Update Part I: TerrificChem!

It’s been a while I know but where to start? It’s been a ridiculously awesome two months for science, girls and rocks! I will start at the beginning, with part one, which is the adventure of PacificChem 2010.
Once every five years this heeowwge conference is held and I had drawn the short straw and was forced to go to Hawai’i to attend it. Slightly overwhelming, approximately 250, 000 people attend this conference and are treated to great science, entertainment in the name of science and the opportunity to pop down to the beach between lectures.
I saw one of my science heroes, Prof Stephen Lippard, deliver a lecture with the backdrop of Waikiki beach. I had a sore face from smiling at him like he was Mother Theresa-I must have looked deranged but he seemed perfectly used to it. Quote of the conference :“My aim is to cure just even one person of cancer before I leave this planet.”
I could go on and I will drop stories in throughout my blogs no doubt (just to rub it in your safety specs!) but one chance encounter did leave me thinking...I bumped into an old colleague (who will be endearingly called The Nefarious Dr L ) and we decided to catch up over dinner with his other workmates. He now has a fantastic job in a sun soaked country and living his science dream. Upon trying to find out how he bagged this job, he said it was due to networking. Deciphered, this meant going out on the lash at conferences with lecturers. Now there is no doubt that The Nefarious Dr L is extremely intelligent and deserves said job but could I ever find myself in the same position; getting gin soaked with Prof Lippard to build a bond, pardon the pun? In short no, I don’t think so and don’t think I’m about to go on tirrade about women should allowed to get drunk and not get judged, not at all, but maybe there could be some sort of other opportunities to build relationships for those that cant hold their liquor- is it possible? Or is a wee imbibement required to let the PPE come off and really get to know the ones you want to work with? And that leads me nicely to installment number two...Women Sharing a Chemical Moment in Time: Glasgow.

Women Sharing a Chemical Moment In Time 2011

2008: The international year of the potato, 2009: The international year of natural fibres, September 19th, 2010: International talk like a pirate day and now 2011: The international year of chemistry!
I definitely want a slice of this action. I am immensely proud to be a chemist so one day whilst perusing the RSC news (Hello? Goodbye!, Closer? Back off! Cosmo? CosNo!), we saw that networking breakfasts were being held all over the world so that women could share a chemical moment in time. (http://www.chemistry2011.org/participate/activities/show?id=37) The credit has to go to a PhD student who I will now refer to as Pyro, who thought than rather attend one, we should hold one! So far we have assembled a crew of savvy lady chemists across the pharmacy and chemistry departments. Comparisons have been drawn to the first few episodes of the apprentice; there is probably the same amount of intolerable squawking BUT this squawking is going somewhere, it makes sense, it’s met with squawks of approval and we won’t charge you £1.82 for a bread roll.
Last week, we established the who (preferably chemistry ladies from all backgrounds, but boys are allowed), what (pastries, yes and a talk about Marie Curie and another from a contemporary woman in science, a goody bag (squawk!)), where (Glasgow) and why (bringing us ladies together for cakes and chemistry of course!). And now for the how....This is the difficult part. How are we going to cover our costs, meet our deadlines? If we build it, will they come?
In terms of advertising support, we’ve had a great response (please see this issue of RSC news) and as an event, people seem interested. I also couldn’t ask for more from our departments who have made technical and financial pledges. Next time, I hope to report that we are overwhelmed with tunnocks teacakes, the costs have been met, Michelle Mone is giving a talk on the chemistry of the Ultimo and our goody bags are rammed with Veet, Green & Blacks hot chocolate and those RSC temperature scale/ periodic table thingys. Watch this space!

Do more with less? Really?

Just a month after Vince Cable gave his ‘do more with less’ speech about science budget cuts, the Nobel Prize for medicine went to British scientist, Robert Edwards, for his pioneering work on IVF treatment. Also,the Nobel Prize for physics has been awarded to a researchers from the University of Manchester, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov who were reported to have used a block of carbon and some sticky tape to create sheets of carbon, a single atom thick, called graphene. This material has extraordinary strength as well as other unique properties.(Science, 2004, 306, 666-669)
Would this research have been approved had Vince Cable been in charge of the science budget then? Well maybe, it sound pretty cheap but aside from this, this ‘basic research’ has yielded results that will have an economic return for Britain as well as providing the basis for a lot of interesting science.
Some would say that it was despite of and not because of our research funding system, that Britain has fared well in the honours. Whilst 30 % of UK GDP comes from science and technology intensive areas, only 0.55 % of GDP is invested back into research.

