger-on there at the bottom One of the not-so-great … Continue reading →

Posted in LabLit, Writing | 1 Comment

In which life imitates science – number 264

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Jennifer Rohn

A scientist is never off-duty, even in a fabulous Michelin-starred restaurant on Charlotte Street. I think pretty much anyone with a cell biology background would have seen what I saw in this rhubarb confection: But alas, my immediate dining companions … Continue reading →

Posted in Scientific thinking, Silliness | 4 Comments

In which the postdoc sell-by date continues to shrivel: The MRC comes to its senses

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Jennifer Rohn

How do you judge the worth of a researcher? In particular, can you tell how excellent she is by how quickly she gets from point A to point B in her career? The funding bodies used to think speed was … Continue reading →

Posted in Careers, science funding, Staring into the abyss, The profession of science, Women in science | 1 Comment

In which I invite them in

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Jennifer Rohn

Although engaging with the public about science is famously not about – heaven forbid – ‘teaching’ it, the two endeavors do share some common strategies. I’ve been organizing and executing a lot of undergraduate educational sessions these past few terms, … Continue reading →

Posted in Science talking, Scientific thinking, Silliness, Students, Teaching | 14 Comments