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How to Visualize Data Wait, but Neuralink? Suffering in Academia A go-to guide for picking The story of communicating Against unnecessary pain in the right graph a dense topic higher education
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- - Contest Alex Masurovsky Lorena Sganzerla Co-editors in chief in Co-editors Bettina Schmerl Bettina Ioana Weber CONTENTS
FOCUS Credibility in Science CAMPUS The struggle for scien- tists to communicate At the EDGE of Neu- their work in the face of Book Review: roscience and art...4 disinformation...21 Helix...38
Building a Portfolio The Struggle of The essentials of sci- Moving On ence communication as a A review of Eternal Sun- profession...6 shine of the Spotless Mind...39
On the Bound- aries of Science Opinion: Suffering is Communication...8 Not My Standard. Why I refuse to perpetuate the normalization of suffer- Cover modified from Ardea-studio on Adobe Stock Ardea-studio modified on from Cover How to Choose the ing in academia...41 Right Graph for Your Wait, but Neuralink? COVER Data How a blogger man- Effective visualization is aged to clearly explain Hearing Walls key to enable scientific Neuralink...24 Correspondence from the discourse...10 COVER 36th Chaos Communication COVER Congress...56 Scientific Children's Science Journal- Shows...28 ism vs Science Communication...15 Interview with David Puder Data Visualization Insight into science pod- Tools...16 casting from the creator of Psychiatry and Psychother- Medical apy Podcast...29 Communication How a science communi- cator responds to a Parkin- CAREER sons Disease diagnosis...18 Netflix and Brain Column: Dr Brown Netflix's 'The Mind, Ex- The value of networking plained' teaches neurosci- and how to get started...32 ence on demand...58
Career Finding The March for Day...14 Science...59
Interview with News In Brief...61 Radhika Patnala The Maestros of the A conversation with the Brain...19 founder of Sci-Illustrate...34 WhazzUp?...62
March 2020 CNS newsletter 3 FOCUS
At the EDGE of Neuroscience and Art
In this corner, a skeptical, How did EDGE get started? How, again, do art and neuro- data-driven approach to The core concept that we came from science connect? understanding the originally was that there is so much art We study natural processes that have brain, with a tradi- in neuroscience that it would be nice to this natural aesthetic. That’s where tion of doing every- share it. We [the founders of EDGE] art as a field really excels — how do thing possible to re- were impressed by what our colleagues you convey complicated or invisible move subjectivity; and friends do in their free time. topics? Historically, it focused on how in the other, an expressive Through the art we are seeing each you convey emotion, philosophy, his- medium, where the feelings of the artist other’s perspectives on neuroscience. tory and documentation, and now, real and the viewer are of chief importance. That ranges from photos of lab setups scientific knowledge and understand- to paintings of personal experiences ing. How do you get people who don’t Are these two disciplines on the same with different psychiatric disorders. Ta- study neuroscience to understand what team? tiana and Amy made this hologram of we know about the brain? the brain. There is this human side to Ian Stewart at EDGE seems to think so: the scientist that really came through in At the AI music workshop we had, the “I think more and more we are appre- their work. idea came up that music is a way to ciating the idea that you can take your probe the brain, or to probe us. Music is own subjective experience as a valid Historically we’ve had one big exhibi- written around these intrinsic rules that starting point for data collection, that tion per year, the annual exhibition in are hard to quantify, so we explore mu- it’s worth paying attention to. I think a late summer. The one in 2018 was the sical space from our own subjective ex- lot of artists would consider themselves first ever. It was a few days, open to perience. In cognitive neuroscience, this scientists in that sense.” the public, with exhibitions, Q and A’s, is taken as a valid way to dive into and talks and tours integrated as well. disentangle anything about psychol- He is not the only one. Ian is joined by ogy or neuroscience. The whole point three others who are heavily involved To get people involved who’s work we of neuroscience, in a way, is to study in both neuroscience and art as the appreciated, but who didn’t necessari- the brain, which is fundamental to life founders of EDGE, an organization ly want to be part of an exhibition, we and our experience of it. There’s a bit of that bills itself as “an interdisciplinary started doing these workshops once or neuroscience in everything. and multinational collective and educa- twice a month at this space in Neu- tional platform focused on the unique kölln called Top. That’s typically 20-30 We think art is nice because it has this fusion of neuroscience and art” [1]. Ian people, taking a lot of time to go in methodological approach. Where as studies proprioception in mice for his depth on a particular topic with a par- science is just about furthering knowl- PhD and spends his free time making ticular invited guest. And that’s been edge, art asks how do we share what we soundscapes and focusing on science really nice and successful. know, how do we communicate it, how communication. Corinna Kühnapfel, who studied art for her bachelor's, is writing her master’s thesis on embod- ied cognition. Amy Young, a Charité Medical Neurosciences master’s alumna, believes in facilitating citizen science and has taken part in planning events for UNESCO, Hacking Health and educational theater productions. Tatiana Lupashina recently complet- ed her master’s in the electrophysical properties of visual processing, also at the Charité’s Medical Neuroscienc- es program, and creates sculptural art pieces in her free time.
I caught up with Ian for lunch at Mensa Nord and a coffee at Café Luise to hear what he had to say about the connec- tion between art and neuroscience.
Image: Ian Stewart 4 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
do we conceptualize it, how do we ex- world because it makes the world less can present a lot of high level concepts perience it. Then you can apply neuro- interesting.” If you know what rain is, in an understandable way, and also science to art, not just to communicate does that make rain less cool? I would an interactive way. You’re also maybe the science, but make the art a bit more say it makes rain way cooler. developing something that is likely realistic or in-depth. to provide new insight into what we I think it’s only less interesting if you understand So, a big part of this is science have to dumb it down. For example, communication? creationism versus the big bang, the For us, we were thinking about, how story “God made the universe” can get people into neuroscience with- has kind of a narrative depth out having to teach them about micro- to it, whereas the “uni- biology or electricity, how can you verse came from skip the university degrees you need nothing” is kind to really understand what the concepts of an an- are to start talking to people about it, ticlimax. no matter what background they have. But that’s I think that’s one major goal of EDGE. not the level Typically you have science and sci- of detail that ence journalism separate, but now the really anyone researchers themselves are much more works in. There motivated to communicate. Maybe art is so much more is a particularly effective way to do that. detail to the story of the big We have this scheme for art and science bang. That’s communication where you go from very true of any specialized to opening up gradually to field of science: the public. So the workshops represent People contin- kind of the second step: we’ve taken the uously research science out of the lab and we’ve taken more and more. the artists who are interested in neuro- It actually gets more science and put them together in a room and more interesting the about where they can kind of make plans for more you get into it. the brain. What how to really conceptualize it as an art we want to do is put on a themed ex- piece. Do you have any examples of hibition on particular research topics neuroscience and art working with institutes and labs, where labs are There are a number of scientists inter- together? working with us to communicate their ested in making art but don’t have the We have a really exciting thing coming science, in a way that achieves a lot of technical know-how, and a lot of artists up in March*, which is Brain Aware- their aims in communication and public who have the interest in science, but not ness Week. A piece is being developed outreach. I think the future for EDGE is the detailed knowledge they would like by someone named Ashley, who’s that we have a community that we keep to integrate it into their world. working with an international team alive and that we keep inspired. with whom she’s developed a sensory Where might science and art feedback system, whereby you visualize Learn more about EDGE at https:// clash? brain data and transform it into music edge-neuro.art. Science gets this reputation as cold and video, and the perception of the and objective, trapped in the ivory music and video will effect a brain state tower. I met a video filmmaker who change. So there’s this interflow be- went off about scientists taking all of tween what you’re perceiving and what Alex Masurovsky the romance out of the world. He was you’re experiencing. And that’s really M.A. Student, Berlin School happy to romanticize filmmakers as interesting to us because it’s achieving of Mind and Brain these great poets of everyday life, but what we think is fascinating about neu- then condemns scientists as the exact roscience art. On the one hand you’re opposite force, the anti-creative force. I kind of getting people to experience the felt like it was about “don’t explain the current state of neuroscience, and you 1. White paper courtesy of Ian Stewart at EDGE
