Chris Smith was one of the first people I met in Raleigh. He showed up at the hotel in a big van, carrying a clipboard with a list of 20 names. Chris and I had
Guest post: Interpreting Lemurs
Posted May 12, 2014 by
Informal Science Education
Judging science fairs: 10/10 Privilege, 0/10 Ability
Posted April 14, 2014 by
Every year, I make a point of rounding up students in my department and encouraging them to volunteer one evening judging our local science fair. This year, the fair was held at the start of
Do lemurs like to move it-move it? (video)
Posted April 2, 2014 by
Lemurs had their 15 minutes of fame, back when DreamWork’s Madagascar came out in 2005. This year it’s time for IMAX Island of Lemurs: Madagascar to shine a spotlight on this primates. We discussed before
Sci-Ed joins Lemur Week (video)
Posted March 31, 2014 by
Their ghostly eyes are lovely windows to their souls. Lemurs are primates – they have long tails, tree-climbing hands, and incredible curiosity. At least that’s what I encountered on my visit to the Duke Lemur
Creation vs Evolution: Why science communication is doomed
Posted February 10, 2014 by
Last Tuesday night, Bill Nye the Science Guy had a debate with Ken Ham over creationism vs evolution. I watched part of the debate, and have conflicted feelings on it. I’m going to start by
On overcoming writer’s block
Posted January 29, 2014 by
The setting is your office. You’re bathed in the dull glow of your computer screen, staring at a blank page in Word, trying to write a paper. Blink. Blink. The cursor is watching you, mocking
Backyard Science: Promoting Curiosity and Enthusiasm for the Natural World
Posted January 20, 2014 by
Today, Sci-Ed is happy to welcome Amanda Tracey to the blog to discuss how to promote the natural world to children. For more about Amanda, see the end of this post. I know for a
The Biggest Sci-Ed Stories of 2013
Posted December 31, 2013 by
As 2013 comes to an end, it’s a time for reflection and thought about the last year, and look towards to the future. 2013 was quite the year in science, with impressive discoveries and wide
Teaching entomology in a world afraid of bugs
Posted December 9, 2013 by
Perched on a cantaloupe slice, the palm-sized animal – with its glossy chitinous surface and half dozen legs – sat motionless. The black-green bug looked more like a statuesque chess piece and less like a
Robert Griffin III’s Knee: When the NFL Teaches Anatomy
Posted September 23, 2013 by
The star that night was not a quarterback, but his knee. It was Monday Night Football and season opener for the Washington NFL team when I joined friends to watch the game at a sports