News archive
Online mentoring fills a gap for young researchers
14 September 2021
Clare Watson
Study finds that virtual programmes offer a useful pathway for careers in science.
Pursuing outside career avenues is no impediment to doctoral goals
31 August 2021
Andy Tay
Professional development work can complement and improve academic outcomes, study finds.
The challenge of leading interdisciplinary research projects
17 August 2021
Shipra Jain
Consensus is not always possible.
What I learned teaching in China during the COVID-19 pandemic
13 July 2021
Teresa G. Valencak
Globalized higher education requires fresh cross-cultural approaches.
How science diplomacy can help navigate the post-pandemic world
8 July 2021
Andy Tay
Researchers can access training programmes and other resources in pursuit of a diplomacy role.
Five online tools that aim to save researchers time and trouble
23 June 2021
Dalmeet Singh Chawla
From investigating a lab’s publication history to scanning manuscripts for statistical errors, these apps can help streamline some of the most time-consuming tasks.
Technical staff left out as PhDs drive academic hierarchy
15 June 2021
Lindsay Gray
Failure to acknowledge support roles weakens the team, and the science, researchers say.
How to get a board position as an early career researcher
8 June 2021
Andy Tay
Editorial and advisory boards can offer valuable experiences to young scientists.
Researchers’ publication rates don’t decline as they age
7 June 2021
Dalmeet Singh Chawla
Contrary to stereotypes, senior researchers’ productivity doesn’t necessarily decline.
Five science stars making their mark in China
27 May 2021
Gemma Conroy, Flynn Murphy & Sian Powell
With research spanning particle physics, solar power, conservation and the mechanisms of coronavirus transmission, these researchers are standouts in China’s vast talent hub.
Three leading women in science share the highlight of their careers
17 May 2021
Shipra Jain
How they forged a new path to success.
What I learned writing a science paper for a 10-year-old
27 April 2021
Andy Tay
"It’s amazing how much you can learn from the children reviewers."
Calls for culture change as “them versus us” mindset drives rift between academic and non-academic staff
30 March 2021
David Payne
Research managers and administrators feel that their skills are underappreciated, survey reveals.
Inclusion in the time of COVID: 14 ways to seize the moment for change
9 February 2021
Carla Cebula et. al*
Flux in the system is a chance to create new and better opportunities in academic STEMM careers for marginalized groups.
Following NASA's lead, researchers are targeting gender bias in instrument time
2 February 2021
Clare Watson
The switch to double-blind peer reviews could help to ensure that female and early-career researchers get a fair shot at using in-demand equipment.
Researchers are embracing visual tools to give fair credit for work on papers
22 January 2021
Andy Tay
Indicating the role each author played can be particularly important for early-career researchers.
The COVID-safe university is an opportunity to end the default ableism of academia
19 January 2021
Stuart Read, Anne Parfitt, Tanvir Bush
The restructuring of academia to make spaces and practices COVID-safe presents an opportunity to expand inclusivity, say Stuart Read, Anne Parfitt, and Tanvir Bush.
Auto articles: an experiment in AI-generated content
10 December 2020
Catherine Armitage & Markus Kaindl
AI-generated summaries of three articles selected from a data set of 175 Springer Nature publications.
Sliced, diced and digested: AI-generated science ready in minutes
10 December 2020
Chris Woolston & Jeffrey M. Perkel
AI can decide which papers are worth reading, and condenses them to make the literature more accessible.
Samsung’s head researcher wants human–AI interactions to be a multisensory experience
10 December 2020
Leigh Dayton
Sebastian Seung outlines his quest for convenient and natural interaction with machines.
Four AI technologies that could transform the way we live and work
10 December 2020
Bill Condie & Leigh Dayton
From facial recognition to drug discovery, these emerging technologies are the ones to watch.
AI will change the world, so it’s time to change AI
10 December 2020
Tess Posner & Li Fei-Fei
To ensure that AI meets its potential as a transformative tool, it must be developed by a truly representative research community, say Tess Posner and Li Fei-Fei
The race to the top among the world’s leaders in artificial intelligence
10 December 2020
Neil Savage
As revenues and research output soar in the field of AI, global competition between the United States, China and Europe heats up.
Clusters of Excellence: the new ‘brains trusts’ of German science
27 November 2020
Gemma Conroy, Bec Crew & Andy Tay
Researchers praise the time and funding they are given for deep exploration.
Asifa Akhtar is a sign of new things to come at the Max Planck Society
27 November 2020
Chris Woolston
The molecular biologist hopes to inspire the next generation of scientists.
Three tips to adapt grants and papers for non-native English readers
23 November 2020
Michael Erard
Writing guides often advise “Don’t write anything that you wouldn’t say.” Michael Erard, who trains researchers to write grants and academic papers, disagrees.
