Total Internal Reflection @TIR_scienceblog@qoto.org
Total Internal Reflection (https://totalinternalreflectionblog.com) is a blog about the human side of science, written by Brooke Morriswood.
Postings include commentary, and how-to guides for young scientists to improve their soft skills.
Joined Nov 2022
@JACoates @steveroyle Hi both, thanks for commenting and sorry for the slow response (for some reason I don't get notifications from Mastodon). There was a very interesting comment on the blog site that I think cuts to the heart of this issue: that many people go into the public sector (which includes academia, of course) with a sense of service. They see themselves as performing a duty/service to society (I certainly did - I have always been acutely aware and proud of the societal role of academia), and to then be compelled to leave is obviously very traumatic because it implies that that service was not of value. That's a nonsense of course, but it's the kind of worry that comes at you in the night. Other reasons apply too of course, but the selflessness and its devaluation is, I suspect, an important psychological factor in the issues that I and many others (like Jonny!) continue to have.
New posting! "Deprogramming academia", a riff on why I'm still feeling guilt about walking away from #academia, and why that might be. 👇 Hope you like it! #Alt-Ac
https://totalinternalreflectionblog.com/2025/04/17/deprogramming-academia/
New posting! A riff on how #mentoring should impart a lifetime commitment, and one that flows in both directions. Doubly important right now, when science is under attack and we need to come together as a community.👇
https://totalinternalreflectionblog.com/2025/03/28/look-after-one-another/
Latest cross-posting to the @febsnews #FEBSnet: Jacks of all trades, a riff on how scientists are expected to master a whole suite of skills, when expertise in just one would often be enough in other professions (and perhaps, should also be here?).👇 https://network.febs.org/posts/jacks-of-all-trades
There’s a reason why the #chainsaw is such an apt symbol for the current assault on American #science: because you can cut a tree down in minutes, but growing it back takes decades.
Some thoughts on the USA's chainsaw massacre 👇
https://totalinternalreflectionblog.com/2025/03/05/chainsaw-massacre/
New posting! A 1st-hand account of the pros and cons of publishing with @eLife's bold publish/review/curate model, with some recommendations that would make the process even smoother.👇 (Thank you eLife!)
https://totalinternalreflectionblog.com/2025/02/16/take-back-control-an-encounter-with-elifes-publish-review-curate-model/
New cross-posting on the @febsnews #FEBS
Network, about how embracing the mistakes is what's needed to make a good #researcher (and how that relates to learning languages at school).👇
https://network.febs.org/posts/fail-to-learn-a-personal-confession
A belated look back at TIR’s 9th year of operations. As always, a huge thanks to all of YOU out there who’ve been reading/liking/sharing the content – much appreciated! More to come in 2025…👇
http://totalinternalreflectionblog.com/2025/01/12/2024-total-internal-reflections-year-in-review/
New posting, and a last one for 2024! This one’s about the lifetime of scientific fields, and how it’s not just scientists that get old… What do you think – clear-eyed, or overly cynical? What stage is your field at?👇
http://totalinternalreflectionblog.com/2024/12/30/the-lifetime-of-a-field/
New #posting! #Movember 2024 may be over, but that's no reason not to take one last look (for now) at some "Great #scientists, great #moustaches"! The 8th instalment of TIR's longest-running series is now available, where physics, chemistry and biology meet male #grooming 👨 👇
Slightly belated notification, but it's out! Hopefully not the last paper I publish (there's 1 more to go), but it's one of the last - a characterisation of the class I and class XXI #myosin #motor_proteins and #actin in the #parasite #Tbrucei. Fab collaboration of the Morriswood group with Fabian Link (Engstler group) and Claudia Veigel of #LMU. Really pleased at the blend of #fluorescence #microscopy, #electron microscopy, and #biochemistry. 👇
https://elifesciences.org/articles/96953
One last quick reminder that I will be taking part in an #EMBL #career #webinar tomorrow (11:00 CET) to talk about life as a newbie in #MedComms alongside 2 more-experienced guests 🙂 And #scientists who enjoy writing/communicating/organising and are thinking about possible #industry careers, come along! It's going to be fun.
(Registration link here: https://www.embl.org/about/info/embl-fellows-career-service/)
With #Movember 2024 now over the halfway point, here's another chance to take a look at some "Great #scientists, great #moustaches"...with more to come this year!
👇
http://totalinternalreflectionblog.com/2019/11/09/great-scientists-great-moustaches-pt-3-a-movember-posting/
New #posting! What does the #1924 #Everest expedition have in common with the #2024 #Nobel prizes? A riff on the untapped riches that might be found if there were more equality of opportunity.
👇
https://totalinternalreflectionblog.com/2024/11/17/an-empire-state-of-mind/
New posting! There’s no shortage of people and places offering advice to those #leavingacademia and seeking #AltAc careers, but here’s some tips based on my own recent experience of the process.👇Hope it helps, and a big thanks too to all who helped me 😊
https://totalinternalreflectionblog.com/2024/09/22/pathfinding-some-tips-on-finding-science-jobs-outside-academia/
New #posting! This one's about how I had one enormous factor in my favour when weighing up whether or not to leave #academia last year: my wife's career.
http://totalinternalreflectionblog.com/2024/07/29/couple-power/
New posting! I’m less than a year into my new scientific career in the #biotech/#pharma sector, and the biggest difference with #academia is already clear: it’s the money.
But not, as you might think, in terms of salary…👇
http://totalinternalreflectionblog.com/2024/06/16/follow-the-money/
New posting! You wouldn't think that mandatory company training on policies & procedures would come across as a beacon of enlightenment, but that's how it did for me 😂 👇
http://totalinternalreflectionblog.com/2024/04/28/from-the-top-down/
Total Internal Reflection (https://totalinternalreflectionblog.com) is a blog about the human side of science, written by Brooke Morriswood.
Postings include commentary, and how-to guides for young scientists to improve their soft skills.
Joined Nov 2022
