Professors face a number of challenges in teaching science to undergraduate and graduate students. Some of them are relatively easy to fix, while others pose significant challenges. With research becoming increasingly interdisciplinary, should (and can) the undergraduate science curriculum evolve to reflect the emerging landscape? We spoke with Professor Teaster Baird, Jr. about the current state of education and the solutions that may rescue it.
Challenges in the Scientific Curriculum
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Upload and Win. It’s that Easy.
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Nothing says convenience (or craftiness) like a videocamera that fits in the palm of your hand. A perfect camera for the lab… Meet the Flip camera. These little guys are so easy to use even Congress could figure them out! This month, we’ve increased the number of ways you can become the proud owner of a brand new Flip camera.
Suggestions to Improve Graduate Education
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I was on the golf course a few weeks ago philosophizing with a dear friend of mine and our conversation starting wandering the way of reminiscing about our PhD experiences, which differed greatly.
Extraction of Limonene Using Liquid Carbon Dioxide
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I’d heard about a mythical method for extracting limonene from orange peel using supercritical carbon dioxide. Perhaps that doesn’t sound that exciting, but the fact that a friend of mine had seen this being done in a plastic tube, in an exhibition hall at a science education conference really got me thinking. How on earth can you get liquid carbon dioxide in a plastic tube? Surely the pressure would cause the tube to explode?
How Much do You Labor?
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Yesterday was Labor Day in the U.S. and aside from BBQ, it got us thinking about, well… labor. Our schedules as graduate students, postdocs, assistant professors, vice presidents, research scientists, etc. can vary tremendously. However, regardless of the actual number of hours, we all have a feeling of how fairly we’re being treated, particularly when we factor in our salaries.
Graduate School Year 5: Approaching the Finish Line
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In the final installment of our week-long Guide to Graduate School, we profile the final (hopefully…) full year. There’s no way to pull a Rosie Ruiz here – the only way to make it this far is to run the entire race…
Guide to Graduate School: Year 5
Coming out of the darkness of Year 4, this year is filled with a number of milestones that start to make graduation feel like a reality. As such, it can be a very exciting year. Busy, but exciting…
The Weers Ranch ‘Rita
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This weekend, backyards all over the US will be packed as friends and families celebrate Labor Day with a final BBQ. Sadly, it marks the unofficial end of the quintessential summer drink, the Margarita. So in honor of a great summer, here’s a recipe for simple, cheap and delicious Margaritas – perfect to serve at, or bring to, your Labor Day Celebration!
Graduate School Year 4: Hang in There
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In the fourth installment of our Guide to Graduate School, we profile what is arguably the toughest year.
Guide to Graduate School: Year 4
My fourth year made Glenlivet and Advil a lot of money…
For most people, this is a brutal one. We’ve been banging our heads against the wall trying to get the project to move forward and things just aren’t working. The long hours and constant failure are taking their toll. As we enter the fourth year, papers are now top of mind and there is an increasing pressure to get them out (if we haven’t already). The reality that we will not graduate until something gets published is starting to weigh heavily on the mind.
Graduate School Year 3: The Sun is Shining!
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Today we take a look at the third year of graduate school. With Year 1 and Year 2 completed, we’re nearing the halfway point.
Guide to Graduate School: Year 3
The clouds have parted and the sun is out! No classes. No teaching. No exams. The third year is a great one. The qualifying exam likely helped create a well-defined project for you and with all the distractions out of the way, it’s time to focus on making some progress. Finally, you’re doing what you came to grad school to do – research!
The Lab Panic Button
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Sitting in driver’s education class as a 15-year-old one hot summer day, two things stuck with me: 1) the idea that when driving, we should always leave ourselves an “out,” and 2) the horrific smell generated by a room full of teenagers, still struggling with the concept of deodorant.
