Z is for ZigZag

Well it’s May 1 so the A to Z Challenge is over, but I still have Z to cover! Trust an academic to be tardy… I had a hard time coming up with this post. Partially because the breakneck pace of a blog post a day has tired me out a bit. Also because it’s…

Y is for whY so shY?

I admit, I’m taking liberties with the Y. But then I’ve also been taking liberties with the AtoZ Challenge by posting multiple letters a day because I’ve been behind for the past week or so. Today (the second last day of the Challenge!) I want to better understand why people do – or don’t –…

X is for eXciting

Are you excited by science? Your own – or someone else’s? Does it drive you out of bed in the morning, with only a cup of coffee between you and that exciting new data analysis or scintillating article in Geophysical Research Letters? Or are you lollygagging around, waiting for traffic to die down so you…

W is for Writing about Science

This week my first popular science article in about 6 years was published in Outpost Magazine. It felt good to be science writing again – particularly since this one was about my own research. Both the article and this blog have renewed my interest in (and comfort level with) science writing – hope to keep…

V is for Validation

As scientists we’re constantly subject to external assessment and validation – which maybe also serves to reassure us. That our hypotheses are correct, our experiments properly designed and working, and our papers making contributions to the research field. That we’re good enough to be awarded certain grants, and have fulfilled the requirements to be granted tenure. That…