I haven't posted anything to my blog in quite some time. I forgive myself for this on many levels. Over the past many months: I was busy teaching science in a Covid-19 world, full of stressful online and socially distantly adapted strategies for faculty and students alikeI was supporting myself and others who were dealing … Continue reading Endings and new beginnings: Books, science, and life
scicomm
Watching the grass grow—a pandemic spring at home
A lot has happened since I last wrote a blog entry. I haven't really had time to indulge in the pleasure of writing for a couple of months. In a nutshell, a pandemic viral outbreak has happened, of course, and I—like so many people around the world—have retreated as much as I can into my … Continue reading Watching the grass grow—a pandemic spring at home
Gone viral: Reading about HIV during a coronavirus outbreak
It's hard to miss the headlines these days about the new coronavirus that's sweeping around the world. Along with respiratory symptoms, this new disease has been accompanied by uncertainty, fear, and even misinformation. Who will be infected, and how? Who will suffer, and potentially die? How widespread and severe will the virus be, and when … Continue reading Gone viral: Reading about HIV during a coronavirus outbreak
On DNA circles, to “ring” in a new year
With a new semester and familiar routines now underway, I found a few moments to reflect on one of my favorite science stories from last fall—a story that almost passed me by at the busy end of my academic semester. But this headline of an article by Carl Zimmer in the New York Times did … Continue reading On DNA circles, to “ring” in a new year
SciComm Takes Center Stage
I've been busy the past few months with the kick-off of a new academic year. One of the biggest shifts for me has been the extent to which science communication has risen to the top of my to-do lists. We've reached the midpoint of my semester and a relaxing few days for Fall Break, so … Continue reading SciComm Takes Center Stage
Summer reading 2019
During the past couple of summers, I read quite a few science-themed books and blogged about them here. This summer, I stayed pretty busy with family adventures, a lot of outdoor pursuits, professional development, and other writing projects instead. However, I did find some time to read for pleasure—relaxing with both beach fiction (yay!) and … Continue reading Summer reading 2019
Fostering community, through curiosity and connection
I've written several entries over the past year or so about my interest in science outreach—sharing my enthusiasm for science through hands-on activities to engage with different groups of people beyond the university campus where I work. (See "Informal Science," "Sharing Science: Teaching and Learning About Communication," and "Scientists in Our Neighborhoods" for more.) This fall, I've … Continue reading Fostering community, through curiosity and connection
Tiny science update: Clouds and microbes
In one of my very first blog posts on this site ("Raindrops keep falling on our heads…and on the microbes") I shared some science news I had seen about microorganisms and clouds. Scientists across different disciplines are trying to learn about the relationship between the planet's water cycles and the growth of tiny organisms (such … Continue reading Tiny science update: Clouds and microbes
Scientists in our neighborhoods
As a young child, my first lessons in "community" came from errands and outings with my family, interactions with neighbors, school and extra-curricular activities I participated in...and public television. I grew up with now-classic episodes of "Sesame Street" and "Mister Roger's Neighborhood," which taught me about the basics of positive communities and the people who … Continue reading Scientists in our neighborhoods
Science from the sidelines: Lessons from jellyfish
What does it mean to be a scientist? When children are young, we teach them about the types of people they will encounter in the big world and their own options for their future adult roles. We tell them that scientists are people who ask questions about how the world works and try to find … Continue reading Science from the sidelines: Lessons from jellyfish
Mulled Science 