Category Archives: career

That’s a new one

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Also seen: “five hundred thousand cells”; “fifty micrograms”; “forty eight hours”. Amazingly enough, I was able to cut the length of the Materials and Methods section by more than twenty one percent >21%.

Posted in career, English language, science, screenshots, silliness | 25 Comments

If George R.R. Martin was a scientist

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

SPOILER ALERT! I’ve tried to be as general as possible, but there may be some very minor spoilers in this post for people who aren’t as far through the A Song of Ice and Fire series as I am (I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, career, communication, embarrassing fan girl, furry friends, publishing, science, silliness, snow | 37 Comments

Whaddya mean “that’s not normal?!”

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

North Yorkshire, circa 1987. A classroom full of nine- and ten-year-olds. An assignment to write a story that involved food. A girl (not the blogger!) standing up at her desk, pulling her knee socks back up before starting to read … Continue reading →

Posted in career, communication, education, family, food glorious food, freakishness, grant wrangling, personal, silliness | 14 Comments

Could this be…

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

…the most useless list of spellcheck suggestions of all time? (I’m sure a tamarind genome sequence is in the works, somewhere…) …the worst possible weather in which to be running around collecting grant signatures from PIs in three different buildings? … Continue reading →

Posted in career, drunkenness, English language, idiocy, photos, publishing, science, screenshots, silliness, snow, technology, Vancouver | 8 Comments

Time to write a final report on a completed grant!

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?
Posted in cancer research, career, communication, English language, grant wrangling, Instagram, photos, silliness | 14 Comments

Never gonna let you down?

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

I have somehow managed to retain some semblance of a utopian view of science. I don’t mean to say that I’m blind to its flaws or that I’m not at all cynical about it. But I think I’m less cynical … Continue reading →

Posted in career, cycling, freakishness, idiocy, personal, science, whining | 48 Comments

CIHR: Canada Innovating to Help Review?

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is this country’s major source of government funding for biomedical research – the equivalent of the US NIH. They’ve just released a document describing some proposed changes to their grant mechanism portfolio and … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, career, current affairs, grant wrangling, politics, science | 4 Comments

Designing an online grant submission system?!

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Good for you! Let me help you out! In my four-and-a-bit years as a grant wrangler, I’ve applied to a bewildering array of Canadian and international government and charitable funding agencies. Every organisation has their own system (some even have … Continue reading →

Posted in career, grant wrangling, science, technology | 14 Comments

Lay it on the line

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

As I mentioned way back in 2008, I’m often called upon to write lay abstracts for my department’s grant applications and website, and – less often – for press releases and assorted other documents. This is still one of my … Continue reading →

Posted in career, communication, English language, grant wrangling, science | 12 Comments

Bucket List and 2012 Resolutions

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Bucket List The plan is to add at least one new item every time I tick one off! Write at least one book (and get it published) Run for political office (and preferably win) Own a boat large enough to … Continue reading →

Posted in apes, Canada, career, Climate change, environment, freelancing, furry friends, kayaking, nature, personal, politics, publishing, snow, sport, travel, UK | 24 Comments