In the wake of midterm elections, nine new STEM professionals will take seats in the U.S. Congress, eight in the House and one in the Senate. Since the 2016 elections, I have been party to countless discussions with other scientists expressing concern about the deliberate shift away from an evidence-based approach in policymaking. The shift(...)
STEM
A Scientific Approach to Increasing STEM Workforce Diversity
Posted by | Events and HappeningsIn spite of efforts to diversify the biomedical workforce, a significant proportion of the United States population remains grossly underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Nationally, women hold less than 25 percent of scientific research faculty positions, while African-Americans and Latinos account for 7.2 percent of academic faculty, surprising statistics given(...)
Where the Presidential Nominees Stand on Science and Technology
Posted by | Events and Happenings, Perspectives in ResearchDuring the last seven and a half years, President Barack Obama has been a reliable advocate for science and technology. Just recently, the Office of Science and Technology Policy released a report highlighting 100 achievements fostering research and promoting innovation during President Obama’s two terms. As the country prepares for a new president to take(...)
International Students Offer Unique Perspectives on Graduate School
Posted by | A Day in the LifeThe most recent survey from the Council of Graduate Schools found enrollment for international graduate students still on the rise. Data from fall 2015 show an international enrollment of 85,000 students. Of that cohort, 80 percent were from either China or India, with Europe coming in next, supplying 10 percent of applications. Overwhelmingly, these international(...)
Encouraging Young Women in STEM Careers
Posted by | A Day in the Life“It really smells.” “Can we take apart the legs?” I was asked these questions by the girls with dissected frogs in front of them. I’ve been helping through a program aimed at engaging girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). With colleagues at the Girls Scouts of Central Maryland, I’ve helped girls dissect frogs,(...)
Effective Communication: How Do Johns Hopkins Scientists Learn to Speak?
Posted by | A Day in the LifeDoes anyone remember being asked if they were left-brained or right-brained? That’s how I recall my friends and I attempting to find our academic niche. We had two choices: We were either good at solving equations or writing essays. That may have seemed true when we were young, but as professionals we now know that(...)