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.
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Category Archives: Nostalgia
In which generative AI interferes with scientific training – potentially
I have recently written about the perils of scientists relying on generative AI for writing. But the topic isn’t going away, and every day, more alarm bells seem to go off. Two opposing opinion pieces on this topic were published … Continue reading
Posted in Academia, AI, Nostalgia, Research, Scientific thinking, The profession of science, Writing
1 Comment
In which human scientists are losing the battle
This is the year that AI in science first began to scare me. (Disclaimer: I’m not talking about machine learning, which is a useful and powerful scientific tool. I’m using the term AI here as shorthand for Large Language Models.) … Continue reading
Posted in Academia, AI, Nostalgia, science funding, Scientific thinking, Staring into the abyss, Students, Teaching, Writing
4 Comments
In which the road forks and the future splinters
It’s that time of year when prospective undergraduates are considering their various offers to study at university. As the Admissions Tutor for a large BSc programme, I’ve been spending a lot of time fielding hundreds of queries by email. And … Continue reading
Posted in Academia, Careers, Nostalgia, Research, The profession of science, Women in science
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In which I come home
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been caught in the flurry of the early-spring conference season, crisscrossing continents to take part in that most ritualistic of scientific pastimes: networking, giving talks, sliding through poster sessions, drinking bad coffee from steel … Continue reading
Posted in Academia, Domestic bliss, Gardening, Joshua, Nostalgia, Research, The ageing process, The profession of science, Work/life balance
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In which sadness serves a purpose
It’s one of those weekend afternoons when the garden is almost too beautiful. Too much. I sit here under a blanket on a deck chair in the blustery wind, trying to write, but all the songbirds have forgotten I’m here … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Nostalgia, Staring into the abyss, The ageing process, Writing
1 Comment
In which we build the perfect scientist
They say it takes a village to raise a child. But I’ve been wondering recently what it takes to raise an independent scientist. Specifically, I’m thinking of the “valley of death” between a postdoc and a well-functioning group leader with … Continue reading
Posted in Academia, Careers, Domestic bliss, Nostalgia, Research, Staring into the abyss, The profession of science, Work/life balance
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In which we’ve lost the scientific argument
Today in the United States, researchers are marching in Washington DC and across the country in a Stand Up for Science National Day of Action. Their problems are admittedly a lot heavier than ours here in the UK, although a … Continue reading
Posted in Nostalgia, Policy, Politics, Science is Vital, Science talking, Students, Teaching
1 Comment
In which I thank my stars for country living
When I first moved to London in 1997, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Long hours in the lab would spill into the evening streets and underground tunnels of a city so large that you could never experience it all. … Continue reading
Posted in Academia, Domestic bliss, Gardening, Nostalgia, The ageing process, Work/life balance
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In which I make contact
Back in the late Nineties, I was interning at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. During the working week, I threw myself into the lab with all the evangelical fervour of a pilgrim who had finally reached her … Continue reading
In which I dream
Last night I dreamt I was pipetting. It was a beautiful Gilson p200, the classic model of my formative years. The precision instrument felt reassuringly heavy and solid in my right hand. Despite its age, the movements were smooth and … Continue reading
Posted in Academia, Careers, Nostalgia, Research, Scientific thinking, The ageing process, The profession of science
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