*Event unfortunately cancelled due to corona Image: freepik March 2020 CNS newsletter 5 FOCUS
Building a Portfolio Essentials Of Science Communication As A Profession
What was your first project Editing papers from different fields about? gives me the variety I was looking for Isabel Torres is an I co-developed Microscopes for Schools when I left academia. I feel like I’m part academic editor, (www.microscopes4schools.co.uk), of the research process and it’s quite re- freelance science which is still running. We got grants warding. All my clients are very nice. writer, and an ac- to buy microscopes and then went to They appreciate my work, which you tive Science Communi- primary schools to show children dif- don’t get in academia. cator. Having a PhD in genetics from ferent types of cells and microorgan- the University of Cambridge and a isms. We also launched a website with How is it like to work with cus- post-doc at the prestigious MRC Lab- fun activities with microscopes, which tomers on their grant applica- oratory for Molecular Biology, Isabel is still very successful gathering about tions? decided to change careers. She founded 35,000 unique hits monthly. I also start- Usually, there’s a tight deadline for a consultancy company, Blue Skies Sci- ed a series of science seminars for the the grant applications, the clients may ence Editing and Consultancy ® (www. public at my institute and co-orga- reach you at the last minute. It is really blueskiesediting.com) and a science nized a science film festival at the local like when you write a grant application, communication platform, Pretty Smart cinema. During this time, I discovered the drafts come back and forth. Science (www.prettysmartscience. that I enjoy explaining and discussing com). Recently, Isabel co-founded science, and not so much doing science. Some clients prefer to just have my a non-profit organization Mothers input once, but with other clients, we in Science (www.mothersinscience. Was it hard to find a first work together. Especially with young com). In this interview, we discussed non-academic job? PIs who don’t have much experience how she prepared for the transition For me, it was very hard because I writing grant applications and I can from academia to starting a business moved to France during my career tran- provide precisely that. I worked on ap- and a science communication career. sition. There aren’t many science com- plications for ERC, EMBO, Alzheimer’s munication jobs in France and I didn’t UK, and many more. So I know how the How did you get involved with have a professional network. Even in process works, the keywords, I read the science communication? the UK and the US, this is a relatively literature… I never feel like I’m just an I was one of these children that really new profession. As a mother of 3 small employee, I’m more like a colleague, enjoyed understanding how things children, including a newborn, I wanted and I really enjoy that. work. Because I was always curious, to have some flexibility so I started I would take things apart to see how writing and editing freelance. And then What is your process for finding they worked on the inside. I decided I decided to start my science editing new clients? to pursue a science career quite late in business. Being self-employed while the That’s the hard part, and that’s why high school after I looked through a mi- kids are little is great. I can work from it can be quite stressful being self-em- croscope and saw cells dividing — I was home and be my own boss. ployed and having your own business. mesmerized. I studied biology and then You have to constantly look for new did a PhD in genetics and cell biology, What kind of services does an clients. Most of my clients are not in which is my passion. academic editor provide? France and come by word of mouth. You Editing could be anything from proof- really have to reach out to all your net- Science communication came later. reading a paper to giving critical feed- work and say, I’m doing this. And then, Like many other PhD students, I had back on the experimental design. For people will recommend you if you do a become disillusioned with the research project grants, I also work as a reviewer good job. I had a few clients through my process. I got bored of always work- and give scientific input. I might say, I website. I’m not really actively looking ing on the same topic. For my PhD I don’t think this is very consistent, or, for clients at the moment because I’m worked for four years on the same pro- maybe you should do this experiment, doing other things and with the kids, I tein, and I enjoyed that, but I wanted to or rewrite this section. don’t want a big workload. But if I was know about other science fields. only doing this job, I would be adver- Sometimes I help people applying for tising more. I’m still building my client During my post-doc, I started doing jobs, or preparing talks or job inter- base. It takes on average 3 to 4 years to science outreach by volunteering to do views. What I prefer is editing grant have enough clients to get the salary hands-on science activities in schools applications because it’s more intellec- you want. and also began organizing my own tual and I really have to understand the projects. This how I fell in love with science and contribute to the writing science communication. process.
6 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
Being a businesswoman… does are already so many good channels out ing and referencing. I always read the it come naturally to you? there. And their audience is mostly original paper and other papers. Then I I really struggle with that, I’m not a people who already have an interest in interview the authors. You get so much money-oriented person at all. I hate science. more from interviewing the scientist doing the paperwork, accounting, and who did the research. Writing itself is all of that. I just want to be good at I really wanted to create a platform, not always easy. Sometimes articles just what I do and have enough money for something different and appealing to flow. Most of the time you start with a my children and to have a good life. I do the general public. Nobody wants to really crappy draft, which is perfectly most of my work, the science commu- just hear science facts, because that’s normal, and you struggle, write and re- nication and the nonprofit Mothers In like being in school. So I wanted to do write. It’s never perfect, but you have to Science, because these are the causes something relatable, and this is why stop at some point. I believe in and what I enjoy doing. I there’s a lot of me on the website! wish this could be my main source of Are you the only author or you income. "Pretty smart" is a game of words… It’s already have a team working about the expression "pretty smart" and with you? Let’s talk about your platform because science is beautiful. But it’s I expanded the team twice. I started on PrettySmartScience, where you also because I wanted the website to be my own and very quickly realized it communicate scientific findings very beautiful and appealing to people. was a lot take on. First, I had a few writ- and share women-in-science So I’m collaborating with talented sci- ers contributing sporadically and then I stories. How did you come up ence illustrators like Catarina Moreno stopped for a bit when I was launching with the idea and the name? to combine science and art and make Mothers in Science. I invited one of my PrettySmartScience was an idea that a beautiful platform that people enjoy writers, Nora Thoeng, to collaborate on was brewing for a long time. I had a visiting. the project and we are relaunching and science blog a few years ago (www. boosting the website. I now have five scienceintheclouds.blogspot.com), and Can you describe the process of writers with a research background, I didn’t want to just start another one. writing a SciComm article? who want to get experience in science I wanted to do videos but I also didn’t It’s almost like writing a research ar- writing. We are working as a team, want a YouTube channel because there ticle. I’m very careful with fact-check- which is really exciting.