How to turn a Eureka moment into a research project
17 November 2020
Bo Xia
From ‘napkin idea’ to published paper.
Researchers need support from universities to share their work beyond academia
9 November 2020
Margaret Merga & Shannon Mason
Institutions need to step up support for early career researchers who are looking to share their findings more widely.
How do you create a diversity program for science that works?
20 October 2020
Andy Tay
Some tested strategies to engage and retain talented under-represented scientists.
What it’s really like to do science amid COVID-19
19 October 2020
Quirin Schiermeier et al.
From Germany to India, researchers are grappling with how to run labs and lessons under extraordinary restrictions.
Finished your PhD? Six questions to ask yourself about what’s next
13 October 2020
Natalie Parletta
There is no single path to success, so here's a plan to help you choose.
Nobel Prizes have a diversity problem even worse than the scientific fields they honor
8 October 2020
Marc Zimmer
This is a problem much larger than simply bias on the part of the Nobel selection committees – it’s systemic.
The open secret that underpins South Korea’s science success
1 October 2020
Bongjae Kim and Ara Go
Enormous burden on younger researchers cannot be sustained.
Three reasons to share your research failures
22 September 2020
Gemma Conroy
There’s a new journal for that.
How early-career researchers can avoid ethical ‘grey areas’
10 September 2020
Gemma Conroy
Here are four ways to keep on track.
This scientist read a paper every day for 899 days. Here’s what she learned
8 September 2020
Natalie Parletta
Olivia Rissland says reading a different paper every day has made her a better scientist.
Why academics do unfunded research
28 August 2020
Rosalind Edwards
From creative pursuits to grant application fatigue, here's why some researchers choose an unfunded path.
Four reasons why young researchers should consider entrepreneurship training
27 August 2020
Andy Tay
“It doesn’t matter how good and innovative your idea is if no one needs it.”
How to choose your next research project
19 August 2020
Carsten Lund Pedersen
Ask yourself these five questions to prioritize your ideas.
This scientific ‘power couple’ has one of the largest publishing networks in chemistry
18 August 2020
Hepeng Jia
How a supervisor-student pair forged a lasting collaboration.
Here’s why so many young researchers want to quit – in five graphs
7 August 2020
Gemma Conroy
Passion is not enough.
Five strategies for writing in turbulent times
4 August 2020
Chris Smith
How to manage distraction and maintain focus, while also acknowledging that sometimes the best thing to do is stop.
Three questions to ask yourself before quitting your PhD
28 July 2020
Gemma Conroy
It’s normal for PhD candidates to consider abandoning their studies. Here’s how to take emotions out of the decision.
How young researchers can create lasting industry partnerships
24 July 2020
Bec Crew
Don’t wait for universities to facilitate connections. Here’s how to find the right people on your own timeline.
Work hack: How to organize your research literature – and make it sharable
17 July 2020
Bec Crew
A must-have strategy for fieldwork.
When it pays to say yes to a burdensome request
17 July 2020
Peter Goldstein
Despite misgivings, this biomedical researcher agreed to serve on a faculty committee. It was a good gamble.
Women and minority researchers have more original ideas, but white men are rewarded faster
16 July 2020
Bec Crew
How many trailblazers have been sidelined?
When is a scientific collaboration unfair?
10 July 2020
Gemma Conroy
A study enlists the h-index to try to find out why some research partnerships fizzle.
Work hack: Why Mark Carrigan loves Ulysses
7 July 2020
Bec Crew
A sociologist describes his favourite place for scribbled notes, student assessment, and long-form writing.
Scientists pivot to pitch in on coronavirus
2 July 2020
Andy Tay
Many scientists have taken on extra work loads during the pandemic. Here a chemist, a publisher and an infectious disease expert reveal their efforts.
Coronavirus vaccine front-runner Moderna puts MIT chemist-entrepreneur Robert Langer in the spotlight
30 June 2020
Leigh Dayton
4 lessons from his playbook.
These two geochemists have one of the largest publishing networks in science
26 June 2020
Gemma Conroy
A ‘power couple’ in Earth and environmental sciences.
How to choose the right PhD supervisor
23 June 2020
Gemma Conroy
4 red flags to be wary of in the search for a good match.
A leading textbook author explains how he did it
12 June 2020
Liqun Luo
A lot of hard work, and an unconventional approach.
How to collaborate using only email
11 June 2020
Andy Tay
Two climate researchers show how it’s done.Four tips to help researchers stay productive during the pandemic
2 June 2020
Ruth Gotian
Beat the working-from-home blues.
