Author Archives: Stephen

Coming Soon

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Stephen

Today sees the release of the new trailer of my latest and most ambitious film project. In doing so I am following the sound advice of Richard Hamming and forcing my own hand. With the trailer now on public view, I will … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Fun, Scientific Life | Tagged , , | 18 Comments

Science, it’s a bloody marvel

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Stephen

Michael Brooks has scratched beneath the glossy surface of science to write a revealing and thoroughly entertaining book about its practitioners. By cutting so close to the scientific bone that it spills blood, his “Free Radicals” departs violently from the … Continue reading →

Posted in History of Science, Science & Politics, Scientific Life | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Rhythms of Life

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Stephen

Some say April is the cruellest month but I found July to be more punishing. You might think that, for university staff like myself, July would bring respite from the tiresome enslavement of exam and project marking that fills all … Continue reading →

Posted in Scientific Life | Tagged , | 15 Comments

Plague-arism

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Stephen

Plagiarism is pernicious and pervasive. You can’t seem to get away from it because so many people are getting away with it. As a university teacher I have long been aware of so-called essay-writing services that tout their wares to … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching | Tagged , | 79 Comments

Bono a hypocrite? Good.

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Stephen

Last Friday night as I watched U2 play Glastonbury on TV, the stream of hatred on Twitter was relentless. A torrent of unforgettable ire. I’ve long known that Bono and his band excite very mixed reactions, but this seemed to … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , | 67 Comments

Numb or Numbered? Part 2.

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Stephen

Back in April — it seems so long ago now — I wrote about the problems created in university life science courses by the relatively low uptake of maths by the student intake. It provoked a very long and thoughtful … Continue reading →

Posted in Maths, Science, Science & Politics | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Libel Reform – where are we?

Posted on June 26, 2011 by Stephen

Regular readers of this blog will be probably be aware of the ongoing campaign to reform the libel laws of England and Wales. These laws have pernicious effects in many aspects of public life — including science and medicine. They … Continue reading →

Posted in Libel Reform, Science, Science & Politics | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Here comes Impact

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Stephen

In UK scientific circles and the wider realm of academia impact has been around for a while now. Grant forms incorporate large blank spaces in which applicants are required to outline their plans for ensuring that the work they hope … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Science, Science & Politics | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Out of this World in the Library

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Stephen

Yesterday, in four brief photo-posts on my Posterous account I highlighted snapshots — literally — from the British Library’s current exhibition on science fiction. I’m more of a fan of the genre in movies than in books but I had … Continue reading →

Posted in Fun, Science Fiction | Tagged | 33 Comments

Transport of Delight

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Stephen

I spent most of last weekend and all of yesterday finalising a chapter I had been asked to contribute to an upcoming monograph on human serum albumin. Monograph is a fancy word for book in academia. And academia is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Protein Crystallography, Science | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Transport of Delight

Biochemical Futures

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Stephen

The fourth edition of Voet & Voet’s Biochemistry, which is currently the recommended undergraduate text on our degree program at Imperial College, weighs three thousand and thirty-nine point two four grams. It has one thousand four hundred and eighty-two pages … Continue reading →

Posted in Science | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

The Best Seminar?

Posted on May 28, 2011 by Stephen

What is the best seminar that you have ever attended? And what made it so good? I pondered this question after my name appeared on the list of speakers for our internal divisional seminar series this term. I thought that, … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Fun, Science | Tagged , , , | 27 Comments