New Blog Mission Statement

I recently received a PhD in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and have begun a postdoctoral position. For non-science people, the postdoc is the transition period between being a student and a professor. It is a nebulous time with no real specific end point; the goal is to get enough publications, experience, and grants to become an attractive candidate for evermore-competitive faculty positions.

I don’t really consider myself a “blogger” (I doubt that a few months on LiveJournal count), so although I have long entertained ideas of making a science-oriented blog, I have always hesitated. I wasn’t sure what I wanted or even had to say and I hate starting and stopping things. So why now? Because I do have things to say. I see blogging as an opportunity to communicate experiences and advice within the science community and just as much to improve my skills in communicating science with the wider public. I believe there is no reason that the general public cannot understand scientific research and it is the impetus of scientists who receive taxpayer dollars to communicate their science to the public.

My objective is to write about my own side steps and ever-continuing exploration in science as well as larger topics in science such as gender/social issues, the science lexicon and other barriers to science, and whatever else gets my goat that particular day. As part of my role as a liaison with the general public, I invite any questions about science. Ask me about a scientific study you heard about in the news and I will do my best to educate myself and clearly communicate this knowledge to the layperson.