Tag Archives: innovation

Building bridges among lab groups

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Joan E. Strassmann

Some of the comments on lab group separation, mostly on Twitter or Facebook, not here, hoped for an explanation of the reasons for separation, or thoughts on the fixes for this. Here’s an effort in that direction. We might think … Continue reading →

Posted in Collaborating, Collaboration, Department politics, Managing an academic career | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Why is your lab group so separate from your department?

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Joan E. Strassmann

Few things in research are more exciting than watching ideas build as one person augments the thinking of another. Each can arrive at a place unanticipated and impossible from lone thinking. I feel almost euphoric when this happens. It may … Continue reading →

Posted in Collaboration, Creativity, New ideas, Scientific community | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Can you do an ideas sandbox in 90 minutes?

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Joan E. Strassmann

I’m going to the BEACON: Evolution in Action meeting at Michigan State University next month. They asked me to run a sandbox in 90 minutes, giving me flexibility on the topic.  Below is my plan. Who knows what we can … Continue reading →

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What exactly is a scientific sandbox or sandpit?

Posted on August 17, 2014 by Joan E. Strassmann

Our program notes say that a sandbox is an interactive session to stimulate new collaborations, ideas, and discussion. This sounds like a great idea, but I’m having a hard time understanding what exactly it means. Should it be held in … Continue reading →

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Have confidence in yourself and innovate recklessly

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Joan E. Strassmann

By now you have turned in a January preproposal to the National Science Foundation if you are a biology professor in areas of ecology, evolution, or various kinds of physiology. You may feel good about your preproposal, or you may … Continue reading →

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What is your legacy going to be?

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Joan E. Strassmann

A recent New Yorker article on Barack Obama by Ryan Lizza focused on his legacy. I wondered how his legacy will go past the first-term glory of health care reform. Then I wondered how often we academics think about our … Continue reading →

Posted in Managing an academic career | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Asking the right questions

Posted on June 30, 2012 by Joan E. Strassmann

We professors are creative a lot less of the time than we might think we are. We must drive the education scholars crazy because we so often teach in the same old tired ways of 500 years ago, despite strong … Continue reading →

Posted in New ideas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment