Can public engagement stunt academic careers?
As an academic, I take public engagement seriously. I see it as a responsibility that comes with the societally-sanctioned license to study the things that I’m passionate about. And I consider it a privilege to interact with others who can inform what I do as...
Characterizing nanoparticles in the 1880’s
On May 29th, there were 52,000 nanoparticles per cubic centimeter of air measured at the top of the Eiffel Tower. This may not seem the most compelling opening to an article, until you realize that the measurement was made in 1889 – over 100 years before nanotechnology and nanoparticles began hitting headlines as one of the most talked about emerging technologies in recent decades. The particles were measured by the Scottish scientist John Aitken, using his newly developed device for counting airborne dust particles.
Politics don’t always play a role in attitudes toward science issues
Comments provided for GENeS on the launch of the Pew Research Center attitudes survey on Americans, Politics and Science Issues (July 1 2015) Political leanings are frequently associated with attitudes toward science and technology in the U.S. Yet as the most recent...
Should indoor tanning be banned?
Just how dangerous is indoor tanning? A couple of weeks ago, colleagues from the University of Michigan published an article with a rather stark recommendation: an immediate age limited ban on indoor tanning in all U.S. states, followed by a five-year phase-in ban for all commercial tanning.