Category Archives: Students

In which we tell a story: on metaphors in science and life

Posted on March 29, 2026 by Jennifer Rohn

There is such a stark divide between those who understand scientific complexity and those who urgently need or want to. The onus falls on the former to translate their messages in a comprehensible way. Perhaps it’s a radical claim, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Research, Scientific papers, Students, Teaching, Writing | 1 Comment

In which we’ve lost the scientific argument

Posted on March 7, 2026 by Jennifer Rohn

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 we fall

Posted on November 6, 2022 by Jennifer Rohn

Fireworks crackle in the darkness: yesterday’s Bonfire Night stretching to fill the entire weekend. The torrential rains have given way to an almost full moon, glowing cold-silver in the eastern sky. November is always a positive month, with the cosiness … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Domestic bliss, Gardening, Joshua, Research, Staring into the abyss, Students, Teaching, The profession of science, Work/life balance | 2 Comments

In which summers shrink

Posted on June 27, 2021 by Jennifer Rohn

Academics talk nostalgically about rosy-tinted times of yore when summers meant a lull in lecturing duties. The months would unfold before you, a vast landscape of research possibilities. It was a time to write papers, craft grants, catch up with … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Careers, Nostalgia, Research, Students, Teaching, The ageing process, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which summers shrink

In which I assess

Posted on May 21, 2019 by Jennifer Rohn

It’s that time of year – piles of booklets appearing on my desk faster than I can clear them out. Baffling handwriting, detailed rubrics, Excel spreadsheets, moderation sessions, similarity scores, pens of many different colored inks. Short answer questions, dissertations, … Continue reading →

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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 a new Doctor is born

Posted on May 18, 2018 by Jennifer Rohn

No, not that Doctor. (Besides, I’m not sure any graduate student would care to regenerate and repeat the experience for all eternity!) My first PhD candidate, Harry Horsley, recently had his viva. Here he is, about an hour before the … Continue reading →

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In which age is no impediment to scientific discourse

Posted on March 13, 2018 by Jennifer Rohn

Joshua has had quite a few vaccinations in his four-and-a-half years – the usual routine inoculations for standard childhood illnesses and a couple (chicken pox and meningitis B) that are not on the NHS menu. The last time I took … Continue reading →

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In which we are snapped

Posted on July 16, 2017 by Jennifer Rohn

Current Team Wee-Wee: Jane, Johannes, Dhan, Harry, Monika, Me, Kristina I’ve been meaning to make a lab website for a long time now, but you know how it is: ten million other things intrude, higher priority items forever bumping lower … Continue reading →

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In which the calm cowers before the storm

Posted on September 21, 2016 by Jennifer Rohn

Can you hear it? Yes, that’s the sound of a distinct lack of undergraduates knocking around the place. Even the summer lab students have departed, off for a few weeks of R&R or debauchery before the grind kicks back in … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Students, Teaching, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which the calm cowers before the storm