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
Friday, 25 June 2010
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
"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
• 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
Thursday, 27 May 2010
writingwritingwriting
oh my god, today is one of those days when everyone is conspiring against you to make you think your phd is rubbish and you are totally thick. what are everyones suggestions for chilling out after a long day writing?
XXXXX
XXXXX
Friday, 21 May 2010
Synthetic life
Synthetic life? An oxymoron that is now a reality.
Wouldn't be a good science girl if this got left unnoticed. Read about the research in science:
doi:10.1126/science.1190719 (2010)
The guardian have posted a video interview with Craig Venter: www.guardian.co.uk/science/video/2010/may/20/craig-venter-new-life-form
Nature have asked 8 experts their thoughts on this discovery:
www.nature.com/news/2010/100520/full/news.2010.255.html
I'll share my thoughts later!
Sarah
Wouldn't be a good science girl if this got left unnoticed. Read about the research in science:
doi:10.1126/science.1190719 (2010)
The guardian have posted a video interview with Craig Venter: www.guardian.co.uk/science/video/2010/may/20/craig-venter-new-life-form
Nature have asked 8 experts their thoughts on this discovery:
www.nature.com/news/2010/100520/full/news.2010.255.html
I'll share my thoughts later!
Sarah
Sunday, 16 May 2010
Oi, REF!
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the system that evaluates the quality of research ongoing in UK higher education institutions. The REF is the replacement for the RAE, the major difference being that ‘impact’ will contribute up to 25% of this grading. The addition of impact has been controversial as it is not clearly defined how this will be measured. Due to this the new Tory government has said it will put the REF on hold (it is due to go ahead in 2012).
The assessment of research output, research environment and indicators of esteem determine the rating of the institution and ultimately funding. Universities put forward 'research active staff' (an area itself of controversy and defined by the universities themselves) as part of this assessment.
Although I understand that some method of allocating funding does need to exist, I am not sure how well the impact of this assessment sits with me and how it will shape the path I take as an early career researcher. This process of assessment has been heavily criticised being deemed responsible for job losses, demoralisation, the undermining of teaching/ research relationship... One problem is that due to this new pseudo-corporate structure, university departments that do not have the same facilities as a more established department will be subject to a lower rating, struggle to attract researchers, struggle to make impact and overall, receive less funding.
Although I understand that some method of allocating funding does need to exist, I am not sure how well the impact of this assessment sits with me and how it will shape the path I take as an early career researcher. This process of assessment has been heavily criticised being deemed responsible for job losses, demoralisation, the undermining of teaching/ research relationship... One problem is that due to this new pseudo-corporate structure, university departments that do not have the same facilities as a more established department will be subject to a lower rating, struggle to attract researchers, struggle to make impact and overall, receive less funding.
The government is reluctant to spend money on research that does not have an economic impact. Of course, it is perfectly understandable that the government want to know what they are putting their/ our money into. Yet research that has a demonstrable economic goal will be lapped up by the private sector and this approach may also quash the serendipitous results that have been the muscles of research impact. Is this method of assessment also killing off curiosity? Frankie Boyle joked about scientists investigating how many fruit pastilles it took to choke a kestrel but academic freedoms are being limited. Research that may not give us any economic payback but further our understanding may become redundant. My romantic view of universities and research is slowly dwindling, maybe I'm just growing up? I hope not.
I do have sympathy for the arts and humanities. Science and engineering can prove themselves a lot easier in this system (We will cure bunions vs we will give you a history of them.) As much as I voice my fears and concerns, I struggle to offer a good solution that satisfies all.There is much more and many other issues to discuss with this subject.
We need to give our academics more credit, however, and not think the end is completely nigh. I have never known a research budget to go strictly to its grant proposal and this trick of juggling funding has been the means of a lot of successful research.
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
moving on.....
well, the tories are in............ so lets get back to the science.
In six weeks time i will be attending the annual International Geobiology workshop, held by USC and sponsored by none other than the Agouron institute, NSF and NASA to name a few. The course allows 20 young scientist from around the world to attend an intensive 5 week introduction to early earth evolution, mixing field work, lab work and a lecture series into this extraordinary course.
The problem/challenge i've found i've always wanted help with was getting ideas into making travel fund applications stand out, especially when in times of hardship it may be that some funding is getting cut in societies and research councils. I've always wanted to start a good comprehensive list of places for young geoscientists to look to help with funding, so as its my blog, im gonna do it!