Coronavirus fallout puts next generation of scientists at risk
29 May 2020
Dyani Lewis
Pandemic-related measures to retain early career researchers could block the pipeline for the next generation.
Coronavirus cutbacks could reverse hard-fought equity gains in STEM workforce
25 May 2020
Bec Crew
Women’s jobs are “the first to go" in pandemic-related cuts.
'Zoom fatigue' is real, and it's causing a new kind of anxiety amid coronavirus isolation
22 May 2020
John Pickrell
It’s about staring at yourself, and the silences.
Empathy and grit – not just publication records – should be considered in researcher assessment
12 May 2020
Clare Watson
Is this the future of metrics in academia?
Build-your-own website for scientists
11 May 2020
Andy Tay
Tips to help you promote your research, attract recruits, and share resources.
Shut-in scientists are spending more time on research papers
9 April 2020
Nic Fleming
Suspension of face-to-face activities in the coronavirus pandemic sends researchers back to their manuscripts.
Forced shift to online teaching in pandemic unleashes educators’ deepest job fears
9 April 2020
Richard Watermeyer et al.*
‘Culture-change moment’ for higher education.
Advice for young scientists: Be a generalist
2 April 2020
Avi Loeb
A narrow focus on the latest hot topic can be rewarding—but it’s not necessarily a good long-term strategy.
How young researchers can re-shape the evaluation of their work
31 March 2020
Annemijn Algra, Inez Koopman, Rozemarijn Snoek
Looking beyond bibliometrics to evaluate success.
What can your PhD supervisor do for you?
31 March 2020
Gemma Conroy
4 ways to a more productive relationship.
How to demonstrate the value of your research
20 March 2020
Carsten Lund Pedersen
A tool to help you master the four Cs: citations, communication, coverage, and collaboration.
Front line scientists call for mental health support in the wake of catastrophic ecosystem loss
15 March 2020
Gemma Conroy
Better resourcing to combat the psychological effects of dealing with a crisis will reinforce good science.
8 big differences between the US and UK PhD experience
11 March 2020
Helen Robertson
And one important similarity.
Struggling to win grants? Here's how to crowdfund your research
10 March 2020
Gemma Conroy
Making dream projects a reality.
Researchers reveal the emotional and professional cost of drawn-out peer review
10 March 2020
Andy Tay
It can have a noticeable affect on a person's career.
How I mastered public speaking: 3 tips from an introvert
18 February 2020
Carsten Lund Pedersen
Those awkward silences aren’t as awkward as you think.
Scientists are curious and passionate and ready to argue
12 February 2020
Catherine Armitage
A robot career adviser’s personality assessment, based on analysis of tweets.
iPosters and Betterposter: How to create a conference poster that people want to read
6 February 2020
Marc J. Kuchner
Download free templates, or make the switch to digital-only.
Five leading early career researchers in materials science
16 December 2019
Gemma Conroy, Bec Crew & Hepeng Jia
Star competitors in a highly competitive field.
Scientists reveal weirdest things they’ve done in the name of science
19 November 2019
John Pickrell
From sending cakes into space to filling their refrigerators with cat poo, scientists detail the bizarre lengths they’ve gone to in the pursuit of research.
What kind of scientist are you?
13 November 2019
Carsten Lund Pedersen & Thomas Ritter
Identifying your own archetype with this simple tool can help your work.
Failure found to be an "essential prerequisite" for success
13 November 2019
David Noonan
Scientists use big data to understand what separates winners from losers.
Q&A Kevin Burgio: 10 rules for a successful remote postdoc
11 October 2019
Gemma Conroy
How to build productive long-distance relationships.
Q&A Linda Beaumont: Journals should take action against toxic peer reviews
30 August 2019
Gemma Conroy
Keep it constructive.
The allure of the journal impact factor holds firm, despite its flaws
29 August 2019
Jon Brock
“Science needs a healthy dose of its own medicine, yet refuses to take the pill.”
This simple tool shows you how to choose your mentors
28 August 2019
Carsten Lund Pedersen
"Gurus breed gurus."
Ranking the most popular degrees in the US
6 August 2019
Bec Crew
Health professions have been booming.
6 ways to deal with rejection
31 July 2019
Staci Zavattaro
Rejection in academia seems particularly personal, but it doesn't have to be.
Do the best academics fly more?
17 July 2019
Seth Wynes
As universities face increasing demands to reduce greenhouse emissions, they should look for ways to manage academic travel more efficiently.
Steve Jobs presents a lesson for young universities
16 July 2019
David Payne
It's time to take a risk on admissions to meet future workforce needs.
Here’s how to deal with failure, say senior scientists
5 July 2019
Bec Crew
Don’t take it personally.