Image: slidesgo on freepik March 2020 CNS newsletter 7 FOCUS
I give back by training them in science some work to show: you need to set ernments need to understand that sci- writing, which is what my team is look- up your own projects voluntarily and ence communication should be a prior- ing for. I provide one-on-one training, accept that you are not going to be paid ity. And I hope they will start investing go through the whole writing process in the beginning. It’s like when you are more money and open more positions and edit their drafts. It’s beneficial for an artist, basically, you have to build sooner rather than later. the writers and gives them visi- your portfolio before you have the bility and portfolio. Some- job. Most science commu- What is your advice for someone times new people nicators I know new to science communication? contact me. I’m started like this. As in academia, I tell everyone that very happy to you have to be very passionate. There’s help people get Where could no other way, because it’s a very com- into science one search petitive world. You have to really love writing. for such jobs? it. Believe in yourself. Don’t listen to Research in- negative criticism, ever. Only listen to What do you stitutions, uni- constructive criticism. This is some- think are versities, muse- thing that took me a long time to learn. pros and cons of ums… they normally Find a mentor or a person who supports science communication as have a press officer and may you. You should have at least one big a profession? have people doing just science com- fan, one supporter who believes in you As I said before, it’s a new profession. munication. You can also do science no matter what, and someone who tells There aren’t many jobs available. De- writing for newspapers, magazines. you that YOU CAN DO IT. pending on where you are it can be Some people separate and say science hard to get your first job. The advan- writing is different from science com- And never stop. Just carry on, even if tage is that it’s a very varied job. You munication, but for me, it’s part of it. you go slowly. You’re still moving for- can write, do videos, give talks, orga- ward and that’s what matters. nize events… It’s very interesting and How will the situation change 10 it’s always new. You’re in touch with years from now? Maryna Polyakova science, and science is amazing. With the Internet, people are more in- Postdoc in the Cognitive formed, but there’s also a lot of misin- Neropsychiatry Group, Is it hard to earn a living in formation. Unfortunately, the people Max Planck Institute for science communication? who are spreading fake news are much I think once you get your job, it’s just louder than scientists and science com- Human Cognitive and Brain like any other job. But because it’s a municators. There’s climate change, Sciences new profession, you need first to have vaccines, public health concerns... Gov-
On the Boundaries of Science Communication
Sean Carroll isn’t a neuroscientist. He where he talks with a bunch of inter- Meaning, and the Universe Itself (2016) is a theoretical physicist interested in esting people (among them, many neu- and his latest book Something Deeply cosmology, field theory, gravitation, roscientists) about equally interesting Hidden (2019), on many-worlds inter- and quantum mechanics. As a multi- topics in which he is not necessarily a pretation. On top of all this, he keeps faceted scientist, his many interests specialist. However, if your interests are his science blog Preposterous Universe all converge somehow to one common more traditional media-wise, you may updated since 2004 and, as most of us approach: how to outreach and the im- know him for his TV show Through the may have known him without acknowl- pacts of science in broader contexts. Wormhole with Morgan Freeman. Car- edging it, contributes as a science advi- roll is a Research Professor at Caltech sor to films such as Tron: Legacy or the You may know him from his popu- and Santa Fe Institute and a published TV show The Big Bang Theory [1]. He lar podcast Mindscape (https://www. author. Among his publications, The is a scientist with manyfold talents, all preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/), big picture: On the Origins of Life, converging towards his interests in out-
Image: Isabel Torres 8 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
reaching and in the impacts of science constraints of peer review cri- make it easier and more accessible. in broader contexts. It’s understandable: tique, for example, do not apply? One step is simply getting people in as an enthusiastic science communi- I’m a big believer in a diverse ecosystem cator, he isn’t unfamiliar with the idea when it comes to science communica- different but related fields to know of that science communication, at its best, tion. There is room for professional sci- each others’ existence, and science com- tries to portray some truth by explain- entists, for journalists, for teachers, and munication can play a big role there. ing how a natural phenomenon occurs for enthusiastic amateurs. I don’t think The other important step is for research- or highlighting how scientists learned individual scientists have a responsibil- ers from different traditions to learn to about it. However, how this particular ity to do significant outreach — in some speak each others’ languages, which is truth is portrayed – and circumscribed cases, that would be a tragic waste of their own personal responsibility. – depends a lot on one’s standpoint. their talents. But the field as a whole definitely has such a responsibility. And more personal... What’s go- Because of those, Carroll does not hes- While doing outreach, I have no problem ing on in your research right itate to bring a variety of scientific per- with talking about research that hasn’t now? New books coming after spectives into a diverse and somewhat yet been peer-reviewed, but I think it’s “Something Deeply Hidden”? divergent way into his surroundings important to separate interesting specu- My research is extremely exciting (to to spice up the debate in his podcast. lations from concrete results. me, anyway) right now, proceeding on He doesn’t refrain from approaching two fronts. First, I’m looking at how themes difficult to grasp, as those still In your podcast, you make sure to spacetime can emerge from quantum under debate and scientific scrutinies include a wide range of opinions mechanics. This is an old topic, but my like the nature of consciousness and and scientific perspectives, some collaborators and I think we can bring quantum mechanics or origins of life. of which you openly disagree insights from the many-worlds inter- with. How do you select topics and pretation that shed new light on old So what is it about science communi- speakers? problems. Second, I’m looking at the cation and popular science that make Scientists (like everyone else) do dis- relationship between entropy and com- some academics cringe? Where should agree at times. That’s a feature, not a plexity. Entropy (disorder) increases over the responsibility lie? Alternatively, bug; we move toward greater knowledge time, but nevertheless, we see the emer- should science be kept within the realm by positing hypotheses and gradually gence of organized, complex structures. of the ivory tower of academic research? evaluating them against the real world. I think we’re beginning to make serious Among his busy schedule, Carroll found Cutting-edge research will always be progress on how exactly this happens. I some time to answer some questions for rife with disagreements, so I see no always have new books planned but like CNS. problem in letting the wider world in on to keep them quiet until they’re ready for what people are really talking about. I’m public consumption. You described yourself as “a happy to talk with people I disagree with, physicist that occasionally dab- as long as I think they’re well-informed Any tips or advice to those aspiring bles elsewhere,” which is exactly and open-minded in the pursuit of truth. to create their own science-oriented what you do in Mindscape. What podcast? motivated you to create a podcast Interdisciplinary research is now Do your research; there’s quite a bit of with such a broad scope? a hot topic among the scientific overhead involved in buying equipment, I knew I would only do a podcast if I was community - and a recurrent topic setting up a web host, and all that. Also, personally excited by what it would be. in your conversations. However, in make sure to have a clear idea of what (I wasn’t going to do it for the fame or real practice, scientific disciplines the format of the podcast is going to be fortune, both of which are hard to come rarely do intersect. What makes and its reason for existence. There are a by.) By sticking with big ideas but look- a good approach to topics that, in huge number of podcasts out there, you ing at a wide variety of such ideas, I’m a broader sense, share a scientific need a reason why someone should listen able to learn a lot as I do the podcast, question, but not the same scien- to yours rather than any other ones. which keeps me excited. tific descriptions? It’s true that interdisciplinary research Lorena Sganzerla, And what about the realm of pop- is the exception rather than the rule — M.A. Berlin School of Mind ular science? Where do you think people who learn about science by lis- and Brain scientific responsibility should lie tening to me and my podcast will cer- in communicating scientific con- tainly get a non-representative view. cepts? How to address a richer But interdisciplinarity is important, and varied audience, to which the and we need to work to find ways to 1. http://scienceandentertainmentexchange.org