Previous societities i have been successful with, and who have been extremely helpful with all my requests in the past include:
UKRC- Women in SET - Travel/Training Grants
British Mass Spectrometry Society - Student Travel Bursaries
Geochemical Society - for help attending Goldschmidt conference
Mineralogical Society - Travel Grants
i'll add more as i go along, feel free to mention more and ill keep adding to the list! ill make a separate list for other science funding too
Axxx
In six weeks time i will be attending the annual International Geobiology workshop, held by USC and sponsored by none other than the Agouron institute, NSF and NASA to name a few. The course allows 20 young scientist from around the world to attend an intensive 5 week introduction to early earth evolution, mixing field work, lab work and a lecture series into this extraordinary course.
The problem/challenge i've found i've always wanted help with was getting ideas into making travel fund applications stand out, especially when in times of hardship it may be that some funding is getting cut in societies and research councils. I've always wanted to start a good comprehensive list of places for young geoscientists to look to help with funding, so as its my blog, im gonna do it!
Previous societities i have been successful with, and who have been extremely helpful with all my requests in the past include:
UKRC- Women in SET - Travel/Training Grants
British Mass Spectrometry Society - Student Travel Bursaries
Geochemical Society - for help attending Goldschmidt conference
Mineralogical Society - Travel Grants
i'll add more as i go along, feel free to mention more and ill keep adding to the list! ill make a separate list for other science funding too
Axxx
Thursday, 6 May 2010
The morning after.......
well, we are heading to a hung Parliament! I can see the benefits of this system especially when it really would represent the views of everyone within the country, rather than a very slim majority...
so a definite hung Parliament, but does this mean a fair vote or infighting with no decisions being made........
Policies in all parties seem to focus around 1. the better education of school stage students in SET subjects by relocating funds for better science teachers, by removing the golden handshake deal young teaching students receive and replacing this incentive with the payment of student loans in an effort to retain teachers to stay in the profession for longer......
2. ensuring budgets to research councils are maintained over a multi-year arc in order to encourage and maintain a level climate for the next term, and engaging in the Haldane principle that allows research monies to be allocated where science experts believe it best to be utilised, not determined by the government. Both Lib Dem and Conservative seek to freeze the REF assessments in order to assess the advantage of linking university funding to research, and the impact this has on blue skies research at a basic level.
The importance of women in science and research has also been focused on, with a push from the lib dems to increase the support for young female students looking to take up SET roles within universities, with also support and research into the gap between young female scientist requiring to take career breaks, and the impact this has on career.
Questions remain over other factors such as the widely publicised closure of science departments are the country with less enrollment into physics and chemistry than ever before. This leaves the community in limbo, as a cycle of weakening recruitment from school level to university level to postgraduate and doctoral level leaves a gap in experienced, knowledgeable, motivated scientists which will drive the field on. there is a split between encouraging PHD projects to become more industrial friendly, with a wider application to entrepreneurship, but there must also be a focus on those willing and motivated to stay within the confinds of a university research laboratory pushing the bounds of pure science. Would it not be sensible to engage the separation of those willing to lecture and those who intend to stay in research and support each individually?
the next days are to make very interesting waiting..............
so a definite hung Parliament, but does this mean a fair vote or infighting with no decisions being made........
Policies in all parties seem to focus around 1. the better education of school stage students in SET subjects by relocating funds for better science teachers, by removing the golden handshake deal young teaching students receive and replacing this incentive with the payment of student loans in an effort to retain teachers to stay in the profession for longer......
2. ensuring budgets to research councils are maintained over a multi-year arc in order to encourage and maintain a level climate for the next term, and engaging in the Haldane principle that allows research monies to be allocated where science experts believe it best to be utilised, not determined by the government. Both Lib Dem and Conservative seek to freeze the REF assessments in order to assess the advantage of linking university funding to research, and the impact this has on blue skies research at a basic level.
The importance of women in science and research has also been focused on, with a push from the lib dems to increase the support for young female students looking to take up SET roles within universities, with also support and research into the gap between young female scientist requiring to take career breaks, and the impact this has on career.
Questions remain over other factors such as the widely publicised closure of science departments are the country with less enrollment into physics and chemistry than ever before. This leaves the community in limbo, as a cycle of weakening recruitment from school level to university level to postgraduate and doctoral level leaves a gap in experienced, knowledgeable, motivated scientists which will drive the field on. there is a split between encouraging PHD projects to become more industrial friendly, with a wider application to entrepreneurship, but there must also be a focus on those willing and motivated to stay within the confinds of a university research laboratory pushing the bounds of pure science. Would it not be sensible to engage the separation of those willing to lecture and those who intend to stay in research and support each individually?
the next days are to make very interesting waiting..............
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