About Jenny
By day: cell biologist at UCL. By night: novelist, broadcaster, science writer, sci-lit-art pundit, blogger and Editor of LabLit.com. I blog about my life in science, not the facts and figures.
-
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- rpg on In which we struggle: mental health in higher education
- Jennifer Rohn on In which no scientist is an island – but that’s what we signed up for
- Henry Gee on In which no scientist is an island – but that’s what we signed up for
- Brigitte on In which sadness serves a purpose
- rpg on In which we tell a story: on metaphors in science and life
Archives
Categories
- Academia
- Art
- Careers
- Domestic bliss
- Epidemics
- Gardening
- Ham radio
- Health and safety gone mad
- Illness
- Joshua
- Kit
- LabLit
- Media
- Music
- Nostalgia
- Obituaries
- Policy
- Politics
- Recruitment
- Research
- Science fiction
- science funding
- Science is Vital
- Science journalism
- Science talking
- Scientific method
- Scientific papers
- Scientific thinking
- Silliness
- Staring into the abyss
- Stereotypes
- Students
- Teaching
- The ageing process
- The profession of science
- Uncategorized
- Women in science
- Work/life balance
- Writing
Meta
Author Archives: Jennifer Rohn
In which we excavate the Tubes that Time Forgot
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
6 Comments
In which numbers lie – except when they flatter us
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
20 Comments
In which they don’t make authorship like they used to
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
In which fantasy informs reality – and saves the planet
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
10 Comments
In which we say goodbye
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. I’m … Continue reading
Posted in Students, The profession of science
7 Comments
In which a picture’s worth a thousand words
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
In which we welcome a new friend
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
4 Comments
In which science policy suits up
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
In which I am not worthy
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
8 Comments
In which we look to the horizon: science is more vital than ever
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
3 Comments