Image: pikisuperstar on freepik March 2020 CNS newsletter 9 FOCUS
How to Choose the Right Graph for Your Data
Effective Visualization Is Key To Enable Scientific Discourse
After having spent innumerous hours While this applies to all research areas, ty, the axis should include zero to avoid in labs and offices conducting our stud- it might be even more crucial in bio- visual distortion of the data. By using ies, we want to communicate the results medical and translational science due grouped bar graphs, one can compare of our research to show what we have to the high proportion of small sample the value of multiple variables among done, to contribute to the cumulative size studies. Since the results of small categories while segmented bar graphs body of collective knowledge and to studies are more imprecise and data can be used to display the composition nurture future research. Whether it is distribution cannot be as accurately of larger categories by smaller catego- through publications, presentations or assessed as in bigger samples, full dis- ries and compare them among groups. posters, data visualization is used to closure about the nature, size and dis- They can show the composition either communicate key research findings and tribution of the data is important. Poor is therefore at the basis of our scientif- choices in selecting graphs can limit the ic discourse. Graphs and figures are a understanding of our research findings great way to show our results and make and their evaluation [3]. the main message of our studies come across, because they have the potential What is effective visualization? to convey complex relationships in our According to Tracey Weissberger, effec- data. In combination with the caption tive data visualization comprises four they are required to be self explanato- aspects. Firstly, it should immediately ry and able to stand alone without the convey information about the study necessity to refer to further text [1]. design. Was e.g. a longitudinal study with repeated measurements performed However, choosing the appropriate type or were different groups compared? of graph and most effective way to dis- Secondly, it should allow the readers play the data is not easy and unfortu- to confirm that the statistical analysis nately a neglected aspect of teaching. is appropriate given the study design. Too often, data visualization is guided Thirdly, the graph or figure should illus- by what is usually done in a research trate the main research findings. Lastly, field or lab and not by the experimental it should allow the reader to critically design, data and statistical analysis [2]. evaluate the data. This means that it should also include information about Here, we give a brief overview about the sample size, the statistical test, if what effective graphs are, the most one was used, enable an assessment of commonly used types of graphs in basic variability and, if feasible, individual biomedical and translational science data points [3]. and explain when and how to use them. How to decide on a type of Sci-comm is a two-way street graph? When using graphs and figures, we Which type and design of graph is ap- aim to show key findings which carry propriate depends on several aspects of the most important results of our data. the data: the type of variable, the sample Choosing an appropriate graph that size, the variability of the data as well as further contains all information rele- the study design and test statistic. vant to comprehend the results is es- sential for two reasons. First, the reader Categorical variables take discrete is able to understand central findings values and can be either nominal with and the main message of our research. no inherent order, such as blood type or by values or percentages of the whole. If Second, only by including all relevant sex, or ordinal with an inherent order the latter is used, indicating the number information, the reader is enabled to as e.g. in ratings. Categorical data can of values in the figure is important. Line critically appraise our results. If we are be summarized using counts or pro- graphs can show the tendency of a cate- not able to allow other people to crit- portions and displayed using differ- gorical variable e.g. over time. No more ically engage in our research findings, ent types of graphs. Bar graphs can be than 3-4 lines should be in a line graph scientific communication and scientific used to show comparisons of a single and they should be clearly visible. They progress by receiving feedback are sub- variable among categories. Since the should be made distinct in only one stantially hindered [2]. height of the bars represents a quanti- aspect and directly labeled. The com-
Image: macrovector_official on freepik 10 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
position of a category can be presented width for that can be determined using A comprehensive overview of the most using pie charts. However, pie charts the Freedman-Diaconis rule [5]. The frequent types of graphs, when to use are not recommended to be used use in relationship of a continuous variable them and what best practices for dis- scientific publishing, because they are to other variables can be presented in playing data are is given in Figure 1.. difficult to read. Edward Tufte wrote a scatter plot. The strength of the rela- "[…] the only worse design than a pie tionship is often demonstrated with a Common factors that limit our chart is several of them, for then the modeled fit line. It is important to not access to research findings viewer is asked to compare quantities only show the fit, because different data The wrong type of graph is selected. We located in spatial disarray both within distributions can lead to the same one. have all seen bar graphs that compare In general, an informative visualization continuous data between groups. When of continuous data implies showing in- comparing group means of continuous formation about the distribution of the data, we want to assess how much the data, so that the viewer can make an difference in means is compared to the assessment of sample size, data vari- variability of the data. We can do this ability, the shape of the distribution and when data is displayed using dot plots, through this also the applicability of the box plots or violin plots, but not when statistical tests used. bar graphs or line graphs are used. De- spite of this, the most frequently used We can also compare the distribution of graphs for continuous data are the latter continuous variables between groups. [2, 6]. Bar graphs hide distribution- For very small to small sample sizes al information and prevent the reader we can use a dot plot that shows the from actively engaging in the research, individual data points of each group because they cannot assess data vari- and add a line to display a measure of ability and distribution, sample size (if central tendency. Because of the small not stated in the figure or caption) and size of the sample, summary statistics applicability of statistical tests. In addi- will be highly imprecise which is why tion, bar graphs often display standard adding more information about the dis- error values of the mean. The stan- tribution such as percentiles and error dard error, however, is no measure of bars would be misleading. Be aware that variability, but of the precision of the not all software generates real dot plots. sample mean estimate. Sometimes dot histograms are produced that undesirably bin the values of the The mean estimate is especially impre- categorical variable. As sample size gets cise for small samples and using sum- larger, we can use an overlay of a box mary statistics might not be meaningful and a dot plot and emphasize either one due to the lack of data points. It is also depending on sample size. To increase difficult to assess whether the distribu- the visibility of individual data points, tion of small samples is normal, which several measures can be taken for a is one of the main assumptions for the more effective display. One such exam- applicability of parametric statistics. ple is dot size reduction, making them transparent and symmetric jittering to The structure of the graph is not indica- prevent overlap of data points. Medium tive of the experimental design and sta- sized samples can be displayed using a tistical analysis. One graph should show box plot, if the number of data points is one statistical analysis. If groups are and between charts" [4]. too large to be individually represented compared, all groups that are includ- in the graph. Box plots should not be ed in the statistical analysis should be Continuous variables such as age and used if the distribution is bimodal and present in the graph. If the same com- weight do not take discrete values. it is advised to check the distribution parison is performed for multiple vari- We can use histograms to assess the beforehand in a histogram. Even larger ables, each variable should be presented distribution of values of a continuous samples can be shown using violin plots in individual graphs, but using the same variable. The most accurate represen- that outline the distribution of the data axis. This prevents erroneously assum- tation of the distribution depends on more finely. ing that comparisons were performed the sample size and the appropriate bin among variables and not among groups.
