Mixing Memory : Women in Math, Science, and Engineering, and Playing Video Games The solution to the gender disparity in science: Mandatory first-person shooters for everyone! (tags: gender science psychology) Jobs, News and Views for All of Higher Education – Inside Higher Ed :: Sweetening the Deal Handing out chocolate boosts teaching evaluation scores. (tags:… Continue reading links for 2007-10-19
James Watson and the Myth of g
I’m not sure whether it was prompted by James Watson’s little outburst (for which he has apologized “unreservedly”) or just serendipity, but Cosma Shalizi offers an exhaustive demolition of the idea of a single general intelligence factor: Anyone who wanders into the bleak and monotonous desert of IQ and the nature-vs-nurture dispute eventually gets trapped… Continue reading James Watson and the Myth of g
Improve Your Word Power, Feed the Hungry
While we’re being all charitable, here’s a link to FreeRice’s charity vocabulary quiz. It’s pretty simple: They give you odd words, you guess the meanings, and for each word you get right, they donate 10 grains of rice to an international aid agency. Do you have a large vocabulary? Are you looking for an Internet-based… Continue reading Improve Your Word Power, Feed the Hungry
You Are Horrible, Nasty People
So, let’s review the week in DonorsChoose fundraising: Atheist baiting netted about $60, from three donors. Appealing to your better nature brought in zip, zero, nil, nada. Not one person donated to the highlighted proposal after I posted that. Offering to stab myself with a fork brought in $200 yesterday. You all suck. No, that’s… Continue reading You Are Horrible, Nasty People
The Problem with Solar Energy
Over at The Island of Doubt, James Hrynyshyn has a post about solar skepticism on the part of some researchers, who think that claims of increased efficiency are often overhyped. Of course, efficiency isn’t the only issue. A couple of weks ago, we had a colloquium talk by Peter Persans of RPI, who is working… Continue reading The Problem with Solar Energy
links for 2007-10-18
Hopkins Is Boeheim’s Designated Successor at Syracuse – New York Times Bernie Fine: Don’t hold your breath, Mike… (tags: basketball) yoco :: College Basketball || (a sports weblog) analysis and commentary on college basketball and the ncaa tournament Georgie suspends three players for missing classes. Would they do this to the football team? (tags: basketball… Continue reading links for 2007-10-18
James Watson and “Uncle Al”
Separated at birth? James Watson, a Nobel Prize winner for his part in the unravelling of DNA who now runs one of America’s leading scientific research institutions, drew widespread condemnation for comments he made ahead of his arrival in Britain today for a speaking tour at venues including the Science Museum in London. The 79-year-old… Continue reading James Watson and “Uncle Al”
My Least Favorite Part of Academic Research
My least favorite part of academic research has to be waiting for vendors who aren’t actually going to call me back. Even when it’s a company I’ve done a lot of business with, “a lot of business” by my standards is peanuts to them, so I’m way, way down the priority queue when it comes… Continue reading My Least Favorite Part of Academic Research
Richard Dawkins Is a Big Mean Doodyhead
That’s exactly the sort of thing you won’t have to read if I meet my Challenge goal by Friday. Or even get $1000 or 100 new donors by Friday, in which case I’ll have to do a respectful review of his book. Thus far, we’ve only picked up $120 in new donations, so it’s not… Continue reading Richard Dawkins Is a Big Mean Doodyhead
Secrets of Committee Work
Over at Unqualified Offerings, Thoreau has encountered the dark side of academic life: I was assigned to the curriculum committee, so I went to the meeting today. (I don’t go to committee meetings for my health.) I learned that one of the tasks before us was demonstrating that we have assessments to show that introductory… Continue reading Secrets of Committee Work