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A week in the life of a particle accelerator designer
“So, what do you do?” I’m sure you have an answer that tends to pop out your mouth. My answer-du-jour is “I design particle accelerators”. I have it on some authority that my job is officially cooler...
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Striking a balance between science and communication
Since this is meant to be the first of many regular blog posts I have promised to write for physicsfocus, I thought I would begin by saying something about how one finds the time to do such things. I...
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Why physicists need to get on Twitter
Physicists, are you on Twitter? If not, it might not just be you missing out. The case for scientists to join the community of 200 million active Twitter users is strong. By tweeting, you can...
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When you tell someone you’re a physicist, explain what you actually do
Physics is a diverse, constantly growing field. So why do people treat me differently when I tell them that I’m studying it? The response is almost always that they never understood (or worse, never...
View Article#sciconfessions: Our bloggers spill their darkest secrets
Over the last few days, scientists have been telling all on Twitter. Failed experiments, stupid mistakes, accidental E. coli poisoning… you name it, someone has admitted to it. See the latest...
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Is university structure anti-research?
Last week, I suggested a collaboration between veterinary medicine and engineering. The graduate student in our School of Veterinary Medicine was interested in investigating how accurate the internet...
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First steps: A journey into physics
Being a young student, my attention is quite easily taken away. Luckily enough, my mind gets captivated by the evolutionary world of physics more often than it does by video games and sports. Every...
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Should I stay or should I go now? The postdoc mobility myth
Far back in the mists of time, in the great and glorious days of Britpop, Forrest Gump, and John Major’s “Back to Basics”, I was a postdoc[1]. It was my first postdoctoral position after completing my...
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I am not a smart man
“I’m a physicist”… “Wow, you must be clever!” This is an interaction most physicists would admit to having at some point. Physics is difficult: everyone knows this. We take pride in it. Ours is the...
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PUNCTUATION; IS NOT. AN, OPTION.
As a professional physicist – as I sometimes like to pretend I am – I would estimate that at least 70% of my working week is spent on words, not numbers. Many of the undergrads here at Nottingham...
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So long, Sid
As we get older, one aspect of the festive season becomes increasingly evident, an issue that younger readers may not have considered. It concerns the Christmas cards that do not arrive. Or,...
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Follow the leader?
I very much hope that a meeting I attended last week at the University of Cambridge will prove to be a key moment, and a major catalyst, in accelerating change in academia. Delivering Equality: Women...
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Sure you’re not meant to take it seriously
It’s a little over two years since my first post for physicsfocus and I’m sad to say that this one is going to be my last. I found out last month from Chris White – the physicsfocus editor,...
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