March 2020 CNS newsletter 11 FOCUS
Scatter Plot Histogram Dot Plot
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5 6 7 8 Sepal.Length ࡛ Distribution of a single variable ࡛ Individual data points and mean ࡛ Sample size: Any and/or median for summary statis- ࡛ Relationship between 2 variables ࡛ Data distribution: Any tics. Additional summary statistics ࡛ Sample size: Any can be added for larger samples ࡛ Data distribution: Any Best Practice: ࡛ Sample size: Any, but with expres- ✔ No gaps between columns of con- siveness increases within Best Practice: tinuous data ࡛ Data distrubution: Any ✔ Show data points and not only fit, ✔ Equal group sizes for bin width because the same fit can be caused ✔ Bin width depends on n and is im- Best Practice: by multiple distributions portant to adequately display the ✔ For larger n: decrease dot size and ✔ In case of large n, make points distribution make dots semi-transparent semi-transparent ✔ Recommended use of Freedman-Di- ✔ Make all data points visible using aconis rule symmetric jittering, if necessary Box Plot ✔ Only use summary statistics, if n is 35 large enough to avoid false sense of VARIABLE TYPE: security 30 CONTINUOUS ✔ For many groups: increase distance 25 between groups, emphasize sum-
m p g mary statistics and de-emphasize 20 Violin Plot points by making them transparent
15 ✔ Avoid software that does not create 8 dot plots, but histograms with dots 10 4 6 8 6 cyl MesureType Petal.Length Dot Plot & Box Plot
a l 4 Petal.Width ࡛ Horizontal lines on box: 75th, 50th V Sepal.Length (median) and 35th percentile. Whis- Sepal.Width 2 kers vary. Often most extreme data 30
points are not outliers. Dots above 0
Petal.Length Petal.Width Sepal.Length Sepal.Width 20
or below whiskers are outliers MesureType l e n ࡛ Sample size: Large
࡛ Data distribution: Not for bimodal ࡛ Gives an estimated outline of the 10 data data distribution. The precision of
the outline increases with sample 0.5 1 2 dose Best Practice: size ✔ List sample size below group mean ࡛ Sample size: Large ࡛ Combination of dot and box plot on the x-axis ࡛ Data distrubution: Any ࡛ Sample size: Medium ✔ Specify what whiskers represent in ࡛ Data distribution: Any legend Best Practice: ✔ Different sample sizes between ✔ List sample size below group name Best Practice: groups can be indicated by box plot on x axis ✔ With smaller n: emphasize dots width ✔ Plot should not include biologically and de-emphasize box plot impossible values
Images: Jana Quismundo with R, STHDA, and the R Graph Gallery 12 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
Line Plot Bar Graph Grouped Bar Graph
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࡛ Trend of one or more variables ࡛ Comparison of category ࡛ Comparison of multiple variables over e.g. time proportions among categories ࡛ Sample size: Any ࡛ Sample size: Any ࡛ Sample size: Any ࡛ Data distribution: Any ࡛ Data distribution: Any ࡛ Data distrubution: Any
Best Practice: Best Practice: Best Practice: ✔ Do not show more than 3-4 lines ✔ Height represents value, therefore ✔ Do not use more than 2-3 groups per graph always include 0 and preferably per category ✔ Make lines clearly visible and label don’t cut the axis ✔ Don’t use to display proportions of them within graph ✔ Display in size ranked order for a whole, use segmented bar graph ✔ Do not use more than one charac- nominal data and content ordered for this teristic to distinguish between lines for ordinal data to avoid visual confusion ✔ Flip to horizontal bars if variable Pie Chart ✔ For using line graphs for continu- names are too long 0/100 ous data of individuals, small mul- ✔ List sample size in x-axis tiples are recommended ✔ Columns should be wider than in-between spaces group
✔ Never use 3D-graph Child x 75 25 Segmented Bar Graph Female Male
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0.75 condition VARIABLE TYPE: COUNTS 50 Nitrogen 0.50 a l u e value v normal AND PROPORTIONS OF stress
0.25 CATEGORICAL VARIABLES ࡛ Comparison of category proportions 0.00 ࡛ Sample size: Any banana poacee sorgho triticum specie ࡛ Data distribution: Any
࡛ Comparison of variable composi- Best Practice: tion over categories ✔ Generally discouraged to be used in ࡛ Sample size: Any science (rather magazine suitable) ࡛ Data distribution: Any ✔ Order segments by size, largest starts at 12:00, continue clockwise Best Practice: ✔ Labeling of number of observations ✔ Group categories as part of a whole or percentages required using percentages ✔ Don’t use patterns and color use ✔ Important to list sample size in should be preferably by differential x-axis if percentages are used shading ✔ Don’t use if variable is composed ✔ Pull out slices for highlighting of too many possible values
March 2020 CNS newsletter 13 FOCUS
Effective visualization is key to enable scientific discourse
If pooled subgroups are compared, all Figures, Images and Graphs are not col- our data and our results, we hinder an groups compared should be included in or-blind safe. The most common forms active and critical exchange that is a the graph and subgroups can be visual- of so called color-blindness, protanopia premise for scientific progress. This not ly distinguished by e.g. color. For strat- and deuteranopia, affect 8% of men and only applies to graphs and figures. We ified analyses, separate graphs should 0.5 % of women of European ancestry should aim to be open and transparent be generated and ideally the same axis [9]. By selecting colors pal- with our shiny research findings as well used for facilitated contextualiza- ettes for our graphs as with our not-so-shiny findings and tion of the data. If interac- and figures our raw data. tions are tested for, all that are groups included in the not col- This article hopefully raises awareness comparison should be “I was surprised how difficult it or-blind of factors that affect the effectiveness of included in the graph. was sometimes to understand what safe, visualizing research findings. Everyone Independent of the researchers did exactly in their we are is encouraged to look at his own figures comparison, informa- unnec- and improve them in one or the other tion about the specific experiments. essar- aspect (or many, there is no shame. We statistical test as well ily re- are all lifelong learners). But leaving test results should be in- stricting it at that is not enough. If colleagues cluded in the figure or caption to the accessibility are generating or presenting graphs allow the reader to evaluate whether of our research findings that are not appropriate for the type of the statistical test matched the study by excluding them. Giving color-blind variable or are misleading in regard to design. P values should not be given by people full access to the information in effect display, color choice, study design thresholds, but exact values [7]. our figures is not complicated. When or statistical analysis, we can talk to creating our graphs, we can use one them and engage in their research. We No overview figures for study design. of the color-blind safe color schemes can also do this when reviewing a paper Overview figures can provide the reader that coldbrewer [10] has developed. On and ask authors to show us data in a with a framework to understand the ex- their website we can pick sequential, more adequate and easily understand- perimental design and reported results diverging and categorical palettes and able way. We can check data distribu- [8]. Figures showing the general study the color codes are given for several tions and the appropriate use of statisti- design and flow of cells, animals or color spaces. There is also an R pack- cal tests by looking at the data. We can humans through different tests and the age named coldbrewer that makes use improve transparency and accessibility course of time are an easy way to allow of these color palettes and is compati- in our own and other researcher’s work the reader to get an overview about the ble with ggplot2. With Chroma.js Color to give everyone the possibility to get whole experiment. After having done a Palette Helper [11], it is also possible involved in science. systematic review to a specific experi- to create an individual palette based on mental question in the field of preclini- input colors. Finally, after having final- cal stroke research, I was surprised how ized our images, we can check whether difficult it was sometimes to under- they are color-blind safe by either up- Katharina Heine stand what researchers did exactly in loading them on the website of Colbin- M.A. Student, Berlin School their experiments, which animals were dor [12] or downloading Color Oracle used for which test, which were exclud- [13] and checking color-blind safety of Mind and Brain ed and why. offline. Although it is often neglected, picking colors that are suitable for col- 1. Cooper et al., Ann Emerg Med, 2002 à func- tion of graph 1st If the required information was report- or-blind readers is good graphic design 2. Weissberger et al., PLoS Biol, 2015 ed, it was rather distributed over differ- practice [14]. 3. https://bit.ly/2xsMOhJ ent parts of a paper. While a summary 4. Edward Tufte, The Visual Display of Quantita- of the study flow is frequent and re- tive Information, 1983 Everyone can change science 5. Freedman et al., Probab Theory quired in the field of systematic reviews communication Relat Fields, 1981 and meta-analyses, it is often lacking Figures and graphs are at the center 6. Weissberger et al., Circulation, 2019 in primary research. To facilitate un- of our research communication. Other 7. Weissberger et al., Elife, 2018 derstanding and scientific discourse, researchers as well as the public are 8. Wong, B. Nat Methods, 2011 9. Debb, S.S., Clin. Gen, 2005 I strongly recommend adding a visual limited in understanding our find- 10. https://bit.ly/2UnWTp8 summary of the experimental design, ings by how we present them. If we, 11. https://bit.ly/3bEdiM1 procedures or comparisons between as researchers, act as gatekeepers for 12. https://bit.ly/2UMXjV7 conditions to communicate research. information necessary to understand 13. https://bit.ly/33R6ojP 14. Wong, B. Nat Methods 2011 Image: iconicbestiary on freepik 14 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
Science Journalism vs Science Comm
What’s The Difference?
