Genes and thinking: a cool series of workshops for teachers
If you have a little time, the Dolan DNA Learning Center at Cold Spring Harbor will be presenting some really interesting workshops on neuroscience and genetics. The dates are: Nov. 5, 2009: Inside Cancer - workshop on teaching cancer; Raritan Valley Community College, Somerville, NJ Nov. 6, 2009: Genes To Cognition - workshop on teaching neuroscience; Raritan Valley Community College, Somerville, NJ Nov. 21, 2009: Inside Cancer - workshop on teaching cancer; Great Bay Community College, Portsmouth, NH Nov. 20, 2009: Genes To Cognition - workshop on teaching neuroscience; Great Bay Community College, Portsmouth, NH

Community science at Puget Sound beaches
We always see interesting creatures whenever we walk on the beach. Now, a new program from the University of Washington and the state department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking to enlist beach walkers in a community science project where they can help monitor biodiversity. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post...

Afterthoughts on the Life Sciences Summit
This morning I attended the Fifth Annual WBBA Governor's Life Sciences Summit. The breakfast was great; the talks were okay. I do enjoy the stories about people who's lives were saved because of biotechnology and I agree that the focus of the summit, research and discovery are important, but I can't help thinking about the missing piece. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post...

It wasn't a snake on a plane, but still ...
How did it get between the windows? Maybe this is why the flight attendant kept asking us to close the shades. Read the comments on this post...

How NOT to encourage diversity in the scientific community
This summer, I had the good fortune to attend three (or was it four?) conferences on science education. One of the most inspirational conferences was one on Vision and Change in Biology Education. This conference was co-sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the AAAS. It was a call to action for biology educators and many of the points and findings resonated deep in my bones. Then, I read the press release from the AAAS. And right there in the middle, I found this statement from the AAAS CEO, Alan Leshner.