Category Archives: Scientific thinking

In which no scientist is an island – but that’s what we signed up for

Posted on May 16, 2026 by Jennifer Rohn

I’ve washed up on the shores of another weekend, almost limp after two weeks of protracted stress. Throughout this, my unsettled, cortisol-fuelled moods have mirrored the erratic nature of the recent weather: violent cloudbursts, hailstorms, rainbows, periods of brilliant sunshine … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Research, Scientific papers, Scientific thinking, Teaching, The profession of science, Work/life balance | 2 Comments

In which I dream

Posted on March 17, 2024 by Jennifer Rohn

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 | Comments Off on In which I dream

In which we face the rain

Posted on October 4, 2020 by Jennifer Rohn

How quickly strangeness becomes familiarity. As autumn hunkers down, and the COVID infection rates continue to rise (nearly 13,000 cases reported yesterday in the UK), I see things around me that I never could have imagined before 2020. A trip … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic bliss, Gardening, Research, Scientific thinking, The profession of science, Work/life balance | Comments Off on In which we face the rain

In which the pandemic unfolds: a postcard from The Big One?

Posted on March 15, 2020 by Jennifer Rohn

Epidemics are works in progress. At any given moment in time, you can’t know how they will end. They are a curve on a graph of ultimately unknown trajectory; when you are just a dot on a growing curve, you … Continue reading →

Posted in Epidemics, Nostalgia, Scientific thinking, Staring into the abyss, Work/life balance | 1 Comment

In which I defend the birds-eye view

Posted on November 26, 2019 by Jennifer Rohn

Is science about obsessing over one tiny daub of paint? Or is it about standing back and appreciating the entire picture? At the poster session of a recent meeting, I was chatting with a engaging young woman about her research … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Research, Scientific method, Scientific thinking | 2 Comments

In which we find out how

Posted on April 9, 2019 by Jennifer Rohn

Science in your pyjamas: bliss What’s the youngest a person can be exposed to science in a meaningful way? Loyal readers will know that I’ve pondered this question before, especially since becoming a mother. The other day a colleague told … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic bliss, Joshua, Scientific thinking, Students, Teaching | 1 Comment

In which we grow towards the light

Posted on January 30, 2019 by Jennifer Rohn

It’s that time of year when the long winter starts to nibble away at your core. Everything feels cold, dark, and dormant, held in abeyance until better times. The festive period is a distant memory, and spring seems so far … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic bliss, Gardening, Joshua, Scientific thinking, Work/life balance | 1 Comment

In which we science the world

Posted on October 18, 2018 by Jennifer Rohn

My son just can’t help it. He’s not even doing it deliberately: he’s just acting naturally. Curiosity combined with razor-sharp eyesight is a killer combination for the accidental scientist. He sees things that I miss, with my own failing ocular … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic bliss, Joshua, Scientific method, Scientific thinking, Work/life balance | 3 Comments

In which I question an assumption: do fiction readers really dislike scientific detail?

Posted on September 20, 2018 by Jennifer Rohn

My regular readers will know all about Fiction Lab, the world’s first book group devoted to discussing lab lit fiction. We’ve been meeting once a month for just over a decade at London’s Royal Institution to talk about novels with … Continue reading →

Posted in LabLit, Scientific thinking, Writing | 10 Comments

In which science imitates life, number 365: zones of death in public transport

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Jennifer Rohn

I was waiting for the bus this past weekend, ridiculously early to get my son to his swimming lesson across town. Or so I thought. We waited, and waited, and Joshua jumped up and down anxiously, looking adorable with his … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua, Scientific thinking, Silliness | Comments Off on In which science imitates life, number 365: zones of death in public transport