Science communication is everything After the collapse of print journalism’s media company “dedicated to helping from explaining how cells commu- business model due to online media, scientists share stories about their work nicate, to organizing Brain Aware- a new publication ecosystem has and lives in pursuit of a more informed, ness Week, to writing an article about emerged. And that’s where the child of rational, and curious society”. Their climate change. You can share your journalism and science communication members, over 1,600 scientists, pay a passion for a certain topic, educate a was born. one-time Consortium membership fee general audience, advocate for policy (10$) that gives them a chance to work change and influence decision-making Academic Rigor, Journalistic Flair with editors. First published articles are as well as inspire high school students In 2011, The Conversation (https:// considered training, but after that con- to become scientists themselves. The theconversation.com/uk) started as a tributors get paid. only limit to the ways in which you can not-for-profit in Australia. Now it runs communicate science is your creativity. in the UK, US, Africa, France, Canada, The idea behind both websites is to Indonesia, and Spain with a monthly connect researchers and the public, and Science journalism can be considered online audience of over 10 million users to democratize knowledge by giving as a form of science communication, and a combined reach of 40 million voice to a diverse group of scientists. By but it falls under the umbrella of tra- people. Each edition is funded by dona- bringing scientists together with jour- ditional journalism. Its goal is not only tions and subscription fees provided by nalists, they teach the craft of journal- to communicate scientific findings, but universities. It employs journalists as ism and foster the quality of published more importantly to give a social con- editors who help scientists to write sto- work. What remains as the most im- text to the topics being discussed and ries and articles about their fields. Con- portant task is preserving core princi- ask difficult questions, holding scien- tributors are not paid, but they benefit ples of journalism: truth and accuracy, tists up to scrutiny. authors and institutions by reaching a independence, fairness and impartiality, wide audience. humanity and accountability. Speaking about promising results from testing a new drug for stroke in mice is Another example is Massive Science Writing for The Conversation is pos- an example of science communication. (https://massivesci.com/), a content and sible if you are a member of a univer- You can tweet about it, and your insti- sity that pays subscription fees for it tute can publish an article online. Even- (luckily, the Charité does). For Massive tually, news agencies can pick it up and Science contributors are required to rave about sensational results. Science become Consortium members, and have journalists will dig deeper. They will in- a current affiliation with a university or terview not only your but also compet- other research institute. Therefore, if itor labs, patient advocacy groups, and you want to up your writing skills and members of the German Stroke Foun- give a voice to the story, catch the wave dation. In a best-case scenario, they will of the new science journalism. ask who funded the work and about the clinical relevance of the results.
Science communication serves science. Science journalism Jelena serves the public. While sci- Brasanac ence communication can inform and entertain, MedNeuro, science journal- PhD student ism should AG Gold talk about the boring side of science as well - sample size and re- search design, biases and shortcomings.
March 2020 CNS newsletter 15 FOCUS
Data Visualization Tools
Science means formulating hypotheses, R is called bokeh, a term known among performing experiments, gathering data A powerful and photography enthusiasts. Everything and analyzing those. However, only very open piece of is easily installed e.g. with the Ana- few people are able to think in data ta- software uses the conda distribution, which also includes bles and formulas. Most people require programming Jupyter notebooks for easy and conve- a proper, meaning clear and preferably language R that nient development and sharing of code. nice looking, visual representation of was created to handle data sets and Moreover, having your interactive data your (numerical) data to draw any con- perform statistical analyses and, most visualizations exported as *.html files, clusion from it. And behold, here is in- importantly, plot your data. It needs allows you to communicate and share deed a world beyond Microsoft’s Excel some effort to get into it, especially interactive plots without need of addi- and its open source cousin OpenOffice- to non-programmers, but I think it is tionally transferring the ground data. Calc! This is meant as a brief overview definitely worth it! You can use many over some tools without any claim to editors, e.g. Notepad++ or RStudio, but Graphpad be complete! Have a look and try them also works with Jupyter notebooks. Prism on your own data, to get a feeling how Since it's open source there is a huge This is a com- much you can achieve when investing community and many tutorials, learn- mercial soft- a little time learning the application. ing platforms and help forums available ware for the to guide your way into the language collection Excel and help with your specific problem and statistical analysis of data, which Everyone’s first ex- (that very likely someone already faced is used in many labs. It allows you to perience when (dig- before you). The community also cre- organize your data in itally) gathering and ates powerful and impressive new li- plotting data leads braries or packages (collection of code to Microsoft Office’s snippets, if you want) like the tidyverse spreadsheet tool. In theory it allows package for convenient data wrangling for complex calculations and macro and plotting, and the plotly library or scripting in order to handle data and vi- the shiny package for more advanced sualize them. Unfortunately, the broad applications. applicability of excel is also causing it to be among the most annoying tools researchers get their hands on. Not only does it inadverdently mess with your decimal numbers (want some Feb 29th with that?) and creating a graph is a pain and the resulting graphs are usually not that visually appealing. It’s Python + MatPlot- a solid basic tool most have access to, Lib + bokeh but there are plenty of alternatives. Similar to R, Python is a programming OpenOfficeCalc language, which is For open source en- nowadays often used thusiasts Calc is a in data science (or must! It has basical- to work with data sets in ly implemented the general). Together with the mat- same functionality as plotlib library, the NumPy pack- MS Excel, although maybe sometimes age and the pandas library it a bit less intuitive superficially. After allows for powerful open you figured out that there is indeed an source data analysis and appropriate setting when copy&pasting plotting. Several additions data for example from an ImageJ results let you create impressive table it even lets you work with the dec- and even interactive imal numbers as intended (hint: it’s the plots and charts. One li- language!). brary you should know
Images: center graphic, stories on Freepik; R, Excel, Python, Matlab, Tableau, Wikimedia Commons; Datawrapper, pbs.twimg.com 16 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
spreadsheets and guides you via check- either via a user interface or by code in box dialogues through certain statistical its own proprietary command syntax analyses. Moreover, you can relatively language. Recent versions of SPSS also Raw Graphs easily plot your data in a number of dif- allow you to run subroutines in python Raw graph is a freely available open ferent graph types and incorporate the and R. source tool to easily convert spread- results of your analyses interactively, sheet data into various graph layouts. It meaning that your plot will update if MATLAB seems easy to use and if you have some you add additional data or change the Among the most coding skills its open licensing allows to analysis parameters. commonly known develop more different and unconven- tools is the com- tional graph layouts. SPSS mercial software Created by IBM, MATLAB by Math- the commercial Works Inc., which is used for complex software SPSS (Sta- mathematical computations, simula- tistical Package for tions, modellings and analysis of data Tableau the Social Sciences as well as plotting of data and func- This is a commercial online and/or / Service Solutions) is used in science tions. It requires programming in its desktop application, which is freely and the corporate world to run exten- proprietary language, but allows calling available for academia. It allows man- sive statistical analyses of data. The of java or python and provides libraries ifold graph types for the analysis and Software also allows to visualize your to support XML or SQL. It is extremely representation of your spreadsheet data and analysis results with a number powerful for the visualization of mathe- data, but also supports big data sets. It of graph matical models, but requires significant is meant to provide interactive access to types skill to achieve that. data by collaborative team members or any audience to enjoy interactive and crisp looking charts. www.tableau.com
D3.js D3, short for da- Data Wrapper ta-driven docu- If you looked closely on ments, is a open fun and interesting data in source data visual- a magazine or newspaper ization library run- article, chances are good the ning on Java-Script. It allows you to graph was created using Data work with your data using HTML, CSS Wrapper. This online appli- and SVG to create interactive, modern cation allows you to import looking graphics to convey your data, your data as files or simply as long as you know some coding. The copy&paste data tables, current version is fairly new and sup- lets you quite easily choose ports several browsers, so you might your relevant factors and want to check it out. without any coding skills create charts which are visually pleasant and easy Bettina Schmerl, to embed as in- PhD Student, teractive element e.g. to a website. AG Shoichet Its free to use.
