Tag Archives: Science

The Schekman Manoeuvre

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Stephen

This is the original version (with the original title) of an article that has been published at The Conversation.  Having climbed all the way to the Nobel prize on a ladder made of Nature, Science and Cell papers, biologist Randy Schekman has … Continue reading →

Posted in Open Access, Scientific Life | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The road well trodden

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Stephen

Scientists should do this. Journalists should do that. And eventually we will live in a world where the media reporting of science achieves perfection. At least that is the hypothesis. The hypothesis was put to the test at the Royal … Continue reading →

Posted in Science & Media | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

I’m a Scientist – making the film

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Stephen

Today sees the release of my new film: I’m a Scientist. It’s about scientists. Please take a look either here, or on the web-site that I have created specially for it*. The film was a long time coming. I had … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Fun, Science, Science & Media, Scientific Life | Tagged , , | 45 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

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

Sun Spot

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Stephen

I have been working my way around the solar system with my telescope. The moon was easy to spot. And Jupiter and Saturn were not so very difficult to find, though they proved to be beyond my photographic capabilities. Over the … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Science | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

Numb or Numbered?

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Stephen

It just doesn’t add up: why do so many people, including scientists, get stuck on the maths problem? The subject is on my mind because it was raised at a departmental meeting last week where I tried to argue that … Continue reading →

Posted in Maths, Science | Tagged , , , | 137 Comments

Here is a Man Who Stood Up

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Stephen

In many ways Travis Bickle, the disturbed taxi driver in Scorsese’s famous film, is a model of public engagement. For one thing, he really thinks about his audience. He rehearses in front of a mirror so that he will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Communication, Science | Tagged , , , , | 41 Comments