Author Archives: Gabriele Butkute
Plant Health Studentships: opportunities for undergrads and providers
Dr Celia Knight FRSB, plant science education and employability consultant, shares her thoughts on undergraduate opportunities. What does a summer studentship mean to an undergraduate? When considering whether to undertake a summer research studentship, placement, internship or work experience, undergraduates might wonder: Does applying for a research studentship mean you have to know you want … Continue reading
Helping urban agriculture take root
Sam Lane AMRSB looks at some of the technologies and policies that will help cities grow their own food. What if I told you there was a way to meet growing demands for food security, reduce causes of climate change, shrink supply chains and improve public health? Well, some think that urban agriculture might just … Continue reading
Something in the air
By Dr Jonathan Carruthers, science policy officer at the Royal Society of Biology We are all exposed to air pollution to some degree. Oxides of nitrogen and particles emitted by road vehicles, trains and ships affect not just the frail, but all of us throughout our lives. These pollutants seriously harm health: they are linked … Continue reading
Using smartphones to detect Parkinson’s Disease before symptoms arise
By Reham Badawy, PhD student at Aston University, in collaboration with Dr. Max Little, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Smartphones and healthcare Smartphones have become a pivotal tool in all aspects of our lives, impacting the way we communicate with one another and revolutionising the way in which we shop and bank. But what could be … Continue reading
Diversity in Science: creating an inclusive environment
By Gabriele Butkute AMRSB, science policy officer at the Royal Society of Biology and the Biochemical Society The Royal Society’s Annual Diversity Conference, ‘Diversity Matters – the road to inclusivity’ provided an uplifting environment to learn about initiatives in a range of workplaces. Meeting representatives from across the science sector, including from education and government, … Continue reading
Science for society – bringing responsible research to life
By Melanie Smallman, deputy director, UCL Responsible Research Innovation Hub Sign up for our free Policy Lunchbox on Friday 10th June 2016: What is Responsible Research and Innovation? Given the power of science and innovation to transform our world, we need to make sure that it works with and for society. But what does this … Continue reading
People with disabilities in STEMM: challenges and future directions
By Gabriele Butkute, science policy assistant at the Royal Society of Biology I recently attended the Future directions in STEMM for people with disabilities conference, organised by the STEMM Disability Advisory Committee (STEMM-DAC) of which the RSB is a member. It taught me a great deal about disability support, compassion and resilience. Disability in the … Continue reading
Returners to Bioscience – a neglected pool of talented workers
by Gabriele Butkute, science policy assistant at the Royal Society of Biology There is a pool of talented workers that is not being fully accessed or acknowledged in our workforce – those who for one reason or another have been out of employment for some time but now wish to work again – the returners. … Continue reading
I don’t know what to believe
By Gabriele Butkute, science policy assistant at the Royal Society of Biology There is a huge appetite for science stories in the news, however, we cannot help but wonder whether everything we read is accurate or rather just a marketing ploy (some of the stories do sound too good to be true). We have all … Continue reading
Research, industry and policy join forces to tackle antimicrobial resistance
By Gabriele Butkute, science policy assistant at the Society of Biology and the Biochemical Society If we fail to act on AMR then an additional 10 million lives would be lost each year to drug-resistant strains of malaria, HIV, TB, and certain bacterial infections by 2050, at a cost to the world economy of 100 … Continue reading