SPSS, Avdiemble on Favpng, OpenOffice Calc, Icon Archive; Graphpad Prism, Graphpad; D3, Pikpng; Raw Graphs, Rawgraphs March 2020 CNS newsletter 17 FOCUS
Medical Communication
When Communicating Science Gets Personal
Since he was diagnosed with Parkin- The goal of the center, as Alda de- established the Michael J. Fox Founda- son’s five years ago, Alan Alda has scribed it in a 2016 interview, is “not tion for Parkinson’s Research in 2000 continued his decades-long career as dumbing down the science. Science [8-10]. Fox appeared unmedicated an actor and science communicator. is exciting and it doesn’t need to be before Congress with boxer Muham- dumbed down [...] What we mad Ali to call for more fund- In 2018, Alan Alda went on CBS—the really look for is ing for Parkinson’s same network that aired “M*A*S*H,” clarity and research. the show in which he played his best- vividness” Fox also known role as army surgeon “Hawk- [7]. The pushed eye” Pierce—to announce that he had center for the been diagnosed with Parkinson’s dis- helps advance- ease three-and-a-half years earlier [1]. scientists ment of Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative to better stem cell disease characterized by motor symp- convey research toms like tremors and slowed move- their during ment [2]. After reading an article in research George W. The New York Times that listed “acting and doc- Bush’s ad- out dreams” as an early warning sign of tors to better ministration when Parkinson’s, Alda asked his doctor for a communicate with their federal funding for stem brain scan [1]. patients. The latter of these goals cell research was banned [11-13]. motivated Alda, in part, to talk public- Aside from “M*A*S*H,” Alda was also ly about Parkinson’s. During his an- Fox was an early guest on Alda’s pod- known as the host of “Scientific Ameri- nouncement on CBS, he said: “It’d be cast “Clear and Vivid,” on which they can Frontiers.” A typical episode would kind of ironic if I kept quiet about this talked about their experiences with feature Alda sleeping with an EEG or when a center for communicating sci- Parkinson’s [14]. Alda’s podcast, which or driving a hydrogen-powered car, ence is named after me.” he started after his diagnosis, illustrates after which he would interview scien- his main message from talking publicly tists about their work [3][4]. After the Alda is not the first celebrity face of about Parkinson’s for the first time—”I program ended in 2005, Alda helped Parkinson’s disease. Actor Michael J. was diagnosed three-and-a-half years start the Alan Alda Center for Com- Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkin- ago, and I’ve had a full life since.” municating Science at Stony son’s when he was 30 years old (only an Brook University in estimated two percent of people New York with Parkinson’s are [5,6]. under 40), Demetria Lee, M.A. Student, Berlin School of Mind and Brain
1. http://bit.ly/2PcAnwc 2. Kouli, Antonina et al., “Parkinson’s Disease: Etiology, Neuropathology, and Pathogenesis,” in: Parkinson’s Disease: Pathogenesis and Clinical Aspects, 2018 3. http://bit.ly/39VoD9A 4. http://bit.ly/2SOJWny 5. http://bit.ly/2HKCsvc 6. http://bit.ly/32sJX3P 7. http://bit.ly/2uhTRIC 8. http://bit.ly/3bZEMfR 9. http://bit.ly/2wE8N4P 10. http://bit.ly/2T7wEBf 11. http://bit.ly/2VbX6fH 12. https://nyti.ms/2T3Y5fv 13. Murugan, Varnee, Yale J Biol Med, 2009. 14. http://bit.ly/2V9nR4F
Images: Berkeley Lab on Flickr; Ali and Fox in Congress from C-SPAN 18 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
The Maestros of the Brain
Performing music at a professional Musicians who began learning instru- the lead guitarist LeDoux, Tyler Volk, platform is probably one of the most ments before the age of seven had a a biologist and environmental scientist complex human accomplishments since larger anterior midsagittal corpus callo- at NYU, and drummer Daniela Schiller, it requires precise coordination of sen- sum than non-musicians or musicians a neuropsychologist at the Icahn School sory and motor integration. Ever won- who started training later. Because of of Medicine at Mount Sinai School of dered why a musician’s brain can be the the size of the midsagittal corpus callo- Medicine. Either Amanda Thorpe and ideal model to study neuroplasticity? sum, musicians exhibit an enhanced in- Colin Dempsey, who played the bass. teraction between the two hemispheres! Neuroplasticity in Musicians The Amygdaloids are inspired via the The process of neuroplasticity allows Music can elicit robust responses, amygdala, the almond-shaped area of the brain to adapt to an environmental such as shivers down the spine, the brain that mediates fear con- stimulus that cannot be anticipated via which corresponds to the ditioning and emotional genetic programming. It is the ability of activation of the responses. With a the brain to form new connections and ventral stria- belief in under- pathways, change how the neural cir- tum, midbrain standing the cuits are wired via experiential learning. and amyg- “Interestingly, morphological changes brain is vital dala (areas in the musician’s brain compared to a to understand The musician’s brain is the perfect associated non-musician’s are correlated with the the way human model to explore experience mediated with emotion enhancement of musical abilities. beings experi- plasticity [1]. From some of the brain and reward). ence emotions, areas found to be enlarged using mor- Extraordinary the band hopes phological analysis based on magnet- musical perfor- to amalgamate ic resonance imaging to the increased mances, that make audi- non-scientific audiences volume of gray matter and better abil- ence tap their feet and feel mes- to make neuroscience accessible ities of sensory, motor learning [2], merized, require precise auditory and and fun. Their famous jams include it’s worth it to look at its advantag- motor integration. This is embodied Theory of My Mind, Fearing, Heavy es! These findings make one wonder during training where several hours of Mental, All in a nut and All in our whether structural differences contrib- practice can induce the establishment Mind. ute to an individual’s musical ability. of auditory-motor coupling. Interestingly, morphological changes A keen believer in science communi- in the musician’s brain compared to a It’s All in a Nut? cation, LeDoux is also an author and non-musician’s are correlated with the Ever wondered the science of a song? wrote The Emotional Brain (1996) enhancement of musical abilities. Well, listen carefully as it might be a and The Synaptic Self (2002), to com- passionate group of scientists trying municate science and reach out to a Anatomically, recent modern brain im- to communicate their recent research! larger audience. So, the next time you aging techniques such as high-resolu- Presenting to you The Amygdaloids, a are inquisitive about “Why do we feel tion MRI revealed that several areas of band made up entirely of scientists who afraid?”, you don’t have to look hard be- the brain, including the anterior corpus largely sing songs inspired by neurosci- cause it’s all in a nut in your brain - or callosum, primary hand motor area, and ence research. The band is led by New simply tune into The Amygdaloids! [4] the cerebellum, have differing sizes and York University-based Neuroscientist structures in musicians vs non-musi- Professor Joseph LeDoux, who is in- Why Your Favorite Song Stuck cians. Including asymmetry of planum terested in understanding the neural With You temporal, this is an indicator of cerebral basis of emotional memory using an Everyone has got a song which leads to dominance (since the direction and size array of behavioral, molecular, cellu- chills, shivers down the spine when its correlates with hand dominance). lar assays [3]. Other members include strings are strummed and the opening
Graphic: Freepik March 2020 CNS newsletter 19 FOCUS
lines are sung. Have you ever wondered Mark Adamo’s “Little Women”, Kate Sci-Comm with Alie Astrocyte how neuroscience can enable us to un- in John Estacio’s “Frobisher”, Heart’s The pursuit of making brain science ac- derstand music? Desire in Arthur Sullivan’s “The Rose cessible is exemplary, and one such sci- of Persia” to name a few. She is a fre- ence communicator and neuroscientist Dr. Indre Viskontas, a Professor of quent soloist with San Francisco cham- doing so is Dr. Alie Cadwell. A bigelow Sciences and Humanities at the San ber groups and is the co-founder and science communication fellow at UC Francisco Conservatory of Music and director of Vocallective, which is an or- San Diego, she works with several dif- an Adjunct Professor of Psychology ganization of musicians that promotes ferent science media departments to de- at the University of San Francisco, is the art of vocal chamber music . velop new interdisciplinary approaches a neuroscientist and opera singer [6]. for communicating the research being She explores the neurological basis of An avid believer of science communi- done by university scientists [5]. Popu- memory, reasoning and self- identity in cation, she constantly works towards larly known as Alie Astrocyte, she is the addition to studying processes of cre- bridging the gap between music and co-creator, writer and host of Neuro- ativity in individuals with neurodegen- Neuroscience to engage, entertain and transmissions, an educational YouTube eration such as frontotemporal demen- educate the audiences via giving key- channel that aims to make the brain tia, semantic dementia and Alzheimer’s note talks and is an author to several accessible for everyone. From covering disease. books such as How Music Can Make sight to smell, attention and memory, You Better [7]. So, the next time you debunking brain myths and decoding Her musical journey began as she stud- wonder why songs stuck with you re- disorders like Alzheimer’s, Neurotrans- ied opera and music during childhood. member as Dr. Viskontas says, “Music missions provide a comprehensive un- Since then, Dr. Viskontas has per- isn’t Music until the Brain makes it so!” derstanding of complex brain topics. formed as a soprano for several And to mention some of their stellar roles, including Beth in parodies Get Data-Get Lucky, Work from home and PostDoc me now. If you’re looking for an easy approach to understanding how the brain works, tune into Neurotransmissions.
