Latest posts

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

Posted on 14 July 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 system mnemonic (“My very educated mother just served us nine pizza-pies” – sung to the tune of “Swannee River“) & Continue reading →

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

Busy, busy, busy – the Pan Am games are here!

Posted on 13 July 2015 by Richard Wintle

As of Friday, Toronto and places near it are officially in the throes of the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games. And I find myself with (a) a full media photographer’s credential, (b) access to every single competition venue, and (c) a distinct lack of time to take advantage of it.

My involvement is the end of a somewhat confusing story involvi Continue reading →

Posted in Hobbies, Pan Am games, Photography, Toronto | Comments Off on Busy, busy, busy – the Pan Am games are here!

Public Speaking Challenges

Posted on 12 July 2015 by Athene Donald

Technical glitches during talks are all too common, but never easy to cope with. Recently I had a simple talk to give, one which could safely be brought along on a memory stick to the event: I was giving a brief talk to a CUSPE meeting on ‘Effective Policy to Bridge the STEM Skills Gap’  in which I had only a handful of slides with some relevant da Continue reading →

Posted in after-dinner, Communicating Science, disaster, iPad, pockets, Science Culture, speech | Comments Off on Public Speaking Challenges

A Basketful of Metrics?

Posted on 9 July 2015 by Athene Donald

For those who were involved with any aspect of REF2014, it had similarities to a slow speed nightmare. For those embroiled in preparing the submissions, not only was it extremely, ridiculously time-consuming, but it was also a heavy burden of responsibility because the potential financial stakes were so high. I have no idea what it was like to be o Continue reading →

Posted in HEFCE, James Wilsdon, REF, Research | Comments Off on A Basketful of Metrics?

Who the hell will tell me who my father really was?!

Posted on 7 July 2015 by Steve Caplan

This angry question, uttered repeatedly by the protagonist of Bualem Sansal‘s courageous and thought-provoking novel, translated into English as “The German Mujahid,” has been permanently etched in my brain.

The story follows the day-to-day chaos in the life of Malrich, a young and poorly educated Algerian immigrant in a Parisian Continue reading →

Posted in Algeria, Bualem Sansal, genocide, Holocaust, housing projects, Islamic fundamentalism, mass murder, Paris, reviews, The German Mujahid | Comments Off on Who the hell will tell me who my father really was?!

How Do you Spend your Time?

Posted on 2 July 2015 by Athene Donald

Those of us academics working in UK universities will be familiar with the requirement to fill in forms every so often, accounting for how we spend our working week. Somehow we are supposed to account for every minute of that (ha ha) 37.5 hour week the Research Councils believe we work. When I attempt to do this I always feel defeated by the catego Continue reading →

Posted in form-filling, references, Science Culture, TRAC analysis, Universities | Comments Off on How Do you Spend your Time?

Data not shown: time to distribute some common sense about impact factors

Posted on 23 June 2015 by Stephen

It’s that time of year when all clear-thinking people die a little inside: the latest set of journal impact factors has just been released.

Although there was an initial flurry of activity on Twitter last week when the 2015 Journal Citation Reports* were published by Thomson Reuters, it had died down by the weekend. You might be forgiven for thinki Continue reading →

Posted in Open Access | Comments Off on Data not shown: time to distribute some common sense about impact factors

That dumb flag – It’s time to let it go

Posted on 21 June 2015 by Sylvia McLain

I miss my home town. I miss the sound of cicadids on a summer evening. I miss the construction of a fine, Southern sentence. I miss running around in bare feet. Continue reading →

Posted in Confederacy, Confederate flag, Dylann Roof, Heritage not hate, racism | Comments Off on That dumb flag – It’s time to let it go

What Next after Tim Hunt? (#just1action4WIS)

Posted on 15 June 2015 by Athene Donald

Last week the world erupted into a storm of outrage over remarks Sir Tim Hunt, Nobel Prize winner, made in Korea. Unacceptable, indefensible remarks. He has been made to resign from positions and committees for which he has worked so hard. An extraordinary number of column inches (virtual and real) have been devoted to demonising the man. As someon Continue reading →

Posted in discrimination, Equality, personal responsibility, Royal Society, Science Culture, Women in science | Comments Off on What Next after Tim Hunt? (#just1action4WIS)

In which we kill the messenger: is Twitter dystopian?

Posted on 14 June 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 might summarize it like this, just to set the stage:

1. Some silly, ill-thought-out comments were made by a high-profile scientist in a very public venue Continue reading →

Posted in The profession of science, Women in science | Comments Off on In which we kill the messenger: is Twitter dystopian?