Boards.ie Scientists and Researchers

GuanYin · 31-07-2008 4:42pm

OK, I'm going to push forward with this. Thanks guys and thanks R3nu4l for allowing forum pimpage

Panserborn · 31-07-2008 8:41pm

Just saw the thread - great idea!

I'm a postdoc in the Cell Biology group in Biochemistry in NUIG. Work and research involves the ins-and-outs of the centromere during cell division. My PhD thesis was on the DNA Damage Response in human cells.

If I can be of any help to setting up a forum or protocol exchanges just buzz!

fits · 31-07-2008 9:37pm

r3nu4l wrote: »

At least tell us what branch of science you work in!

It fits under a few headings. I really dont feel comfortable being any more specific... sorry.

r3nu4l · 31-07-2008 9:54pm

fits wrote: »

It fits under a few headings. I really dont feel comfortable being any more specific... sorry.

Fair enough. I think I know why you feel uncomfortable but for me that wouldn't be an issue.

nesf · 31-07-2008 10:36pm

Would people be more comfortable if this forum was private?

AtomicHorror · 31-07-2008 10:58pm

Sandals2008 wrote: »

I'm at the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at NUI Galway. Research Engineer in final stages of PhD (I hope!!).

Those final stages seem to just go on, don't they? I've been out to REMEDI, great institute.

AtomicHorror · 31-07-2008 11:00pm

nesf wrote: »

Would people be more comfortable if this forum was private?

Might not be a bad idea, since it would be pretty easy to personally identify many of us based on comments regarding our work. The scientific community is not all that large here, after all.

GuanYin · 31-07-2008 11:05pm

AtomicHorror wrote: »

Might not be a bad idea, since it would be pretty easy to personally identify many of us based on comments regarding our work. The scientific community is not all that large here, after all.

I don't know, I don't think a forum where we discuss our work to the point we can be identified is where I see this forum going.

In any case, private wouldn't solve many issues - if someone is really protective of their work, the people they are most worried about is other scientists.

I see it as more of a forum where people can generally talk about day to day issue in research. It is a co-op for scientists in many ways. Like meatworld science (<3 Oscarbavo for the term) some people are social and open, others are guarded.

ie.

"I'm having trouble with a western blot"

"Does anyone have a good protocol for ......"

"What statistical analysis should I use to look at"

"can anyone suggest a good reference for.."

"What is the best kit to use for X"

"Can someone suggest a good place to get Y"

With the permission of the admins, we could even discuss jobs or advertise positions.

Or course, on a community level people can rant/rave discuss their work.

People can still use the forum without identifying themselves.

We have a similar system in the US (you need a .edu to register) and some of my co-workers have gone so far as to use it to source reagents from other labs).

nesf · 01-08-2008 12:04am

GuanYin wrote: »

I don't know, I don't think a forum where we discuss our work to the point we can be identified is where I see this forum going.

In any case, private wouldn't solve many issues - if someone is really protective of their work, the people they are most worried about is other scientists.

I see it as more of a forum where people can generally talk about day to day issue in research. It is a co-op for scientists in many ways. Like meatworld science (<3 Oscarbavo for the term) some people are social and open, others are guarded.

ie.

"I'm having trouble with a western blot"

"Does anyone have a good protocol for ......"

"What statistical analysis should I use to look at"

"can anyone suggest a good reference for.."

"What is the best kit to use for X"

"Can someone suggest a good place to get Y"

With the permission of the admins, we could even discuss jobs or advertise positions.

Or course, on a community level people can rant/rave discuss their work.

People can still use the forum without identifying themselves.

We have a similar system in the US (you need a .edu to register) and some of my co-workers have gone so far as to use it to source reagents from other labs).

I don't think it's someone's work but their professional identities that we're getting at with the private forum idea. As in, just from the three clues in this thread I'm already easily identifiable to anyone who genuinely wanted to find out who I am. Once the questions get specialised enough it becomes easier to figure out the name behind the username. Many people I would imagine would not like to have that combined with posts made while drunk on AH coming up in Google for instance. A private forum would get around this at the obvious cost of losing any interested lurkers.

fits · 01-08-2008 9:03am

I dont agree that it should be private.

The reason I wont explicitly say what I'm doing is because while the work can be high profile these days, there are very few scientists in my area in Ireland. I have posted a lot of stuff of a personal nature on boards and just dont want my personal and professional lives to cross over, or to be identified by colleagues.

So I will be delighted to participate in a general manner. I have a few questions on statistical methods in a paper I'm reviewing atm which would probably fit in well here.

r3nu4l · 01-08-2008 9:55am

fits wrote: »

The reason I wont explicitly say what I'm doing is because while the work can be high profile these days, there are very few scientists in my area in Ireland. I have posted a lot of stuff of a personal nature on boards and just dont want my personal and professional lives to cross over, or to be identified by colleagues.

You're a bioinformatician aren't you?

:pac:

I also don't think the forum should be private. I think that if anyone has questions on animal studies they should be free to ask them without fear of being harrassed by other posters, therefore whoever mods the forum should make it clear that such harrassment won't be tolerated. If you are uncomfortable asking those type of questions publicly, then there is always Private messaging.

fits · 01-08-2008 10:08am

r3nu4l wrote: »

You're a bioinformatician aren't you? :pac:

I dont even know what that means

(looks it up, no I'm not thank f)

I also don't think the forum should be private. I think that if anyone has questions on animal studies they should be free to ask them without fear of being harrassed by other posters, therefore whoever mods the forum should make it clear that such harrassment won't be tolerated. If you are uncomfortable asking those type of questions publicly, then there is always Private messaging.

