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
scicomm
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
Sparrows in the news (yes, really)
Sparrows in the news? The little brown birds that visit my yard, that I never can confidently conclude are sparrows and not perhaps wrens? Yep. These unassuming neighbors have been featured in a few science headlines over the past couple of weeks, which I thought was curious. So I thought I'd pop in this week … Continue reading Sparrows in the news (yes, really)
Discovering Dr. Sacks in his final essays
I'm late to discovering the writing of Dr. Oliver Sacks, a British neurologist who practiced medicine in New York City until his death in 2015. In fact, I became aware of his career only shortly before his death, when an autobiographical essay about his own cancer and mortality was published in The New York Times. … Continue reading Discovering Dr. Sacks in his final essays
Earth, Mars, and working in the space in between
As a child, one of my favorite picture books at my Grandma's house to read and reread was about astronauts. I was born after the moon launch, but the lure of "the space age" continued to populate children's literature, and I marveled at the curiosities of space travel, the preparations and lives of astronauts, and … Continue reading Earth, Mars, and working in the space in between
“The Radium Girls” and the lasting legacy of Marie Curie
I have a healthy respect for radiation. As a fledgling student in genetics in the 1990s, I learned how to use radioactive phosphorus (32P) safely to tag fragments of DNA molecules. When you expose materials containing radioactive DNA to X-ray film, the emitted particles from the phosphorus atoms create dark splotches on the film that … Continue reading “The Radium Girls” and the lasting legacy of Marie Curie
2017: A year of “Mulled Science”
It's the end of December. I've finished another semester of undergraduate teaching, and I'm looking ahead to the next calendar year full of new students and new adventures in my professional and personal life. This is also the time of year when everyone trots out a year-end retrospective on their little niche in the world. … Continue reading 2017: A year of “Mulled Science”
What’s new(s) in science
I teach introductory biology courses to college students. It's a busy time of the semester, with exams and assignments and the balancing act of all that goes on in and out of the classroom (for students and professors alike). To ease into our time in class together and provide some motivation to my students for … Continue reading What’s new(s) in science
