Category Archives: Education

The Hunger Games: educational assessment

It seems that these past few weeks have been insanely packed with travel, and some of it not particularly fun. As I await boarding of a flight to an editorial board meeting, I recall that a week ago I drove … Continue reading

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Interpreting Reference Letters–Lost in Translation?

As a principal investigator, or PI, one of the tasks that I am consistently faced with is “interpretation.” How so? Well obviously, my job revolves around interpreting data and trying to understand if experiments done by my students and co-workers … Continue reading

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BLOG # 100: Professional lecturers–good or bad?

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 … Continue reading

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The Plot Thickens

Well yes, it’s true. The plot for my upcoming work-in-progress (AKA-barely started) novel is thickening. No, you read that right, not “sickening,” but “thickening.” But as this all begins to take shape, I find myself coming back from an adrenalin … Continue reading

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Rational goals for science education

There were two events that conspired this past week to lead me to the topic of education–and particularly science education. The first was the unlikely event in which I actually watched television. Although we do have a small screen telly … Continue reading

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Transferance in performance jitters

Being in science since 1986–which would mean about a quarter of a century since I began to study in university–I have spent a lot of time learning to communicate, both in writing and orally. I’m not sure when I lost … Continue reading

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Now I Can Retire: the measure of all things

Generally speaking, scientists do not appear to be happy people. And by scientists, I refer to those actively doing research at academic institutions. No hard feelings for those who are not–I have no experience with industry, and my impression is … Continue reading

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Science Education Then and Now

I can still vividly remember being taught lab safety in 7th or 8th grade chemistry at school. The old way: being given a long list of rules, reading them and being tested on them. No eating, drinking, chewing gum etc. … Continue reading

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Advice on taking advice

Last week I pontificated wrote about my views on the traits that are necessary for a scientist to survive and indeed thrive in today’s world. And while there seems to be agreement that “luck” “fate” and “opportunity” are certainly useful … Continue reading

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Resurgence and Resilience

There’s nothing like nature on a fine weekend to revitalize oneself after a rough week in the trenches laboffice. This weekend, we began Friday evening with a trip to the Neale Woods observatory to view the night sky telescopically–in particular … Continue reading

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