How do you start off a journal article – well, let’s say a conventional journal article*? I’ve  recently seen the important opening move of a paper described as “ introduce the larger subject, then narrow that larger subject into your topic”, “Write the context for your paper” and “Provide the background to your paper (What have […] … learn more→

Government funding for science is usually immune from political gridlock and polarization in Congress. But, federal funding for science is slated to drop for 2025. Science research dollars are considered to be discretionary, which means the funding has to be approved by Congress every year. But it’s in a budget category with larger entitlement programs […] … learn more→

Film composer John Powell said: “Communication works for those who work at it.” As academics, one key way we communicate with non-academic audiences is through public-facing events. A well-orchestrated event can inspire, entertain, and change minds. A poorly run event can, at best, bore people and, at worst, make them angry. Drawing on my experience […] … learn more→

Research is showing that many of our contemporary problems, such as the rising prevalence of mental health issues, are emerging from rapid technological advancement and modernisation. A theory that can help explain why we respond poorly to modern conditions, despite the choices, safety and other benefits they bring, is evolutionary mismatch. Mismatch happens when an evolved adaptation, either physical or […] … learn more→

It has been over a century since the boom period of physics exploded with Albert Einstein, Max Planck and others, sending us spinning into a new world of chaos from our previously ordered universe. This brilliant generation of physicists ultimately peeled back the layers of the universe, as well as of the atom, to reveal a world […] … learn more→

You’re going to a conference!! Your abstract has been accepted. Yippee. All that remains now is to pack your bags, sort out funding and actually write the paper. Simple. Well no. Presenting at a conference involves lots of decisions – there are Serious Things to consider. One of the decisions that you have to make […] … learn more→

How does book promotion happen when the people involved are averse to self-promotion? It’s a common enough question and one that has become more urgent as researchers feel the pressure to hawk their publications across their social media accounts. It’s something researchers often feel ill equipped to do, and they may also be reluctant to […] … learn more→

There is still so much we don’t understand about the origin of life on Earth. The definition of life itself is a source of debate among scientists, but most researchers agree on the fundamental ingredients of a living cell. Water, energy, and a few essential elements are the prerequisites for cells to emerge. However, the […] … learn more→

Knowledge is said to be cumulative. We accumulate knowledge throughout our formal education. We become more learned. The logic of studying is to get more knowledge. By the time we have completed a doctorate we know a lot. Right? The purpose of doing more and more formal education is to know more. That’s why we […] … learn more→

So I didn’t blog during my conference at all. I could say that I was out doing social things, which I was, but that really doesn’t account for the lack of posts. It’s actually that I have been pondering. The conference was a mix of academic and research responsible staff, a combination that you don’t […] … learn more→