You know those people who take at least 1.5 times longer to do something than anyone else? It doesn’t seem to matter what exactly they’re doing; if they’ve undertaken a certain task, you’d better get comfortable and expect them to be running late. It’s probably frustrating to be on the receiving end of that, wondering … Continue reading
Are there any American historical figures more endearing than Ben Franklin? Who else could pull off kite-flying in thunderstorms, pithy suggestions about pennies and early bedtimes, and “diplomacy” with the French (ladies), yet still appear affable and erudite? Even today, Franklin seems to be winking out of portraits, encouraging the viewer to tick off some … Continue reading
Extinction is alive and well at the American Museum of Natural History. A stroll through the famous NYC institution passes fearsome skeletons that wouldn’t have let you walk by 300 million years ago, as well as more diminutive critters better resembling prehistoric pets. For the most part, these remains are ghostly embodiments of eras far … Continue reading
Most of my friends are not scientists. Most of my friends, in fact, have managed to turn altruism into a career choice rather than some fancy-sounding virtue. This always leads to what I perceive as lopsided conversations, most recently reenacted over the Christmas holiday. “So, how’s everything at the AIDS clinic / special needs school … Continue reading
As you likely know from yesterday’s post “Life After Graduate School,” Serena Hackerott graduated with her MS last semester, to the mingled horror and happiness of the UNdertheC blog team. Serena’s contributions to the blog cannot be overstated, as our corner of the internet might never have existed without her. Serena and Justin co-founded the … Continue reading
Most science grad students can probably make more sense of genetic code or symbol-laden equations than phrases like “intellectual property” and “capital investments.” In a world awash with environmental problems though, there is sizable demand for individuals who are willing to make the leap from bench to business. UNC’s Institute of Marine Sciences recently hosted … Continue reading
If you’re an American who follows the news, you know that it’s been all midterm elections, all the time over the past few days. And that’s great: this was a major election and it’s encouraging to see citizens taking an interest. But in the midst of the election blitz, a new report on climate change … Continue reading
Margaret Robinson did not begin working at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO) in 1946 for any great love of science. After earning a Masters degree in languages from UC Berkeley, she was looking for a local job and made her way to Scripps because “there was nowhere else to work.” She ultimately became a … Continue reading
Editorials about academia are quick to point out the startling gaps between earning a PhD and becoming a professor. Justin and Megan recently wrote about pragmatic ways current PhD students might respond to this roadblock, and it certainly is an alarming issue. Based on letters in major journals though, one is left with the impression … Continue reading
For a marine scientist, one of the best parts of North Carolina’s Outer Banks is access to some incredible habitats. I have been able to experience this first-hand as I’ve started my MS research here at UNC’s Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) this summer. About half of the students in our Marine Sciences department have … Continue reading
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