Whilst other countries such as India, China and the USA are investing in science to improve the economy, Vince Cable has said that tax payers should only back research that will have an economic return or is academically exceptional. I have tried to find out what the criteria for this is but I am not entirely sure. Dr Cable alludes to investing in intellectual property, regenerative medicine, plastic electronics, fuel cells and composite materials. He also highlights the importance of immigration. I don’t really understand how exactly we will attract world class scientists, if we can only give them pocket money to work with.

And what are the choices for scientists already in the UK:

• Leave?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/sep/30/science-research-spending-cuts

• Do nothing?

• Make diamonds out of tequila? (Darn it)
http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0806/0806.1485.pdf

I understand that it is difficult for those that require support from the government e.g. cutting winter fuel allowance for the elderly that investment in science may not give a return before the snow sets in but we invest so little just now anyway, does it have to be a case of one or the other? Pulling funding from science will ruin the momentum that has already been invested in current research. It is encouraging to see on the ‘Science Is Vital’ petition that has been launched to try and protect science funding so many people signed up that are not scientists and that non-scientists appreciate the impact that research has on all our lives. And with that I urge you to go to the ‘Science is Vital’ website and add your name to the list.
http://scienceisvital.org.uk/

Science Mis-communication?

Down the pub of a Friday evening and I get chatting to a biology teacher. I explain what it is that I do, we have a bit of science chat and he asked if I would come and speak to his pupils about being a research scientist 1) because a lot of his students only take science to get into medicine and 2) because I was so enthusiastic.
This made me think a number of things:
A. How often outside of work or a classroom do I chat about science (with the exception of those ‘and what is it you do ?’ moments at dinner parties/ meeting the Queen (not really the Queen))
B. I am enthusiastic about what I do when I am not in work or a classroom.
C. Do I want to go and tell a bunch of high achieving school kids to try research science instead of guaranteed well paid job of a doctor?
Let’s take these in turn.
A. I have enjoyed science communication activities for about 4 years now, giving me another forum to talk about science but it’s not something that I do ‘socially’. Recently, around a dinner table, I was asked to explain nanotechnology and broke out into a cold sweat. I wasn’t prepared, even though I have been involved with this concept for the last 6 years of my life. I got through it and think I gave them satisfactory answers but these events did make me think, it would be beneficial for scientists and the public, if we got a bit more chatty about it. So much of our research is a precious little secret but non-researchers really are interested, have great questions and to be able to break down what we researchers do into concepts that can be understood (and have confidence in this), can do wonders all round. This is something that maybe experienced researchers will nod their heads at in remembrance, “been at that stage”, the stage of fulfilling an expectation. I rather enjoyed it.
B. Generally when you speak in front of an audience, you’re projecting your voice and its quite a high energy thing. In work, you want to appear competent and enthusiastic too, so when I wasn’t in any of these modes, I was delighted when I was asked to talk to the school kids because of the pleasure I took in explaining what I do. And it’s true. Despite at times, how much I gripe about CHNs that are out, supervising students etc., I really love research. (Please don’t be sick.)
C. I always get this pang of guilt when I talk to school kids about careers. I feel like I’ve not told them the whole truth even if I do put a pro’s and con’s list in. My partner is a doctor, all his friends are doctors (just about) and they have lots of money and guaranteed work, and work that they talk about down the pub. Research may not pay as well as NHS doctors but if you love it like I do, then it really doesn’t matter. It doesn’t pay a pittance, you get out what you put in and it can take you anywhere. My worry is the lack of permanent contracts, continuous work and this is a worry that I neglect to pass on. Noone likes a party pooper and because I have my own unanswered questions about this, because I am not quite at the stage of my contract to test the job market out there, it’s something I am not ready to open myself up to. It is however, great for kids to know that there are other ways to use science to help people and have an impact.
Anyway, I will definitely be going into the school as I think it is very important for researchers to answer their public! And to show school kids other options. Research science was something I knew nothing about 12 years ago, it was the stuff of movies (namely Back to theFuture, Jurassic Park and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.)
In other news, I will be going to see Roger Tsein speak so will let you know how that goes. Ali has moved to Germany to start her post-doc which is why she has been off the radar. I’m sure she’ll be updating us soon. I have been in Zambia which made me want to write about science in Africa. This has taken longer to research than expected but hopefully this is what I’ll blog about next. If not, it’ll be my CChem PDP. All thoughts on any of these things, especially the latter, are welcome!
Sarah x

A Nobel Cause

I could aim to get my own series on BBC 2 (watching and learning Coxy) or my own snazzy radio show (I am loving Material World on Radio 4, Thursdays, 16.30) but why aim so small? I want the respect and favourable notoriety of no less than a Nobel Prize. I want scientists screaming for me and holding their ears, throwing their GSK solvent impurities table at me to autograph...
It’s not the 10 million Swedish Krona that attracts me, nor the personal diploma and not even the bling of the medal: it’s that I have fulfilled the requirements to be awarded the honour. The Nobel Prize for Chemistry is awarded for ‘the most important chemical discovery or improvement.’

