Opinion Archives - Science Connected Magazine

Decolonizing Ecology for Socially Just Science

August 22, 2019August 22, 2019 Science Connectedacademia, collaboration, decolonizing science, ecology, equity, gatekeeping, globalization

Opinion By Suzanne Xianran Ou (@suzanneou) and Adriana L. Romero-Olivares (@fungi_lover) Science attempts to describe nature at all scales, including globally. But scientists and the institutional structures and gatekeepers, such as governments, universities, and science journal editors, who determine what is considered “good science” in our modern world, represent countries with great economic power, collectively known as the Global North. To move forward with a broad perspective and as a globally connected scientific community, we must be inclusive of all scientists around the world, including those from countries with less…

Biology Education Opinion

A Day in the Life of a Vascular Biologist

September 18, 2018September 19, 2018 Science Connectedbiology, blood vessels, cells, prenatal, science experiments, vascular biology

By Noeline Subramaniam (@spicy_scientist) A vascular biologist studies blood vessels. Blood vessels connect all of our organs and tissues in our body to each other; as such, they play a crucial role in helping to maintain homeostasis—in other words, keeping the balance within our body. They have several important functions including transporting nutrients and removing waste, sensing blood flow, playing a role in the immune system, and much more. The two major types of blood vessels are arteries and veins. Arteries travel away from the heart and veins return to the…

Opinion Technology

What the Tech Industry Can Teach Academia

July 3, 2018July 3, 2018 Science Connectedinnovation, open-source, scientific research

OPINION By Sami Benchekroun Without taking risks and challenging the status quo, the majority of the world’s biggest scientific breakthroughs would not have been possible. That’s why it’s all the more surprising that academia itself is often reluctant to embrace new ways of working and sharing results. Scientists work on their research in secrecy for months or years and then wait an average of 100 days from the moment they submit their paper until it is published in a journal. Early-stage findings are hidden, failures are rarely shared, and the…