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Hello to the Grauniad

Posted on 28 January 2012 by rpg

If you’ve stumbled across our humble site from the Guardian, please stop a while to say hello, and share in a round of virtual beer, or coffee, or whatever takes your fancy.

Posted in Meta | Tagged | 6 Comments

In which I move on

Posted on 27 January 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

I have always been fascinated by microorganisms and the many strategies they use to subvert the host cells that they parasitize. For me, the most interesting aspect of infection is the interface between the invader and its victim – the ways that bugs take opportunistic advantage of features that cells really can’t live without. My PhD project, for Continue reading →

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Pacific surf, the coast by starlight, and the Cascades: San Diego to Vancouver by train

Posted on 26 January 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

or: what you gain when you’re not too vain to deign to let the train take the main strain.

As I said in my last post, a meeting with collaborators in La Jolla last week probably represented my last chance to do something I’ve been meaning to do since the collaboration began in 2009: namely, let Air Canada take me down there with everyon Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, embarrassing fan girl, food glorious food, fun with language, nature, personal, photos, snow, technology, travel, Vancouver | Comments Off on Pacific surf, the coast by starlight, and the Cascades: San Diego to Vancouver by train

Informing science and policy

Posted on 25 January 2012 by Frank Norman

Ian Gibson wrote last month in the Times Higher that we need a new generation of politically savvy scientists. He said

“many in the scientific community do not see it as their business to get involved in matters of policy. In fact, the grant-assessment system and career-progression paths militate against such involvement – after all, it distr Continue reading →

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How Hard Do You Work?

Posted on 25 January 2012 by Athene Donald

Career progression and promotion require that you tick all the right boxes when panels scrutinise your CV.  If you are trying to optimise your chances of advancing up the greasy pole, this requires that you know what the boxes are and the relative weightings of the different categories of activities that may be under consideration.  However, as ear Continue reading →

Posted in Athena Swan, Equality, Outreach, promotion, University of Leicester, Women in science, women in STEM in HE | Comments Off on How Hard Do You Work?

A thing of beauty – the Schlenk line

Posted on 24 January 2012 by Sylvia McLain

I am now the proud owner of a Schlenk line – actually it is not a mere Schlenk line but a hybrid – 1/2 high vacuum line, 1/2 Schlenk. And it is a thing of beauty….

Just look at it

Schlenk-Hi-Vacline

Continue reading →
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Zen and the art of locomotive maintenance

Posted on 24 January 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

I got home yesterday lunchtime after an epic West Coast rail journey from San Diego to Vancouver. I’ve been to La Jolla once every six months or so since July 2009 to meet with collaborators, and every time I’ve gone I’ve thought “next time, I should take the train back” – but I just never quite got around to it. Continue reading →

Posted in bad people, current affairs, drunkenness, first world problems, food glorious food, idiocy, personal, photos, rants, snow, technology, travel, whining | Comments Off on Zen and the art of locomotive maintenance

Hockey Pool, Week 16

Posted on 23 January 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Many thanks to Chall for hosting weeks 14 and 15! As I commented on Chall’s post:

The new player values make it SO HARD now! Until Friday I’d had no problems at all picking all the players I wanted and staying under the cap limit (not like last year), but suddenly I had to ditch half of my stars and choose the best 1-point rated players Continue reading →

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BLOG # 100: Professional lecturers–good or bad?

Posted on 21 January 2012 by Steve Caplan

I can’t believe this is my 100th blog!

Thanks to everyone at OT for putting up with me!

In today’s world of dwindling scientific funding across many parts of the globe, one issue that seems to be more frequently discussed is that of professional teachers at universities and colleges. Continue reading →

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When do you ‘make it’ ?

Posted on 21 January 2012 by Sylvia McLain

When I was young I had dreams of being an astronaut or a famous athlete. I figured I could go to the Moon or win Wimbledon and then I would have ‘made it’ and could spend the rest of my life on my laurels. Of course I was seven and had a penchant for laziness. I still secretly do, the problem is I am too restless to ever rest on a la Continue reading →

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