Should go without saying for any topic tbh.

Why would someone be harrassed for asking a question about animal studies anyway? Was it just an example?

r3nu4l · 01-08-2008 10:19am

fits wrote: »

Why would someone be harrassed for asking a question about animal studies anyway? Was it just an example?

Never heard of the Animal Liberation Front then?

My wife's workplace has been targeted by these people before, taking photos of car reg plates, sending hate mail to staff with photos of their children walking to school...that sort of thing. That's nothing compared with what happened to staff of Huntingdon Life Sciences.

What makes you think it couldn't happen on boards.ie. I've been involved in debates about animal studies here in the past. Thankfully, they were reasoned debates but there are people out there who see no reason.

Dinkie · 01-08-2008 10:27am

I was harassed in one of my last jobs by animal rights protestors (and I don't work in animal research/testing) so it is a valid worry.... And it was very scary.:(. I work in a linked area as it were....

Like r3nu4l, I know people in other areas (including Glaxo, Huntington, etc) who have been targeted.... although not in Ireland.

fits · 01-08-2008 10:28am

Ah now I understand.

Well as I have similar problems in my forum from time to time, the only thing to do is take a very hard line.

AtomicHorror · 01-08-2008 2:31pm

fits wrote: »

So I will be delighted to participate in a general manner. I have a few questions on statistical methods in a paper I'm reviewing atm which would probably fit in well here.

In a similar boat myself, trying to leave that bit to the very end. The stats wreck my head really. Have you tried asking about it on the mathematics forum by the way?

Phototoxin · 02-08-2008 1:51am

I'm doing a BSc Forensic science abd did criminology for the first 2 too.
So general science, with law and the ability to totally dismantle an episode of CSI :pac:

I am hoping to graduate in October as I need to do an exam in September because I missed it due to developing a medical issue.

Jimoslimos · 03-08-2008 4:34pm

Double BSc in Biology & Chemistry
Working as research assistant (in-vitro diagnostics)

Phototoxin wrote: »

So general science, with law and the ability to totally dismantle an episode of CSI :pac:

Ah don't! Some of us like to live with the illusion, sxy forensic scientists and super short turn-around times:p

Tree · 05-08-2008 1:57am

Student, biomed science. Would be willing to contribute if i had anything of use.

Mooch · 05-08-2008 10:49pm

Hi scientists, I'm a newly minted doctor (cell/molecular biology) and would be happy to contribute to a science-ey forum. Currently weighing up the job options actually! Industry vs academia ?! :pac:

Professor_Fink · 06-08-2008 5:29am

nesf wrote: »

Many people I would imagine would not like to have that combined with posts made while drunk on AH coming up in Google for instance. A private forum would get around this at the obvious cost of losing any interested lurkers.

Thet would be my concern too. Almost everywhere else I use my real name, but I like a certain level of anonymity on boards.

Metalpanic · 06-08-2008 11:30am

Have a BSc. in Chemical Sciences and am currently doing a PhD (bit of Organic, Inorganic and lots of Spectroscopy and Analytical Chem). Would love to contribute if I can. The forum sounds like a great idea.

seraphimvc · 07-08-2008 3:12pm

:pac: undergraduate student in BSc Pharmacology,working in Conway (UCD) at the mo :pac: may give a hand on some info of cancer relating issue and some lab technique:D

i know there is (strict) line between academia and industry from what i heard.i think we all know how to manage what we say in a public forum.it would be a semi-free speech forum but still good enough to provide a platform that people can share some opinion/experiece

GuanYin · 07-08-2008 6:51pm

Forum Created.

We'll see how things go to start with.

Please anyone who wishes to pimp this in the real world, feel free.

r3nu4l · 07-08-2008 7:21pm

GuanYin wrote: »

Forum Created.

We'll see how things go to start with.

Please anyone who wishes to pimp this in the real world, feel free.

Excellent

Thanks GuanYin.

AARRRGH · 08-08-2008 8:08pm

Finishing off my Computer Science MSc. Plan to continue researching Elliptic Curve Cryptography, in particular breaking it down so "normal" people can understand it. Have registered the domain beginningecc.com which will be used for this.

I will be starting another MSc next year. I plan to do a Ph.D at some stage.

maki · 11-08-2008 12:39am

Heading into final year of my BSc in Geophysics.
Rocks + physics = as much fun as it sounds!

Tar.Aldarion · 11-08-2008 12:48am

Have finished electronic and computer engineering(real science :-p), mostly researched unified communication system based on the location of communication devices. Did voice controlled robotics previously. Dunno what to do for phd, possibly fibre optics.

dak · 11-08-2008 8:32pm

DCU have a contract researchers organisation www.ducra.dcu.ie - has some useful links

GuanYin · 12-08-2008 12:58am

Cool, so the people who talked about spreading the word? Is that still an option?

Does anyone here feel qualified for starting some threads for stickying? Maybe a stats basics thread with an introduction and maybe some questions?

Maybe some other widely used techniques or issues in research?

Depending on how busy this forum gets, I'll be appointing mods from various disciplines.

Boards.ie Scientists and Researchers

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