http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog en-us Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:49:22 +0100 Main Page Blogware sharac http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2008/11/17/3980181.html http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2008/11/17/3980181.html Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:13:00 +0000 The story below is a factual account (as far as I can recall) of how the NHS system (which I have always supported up until now) totally failed me and compromised my health. I dread to think what would have happened if I had not gone to see a private GP. Main Page low inhibitors pressure beta guidelines blockers high calcium Uk blood NHS sharaco http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2008/5/13/3914579.html http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2008/5/13/3914579.html Tue, 13 May 2008 13:47:00 +0100 I was very pleased to see the issue of sexism in science being raised in Steven Swinford's article Sunday 11th May with the identification of the "hidden brain drain". There are many factors involved in why women leave science. For example, the UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) reports that in SET the salaries are still gender biased and the National Science Foundation in the US has reported that having children is negatively related to women's chances for employment in tenure-track positions. Whether lack of tenure for mums in science is a woman's choice, for example due to the very long working hours, or the employee's choice, is somewhat irrelevant as we are losing a talented proportion of the scientific workforce. In other industries, recruitment, retention and development of the most talented people in the workforce - including women - has become a priority, but in many science disciplines there has been a reluctance to change working practices. Main Page leave Engineering and tenure technology science Women sharac http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2007/6/29/3884078.html http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2007/6/29/3884078.html Fri, 29 Jun 2007 16:25:00 +0100 I sent the email below to all my mum/dad friends to let everyone know what happened with my youngest daughters eyes and to say that if you haven’t had your kids eyes tested please do it soon. It was suggested that I also place this on my blog to let other mums know, so very briefly, here is our story Main Page opthalmist consultant optician private NHS sharac http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2007/5/19/3884075.html http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2007/5/19/3884075.html Sat, 19 May 2007 16:23:00 +0100 This week I was very privileged to attend a parliamentary reception hosted and organised by Claire Curtis-Thomas MP and the Institute of Physics Women in Physics Group regarding policy and networking for European women in science. This event took place to highlight the work of the -European Platform of Women Scientists. which supports the work of a whole range of existing national, European and international networks of women scientists from all disciplines (natural, medical and social sciences, engineering and technology, the humanities and arts). I heard talks from very inspiring scientist who had returned after large career breaks to become leaders in their field and also learnt about the gender bias in science and the strategies that are being employed in academia and in schools to start to overcome this. I would certainly recommend to any one who wants to better understand the role they can play in the research policy debate or who requires support from an international women in science network to contact the EPWS. Main Page Institute Scientists European Platform Women Physics of sharaco http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2006/6/25/2054177.html http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2006/6/25/2054177.html Sun, 25 Jun 2006 19:49:00 +0100 When I first started in the business of producing specialized Life Science events for scientific researchers we established our niche by researching the cutting edge technologies and methodologies that were driving (or were going to drive) current research. This makes our events unique and we assumed would also make them popular. Our events have certainly been a success. Our feedback from delegates and sponsoring companies is rarely negative and 99.9 % of our clients say they would return to another event and our glowing testimonials speak for themselves (many of these can be found at www.lifescienceevents.com). However from the beginning we very rarely filled the lecture theatres with delegates or our exhibition halls with sponsors. Some events were so difficult to fill that even when we offered fantastic incentives to attend we could not get more than 20 delegates. Our success was in our great agendas and excellent speakers and chairs, but as a business we made losses. Main Page life t phenotype biology cytokine mammalian science cell regulatory lecture business blog sharaco http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2006/6/1/1991931.html http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2006/6/1/1991931.html Thu, 01 Jun 2006 09:52:00 +0100 I am a great fan of the National Health Service. My eldest brother was born ill and survived for 42 years with enormous support from UK national health system. If he had been born in a country without free health care my parents would be broke and he would probably have not seen his 20th birthday. Having also worked in many teaching hospitals I am convinced that if you are critically ill the best place to be is on an NHS ward in a big teaching hospital. There you are most likely to get the most up to date treatment with a specialist who is really at the forefront of their field. I have, however spent the past week searching the internet for different private health packages for my employees and me and have invited my employees to take up this company health insurance (when I find the best package) for them and their family. Why? Main Page health heart insurance private NHS staff small hospital family employment cancer business brother blog sharaco http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2006/5/30/1991888.html http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2006/5/30/1991888.html Tue, 30 May 2006 08:34:00 +0100 Mums had heart failure (again), my dads just been diagnosed with cancer, the kids are on school holidays, my 5 year old is seeing double and business is as usual. If this had happened a year ago I think that the business would have suffered quite badly, its not easy being a small business owner especially when you are also doing the role of a full time mum, with no childcare to a toddler and a child in reception. So when your time is stretched to the limit with personal matters day to day business matters go by the wayside. Main Page family cancer small business sharaco http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2006/5/29/1991849.html http://www.theserenescientist.com/blog/_archives/2006/5/29/1991849.html Mon, 29 May 2006 13:53:00 +0100 Five weeks a go my PR advisor suggested that I start a personal blog so that people get to know more about me and my work. Very enthusiastically I bought the name, designed how it would look and started writing the articles. The advice was not to write anything too personal: it should not be about how I juggle full time motherhood (my husband works fulltime and we have no childcare, my work is juggled around school and nursery times, evenings and all weekends), or anything about my personal life, but a focused blog about building the company, my thoughts of where we are going and how we have come this far etc. However in the five weeks that have passed I have had three personal experiences which have affected the way that I view both work and home and I thought I would share these with you. Main Page computer heat brother hospital blog IT small PR family cancer business