Science Education & Policy

Academic Science Careers Bad For Women?

This study on "Gender Differences at Critical Transitions in the Careers of Science" is now old news, but it hasn't answered many of the questions we're interested in about women in academic science careers. Women in 2004 and 2005 at t ...

Article - Michael White - Jun 12 2009 - 1:51pm

How Well Do You Know Anatomy?

A study of patients and members of the public has shown that most lack even basic knowledge of human anatomy. The research, featured in the journal BMC Family Practice, found that people were generally incapable of identifying the location of major organs, ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 11 2009 - 7:43pm

Science Journalism: Hype is the Problem

I largely agree with this (subscription required for full text): The media not only influence public perceptions but also shape and reflect the policy debate. Few decisions are made by policymakers and stakeholders without the media in mind. Given this rol ...

Blog Post - Michael White - Jun 16 2009 - 12:23pm

Nature Methods Gets Drosophila Wrong

Drosophila can't catch a break.  Even Nature, which never runs a press release about one of its studies without putting 'prestigious' in front of its name, fell prey to a glaring error regarding the little critter, as seen on the cover of Na ...

Blog Post - Hank Campbell - Oct 12 2010 - 8:04pm

Failing To Cure Cancer By Playing It Safe?

The biomedical community has become too risk-averse, according to a recent NY Times piece. I agree, although I don't agree with the dramatic presentation (it's not some dirty scientific secret- it's not hard to find scientists, and the leade ...

Article - Michael White - Jun 30 2009 - 5:38pm

Cancer Institute Director Attempts To Defend Cancer Funding

The NY Times recently criticized cancer funding policies as being too risk-averse. The Director of the National Cancer Institute has responded, but his response helps prove the point that funding is too risk averse: ...

Article - Michael White - Jul 8 2009 - 8:54pm

Lectures vs. JFGI

OK, I agree lectures aren't the best format, but Google and Wikipedia aren't a substitute: ...

Blog Post - Michael White - Jul 13 2009 - 11:42am

Shark Week On Discovery Channel And The Mystery Of My Untimely Demise

I've never been a shark guy, I will confess that to you.   Actually, I have never been an animal guy of any kind.   When I was a wee scientist / media guru / journalist / game show host, Disney had a program on Sunday evenings.  If there was one of th ...

Article - Hank Campbell - Jul 14 2009 - 11:03am

Grade School 2020- Robot Teachers And The Science Of Learning

What separates us from the animals?   Some of us contend it's technology while others say it's Pynchon novels but really how we learn has to be in the top five. Researchers in neuroscience, psychology, education, and machine learning are trying t ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 8 2010 - 6:55pm

How To Make A Scientist's Head Explode- 4 Things That Drive Scientists Mad

I'm sure that you don't seriously think I would tell you how to destroy all of the science community- do you? Anyway, what I wanted to explain in simple terms to you is the four things that everybody seems to get wrong and drive scientists mad in ...

Article - Connor Davidson - Jul 18 2009 - 1:23pm