Events
Explaining complicated ideas is not always easy
By Dr Emily Grossman, molecular biologist, broadcaster and educator, who trains contestants for the FameLab International science communication competition. Dr Grossman is running a Science Communication Workshop at the Royal Society of Biology on Monday 18th April. When trying to explain complex information to an audience, the first task is to get the content right. But how we communicate is also … Continue reading
Tackling the underrepresentation of women in science
By Dr Zenobia Lewis, Senior Lecturer and Co-Chair for University of Liverpool Institute of Learning and Teaching Athena SWAN Team As many in the Higher Education community are aware, the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) Athena Swan Charter has been a driving force supporting women in science in the UK for the past decade. The Charter … Continue reading
The evolution of Big Biology Day
By Ian Harvey FRSB and Amanda Burton, Cambridge biologists The seed In early 2012 the (then) Society of Biology announced the first Biology Week and invited us all to devise events to celebrate all things biological. For my colleague Amanda Burton and I it was an instant ‘light bulb’ moment! We’d both been heavily involved … Continue reading
Teaching: first resort or last resort?
By Ben Connor, Policy Officer, British Ecological Society Does the UK Government have a joined up strategy for teacher recruitment and training? According to Chris Waterman, speaking at the recent Education Policy Lunchbox, the simple answer is ‘no’. Waterman, the former Executive Director of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS), whose educational experience … Continue reading
SOS: Support Our Scientists – Science is still vital
By Deborah Roebuck MRSB, BBSRC policy fellow at the Royal Society of Biology. Supporters of Science rallied together at the most recent Science is Vital event, held in London and broadcast live online. Scientists and non-scientists were united in their campaign to promote awareness and highlight the critical importance of upholding a strong UK science … Continue reading
Podcast: Creating synthetic life
Synthetic biology is a new, intriguing technology that could have a huge impact on humans and our environment. At our Biology Week 2015 debate, chaired by Dr Adam Rutherford, a panel of experts outlined the process of designing and building new life forms and discussed the ethical challenges we will face. What impact could synthetic … Continue reading
Podcast: Celebrating great biology books and photography
What are the secrets of taking a great wildlife photograph, writing an entertaining and informative science book, or engaging children with cutting edge research? Amelia Perry spoke to judges and winners at the Royal Society of Biology Annual Awards Ceremony during Biology Week 2015 to find out. Find out more about our Awards Ceremony and … Continue reading
Tackling environmental waste by engineering microbes to clean up after us
Nikolaus Muldal, microbiology graduate from the University of Sheffield, sheds light on the exciting field of synthetic biology and how it might help us clean up our environment. Imagine the scene: 640 Olympic sized swimming pools overflowing with plastic rubbish. One group of researchers found this to be an unfortunate reality with over four million … Continue reading
So you want to be a life scientist?
By Amelia Perry, Biology Week Intern at the Royal Society of Biology An impressive elephant skeleton took centre stage in the middle of the Life Science Careers Conference, surrounded by exhibitors representing careers in all avenues of biology, from teaching, to research, to conservation to science communication and more. The atmosphere at the Royal Veterinary College was that … Continue reading
The Hungry Games
Rachel Burnett, education and public engagement officer at the Biochemical Society discusses the success of ‘The Hungry Games’ at Big Biology Day in Cambridge, in celebration of Biology Week. Encouraging people to eat a healthy diet is nothing new; from eye-catching headlines announcing the latest ‘superfoods’, to documentaries such as ‘Super Size Me’, we encounter … Continue reading