Do Female Academics Have to Be Role Models?

We talk a lot about the importance of women and minority academics mentoring students and new faculty. But are we expecting too much of them?

Another Week, Another Post

The week has gone by in a blur and I have no scintillating ideas to explore as I’ve used them all up. Though what often happens is that I start writing and all of a sudden I have a completed blog post! Half of my energy went into recovering from writing last week’s post for…

On Power and “Bro Culture” in Academic Science

On the power of language, and the power men hold over women in academic science. *edited 19 Oct to add stats on men being harassed/assaulted in academia. Last night I couldn’t sleep. I lay in bed and listened to the intermittent jingle of the chimes hanging by the front door, as gusts of wind marked…

Wednesday on the Web – 2 August Edition

What?? It’s August already? Where is the summer going?? Here on Vancouver Island we’re on our 46th day without rain, and are in the middle of a serious heat wave. The fire hazard remains at extreme, and the area of the province at that rating continues to expand. The BC Drought Information Portal hasn’t been…

Creativity and diversity

I spent last weekend re-acquainting myself with the downtown streets of my adopted hometown, a city I moved to at 17 to attend university. At the time, I was excited to escape my small northern Alberta town and finally go somewhere where ideas were generated and people were interesting. It turns out I hated university.…