AsianScientist (Jan. 13, 2017) – Many people take some time at the start of a new year to reflect, reassess priorities and set goals for the months to come. This year, I did a bit more of that than usual, because there have been some changes around here. After two years of writing The Bug Report, I’m now bringing you this column in a different capacity—I’ve left the lab behind and am now an editor at Asian Scientist.
I’m not really in the habit of making hard and fast New Year’s resolutions. But I did think of several practices to try and cultivate in 2017, which I hope will help me grow into my new role as an editor and writer. I thought I’d share a few of them, for anyone who may be considering a similar transition. In any case—whether it’s in the lab or outside of it—happy sciencing in 2017!
- Reading science
Of course, reading broadly about science is part of the job description. But it’s easy to imagine this getting pushed aside by deadlines and email—similar to how reading papers always seems to play second fiddle to labwork. My plan is to carve out some time each week to read outside of whatever I happen to be working on at the moment.
Another personal goal is to keep reading the primary literature (the actual journal articles)—it’s the best way to report accurately on the science. Not to mention that the part of the brain devoted to critically evaluating data and deciphering academese is like a muscle—use it or lose it!
- Reading non-science
Science writing isn’t just about the science—it’s also about honing the craft of writing and engaging readers in creative ways. What better way to do this than to read good writing, regardless of the subject?
Neil Gaiman has this advice for writers: “If you like fantasy and you want to be the next Tolkien, don’t read big Tolkien-esque fantasies—Tolkien didn’t read big Tolkien-esque fantasies, he read books on Finnish philology. Go and read outside of your comfort zone, go and learn stuff.”
I don’t want to be the next Tolkien, but you get the idea. The silver lining to my longer commute to work is that I now have more time to enforce this habit—I’m thinking fiction in one direction and non-fiction in the other. And maybe a cardboard sign with my stop written on it, so that some kind soul can remind me to get off.
- Sharing good science
I’m personally happy when friends share interesting articles I wouldn’t have otherwise found. So I’ll be doing some not-so-insidious marketing of my own by sharing more science news people can use, even if it’s just at their next cocktail party conversation—you never know who you might reach.
- Pointing out misinformation
While the recent doom-and-gloom about the dawn of the post-truth era may be over-exaggerated by the media, it’s certainly true that the Internet is rife with pseudoscience and poorly researched writing. As science communicators and scientists, we can do our part by calling it into question. But it would help our cause if we did so with tact, and preferably in ways that don’t make non-scientists want to strangle us.
- Trying not to fuse with my office chair
I added this one after surviving my first week in publishing. Now that I’m no longer repeatedly criss-crossing the laboratory floor in search of reagents and equipment, I’ll have to find other ways to reach 10,000 steps (I run, but getting to that number on my off days is proving to be a challenge!). But beyond my slight obsession with hitting this arbitrary number, physical activity—even if it’s just a short stroll—clears my mind and helps me sort through problems. The fact that it burns calories is an added bonus.
Finally, I’d be thrilled to hear from you, the reader (yes, I’m looking at all three of you). I’ve written on a number of topics over the past two years—some fell into my area of expertise (infectious diseases); others I found interesting but didn’t know too much about before researching them. There were also months when I got a little more experimental in this space. What worked, and what bombed? What would you be interested in reading more about? Let me know at [email protected].
This article is from a monthly column called The Bug Report. Click here to see the other articles in this series.
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Copyright: Asian Scientist Magazine; Photo: scleroplex/Flickr/CC.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.