Now as an early career researcher, I think it would be rather nano-minded of me to think that I was working on the most important chemical discovery/improvement (well, I’d be stupid to say it out loud) so I need to work on how to fast track myself to getting my nitrile gloved hands on the prize. After a little bit of research, I have made a short list of how to improve my chances.
• Get involved with a group of people that are within sniffing distance of the most important chemical discovery or improvement but only if that group has a total of two people in it. A Nobel Prize cannot be awarded to more than 3 people. Must still be nice to get an acknowledgment though, eh Rosalind?
• Must stay alive, at least until you been notified of your award.
• Must get more manly. This could be tricky but only 4 women have won the award for Chemistry so need to get those odds up.
• Must get more American. I have more chance of getting manly; my New Yoik accent is not great.
• A middle initial seems to help. I gave myself one of these on publishing, to make my rather common name slightly less common.

I have went from Sarah and become Sarah D. Behold the difference.

Roger Y. Tsein, American, Nobel Prize winner 2008, is giving a talk in Edinburgh as part of the Faraday Discussion 149 conference in September. Perhaps I will go and be inspired. Must pack sharpie and solvent impurities table, just in case.

What's new pussy cat?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/25/oscar-cat-artifical-paws-pioneering-surgery

I read this article and just marvelled at the wonder of science, medicine, engineering. The cat might look slightly like something out of Terminator 2 but I just love how they called this article 'Kitten Heels'.


Sarah

"If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?"

Much and many developments in the life of this science girl and I will divulge them in somewhat chaotic order, with the only common thread that is me....
• Paper trail: I submitted a paper recently-ish. This was based on work that I completed in my PhD and every word I wrote myself. The real learning curve was trying to put it in paper format and submit it. On rejection (sniff, sniff but no real surprise), I had to reformat it for another paper. Piece of cake, I thought. An old hand at it now, I scoffed. Yet another ruddy rigmarole was the reality. Why is it so hard? Why are there so many rules? Why if I downloaded one template, does my laptop become fiercely loyal and refuse to work with others. Anyway, watch this space to see if it gets published.
• Career Development Course: As mentioned in networking instalment of blog, I went to a course which wasn’t right for me but I did see it helping other people that had turned up. I met a career advisor who had come to observe the course. I spoke to her about my lack of experience working outside of UK, outside of Glasgow! She told me about exchanges funded through the Royal Society of Edinburgh (these have established links with existing universities) and the Royal Society-links have been added. I am very lucky to have a supervisor that gives my ideas consideration and is supportive of my proposed secondment. I am now making a list of people that I would like to work with, or a skill I would like to learn.
• Knowledge Exchange: Today I am off to find out about becoming a project champion for technology that has been patented by the university. The government, as spoken about in last blog, wants universities to commercialise more of its technology and has allocated money to train up post-docs to help with this. It does sound like a great opportunity for me and my C.V.-I will be learning parts of the masters in business, will be networking, learn more about I.P. etc. I am just worried that I am taking on too much! Will go along today and take it from there.
• Serendipity: Don’t you just love it when things work and you don’t know why, you don’t know how and ultimately you don’t really care. Due to some random boiling water I had on the go, I managed to make the compound I have been in a rut with for months. Delighted. Now writing paper.
• Oh! I’m going to Hawaii: Abstract got accepted for Pacific Chem 2010. Hawaii here I come...if I can figure out how to book it all and pay. Ruddy Hawaii-YAAAAAASSSSS!!!!
• Global Poverty Project: A friend of mine studied economic development and hosted a presentation called 1.4 billion reasons. This had a profound effect on me and it wasn’t all happy clappy, wasn’t pictures of people dying of starvation, wasn’t a plea for money. I don’t want to give too much away but maybe encourage you to have a look: http://globalpovertyproject.com/. Yet again, I spoke to my boss this time about the possibility of me taking unpaid leave to do something to contribute to the fight against poverty and yet again, my super boss said yes! Having being given the gift of time, I need to think about using this wisely.
Updates will follow on all of the above!
Sarah