Science is an interdisciplinary field and the ability to communicate more effectively across disci- plines fosters collaboration and innovation. Music is not just fun, it can be used as a commu- nication tool and an amalgama- tion of the two seems to be a perfect combination to explore the complexity of the brain.
Sirjan Chhatwal M.Sc. Medical Neurosciences
1. Munte et al, Nat. Rev. Neurosci, 2002 2. Jäncke et al, Science, 1995 3. https://bit.ly/3bkWcCH 4. https://bit.ly/2xZUd8o 5. https://bit.ly/39e6EKC 6. https://bit.ly/2xUAGGg 7. https://bit.ly/2WyMZSY 8. https://bit.ly/2xbZych
Image: Freepik 20 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
Credibility in Science
The Struggle For Scientists To Communicate Research In The Face of Disinformation
In the late fall of 2009, climate re- From: Phil Jones
Cheers leading to the declining belief in cli- This controversy, predictably nick- Phil mate change, the controversy damaged named Climategate, eroded public the credibility of climate scientists—the trust in science and revealed how un- To critics, “Mike’s Nature trick” re- very people most qualified to remedy prepared scientists were to handle a ferred to an intentional manipulation the situation. misinformation and disinformation of data in order to “hide the decline” of emergency [2]. It illustrates a larger global temperatures or CO2 or some- The Response problem in science communication, thing that would point away from hu- Climategate was a difficult lesson for one that still affects nearly every field. man-caused climate change. “Decline” scientists in the swiftness and power More than ten years after Climategate, in fact refers to the decline in the thick- of media. Their lack of preparedness scientific institutions still struggle to ness of tree rings, often used as a proxy can be illustrated by one of the leaked communicate politically charged is- measurement for temperatures in years emails, which states: “There is nothing sues like climate change, vaccines, and preceding annual recordings (which go we can do about [skeptics] aside from even the shape of the earth [3]. back about 170 years). Tree ring publishing quality work in quality jour- data from the 1960s, for nals (or ordering a Mafia hit)” [9]. This Climategate unknown rea- email, which gained attention for its On November sons, suggest crude yet obviously facetious sugges- 19, 2009, over a decline in tion of hired murder, shows the scien- 1,000 emails “This controversy [...] eroded public temperatures tist’s misguided belief that all that one and thousands trust in science and revealed how while more ac- must do to combat critics is publish in of other doc- unprepared scientists were to handle a curate direct journals that only a tiny, likely already uments from misinformation [...] emergency recordings well-informed minority of people read. the CRU were show rising leaked by a temperatures An editorial in Nature published one still-anonymous [5]. “Mike’s Nature year after Climategate put it this way: hacker [1]. These files trick” refers to the insertion “The UEA hierarchy misjudged the quickly made their way to climate of directly recorded temperatures need to respond and the role that In- skeptic sites and were then picked up alongside earlier tree ring data—a stan- ternet blogs now play in seeding stories by the mainstream media. The emails dard practice [1, 4]. for the mainstream media” [10]. The seemed to suggest that researchers had outsized influence of unfiltered internet manipulated data to support the theory Proxy measurements are, as demon- sources such as YouTube and Facebook of anthropogenic climate change and strated by the divergence of tree ring is itself a widely discussed topic today hide evidence to the contrary. Howev- data in the 1960s with actual recorded (particularly after the 2016 U.S. elec- er, seven separate inquiries found that temperatures, less than perfect. Howev- tion), but was not so obvious a decade the scientists had not misrepresented er, proxy data was not the issue being ago. their research [1]. But the emails were discussed. A misinterpretation of this still taken out of context by politicians, out-of-context email was headlining After Climategate, many scientists re- journalists, and bloggers to undermine mainstream media and being discussed alized the need for greater engagement climate science. Take this email from in Congress. Fossil fuel funded pundits with the public. One resulting strategy then-CRU-director, Phil Jones, for ex- were given the opportunity to either was the Climate Science Rapid Response ample. This was one of the most cited write or comment in op-eds in reputa- Team (CSRRT), which was created by a emails in the controversy [4]: ble papers like the Wall Street Journal small group of scientists one year after
March 2020 CNS newsletter 21 FOCUS
the controversy in order to direct jour- fossil fuel funded critics manage to shift the director of the Climate Science nalists to credible sources for writing media coverage in their favor. Center at Texas Tech University, for ex- on climate [11]. Even with 97 percent ample, have become prominent figures of scientists in agreement on the reali- Cliché as it may sound, becoming in the world of climate coverage [18]. ty of anthropogenic climate change, the aware of the problem can help solve it. mainstream media still out-shouted the The New York Times op-ed criticizing The percentage of people who believe work of climate scientists publishing in Thunberg, for example, received a lot of in climate change has largely bounced even the most respected journals [12]. pushback from the many climate-wary back from those pre-Climategate 2008 Climategate forced scientists to con- people in the media or even just on levels. A 2019 poll from Yale found sider how to communicate their work Twitter [15]. And while not all scien- that 69 percent of Americans thought beyond peer-reviewed, pay-walled tists are comfortable as spokespeople, climate change was real [19]. In that publications. those who are, like Katharine Hayhoe, time, disinformation has evolved from
The CSRRT and other initiatives have improved messaging somewhat. For example, today CNN’s climate change coverage features headings like: “Unde- niable climate change facts” [13]. How- ever, at the time of Climategate, CNN ran a segment called “Global warming: Fact or fiction?” [14]. The network also sent climate scientists into debates with fossil-fuel backed political commenta- tors—essentially professional skeptics without backgrounds in science. While these prime-time featured climate de- niers still appear in mainstream media, they talk less about whether climate change is real and more about what to do (or not do) about it.
The Present Day As the debate shifted from the reality of climate change to the appropriate course of action, a parallel shift moved criticism away from scientists and to- wards activists. The same climate skep- tics invited to debate scientists on the nightly news have redirected their ire towards people like teenage climate ac- tivist Greta Thunberg. The blog of Marc Morano, a climate skeptic who was brought on the BBC during Climate- gate to debate a former UEA profes- sor, described Thunberg as an “autistic prophet” [14, 15]. While it’s not all that surprising that Morano was welcomed on the conservative station Fox News to criticize Thunberg, it’s perhaps more surprising that some of the same points made by Morano on Fox News were published in a New York Times op-ed [16, 17]. Once again, the loud, well- trained voices of non-scientist, often
Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/foei/5761533284/ 22 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
fringe blogs to mainstream social media issue of communicating climate change accountability. Our ability to respond and entertainment sites. A recent is relatively easy to understand. Fossil will determine the efficacy of scientific study found that the majority of cli- fuel industry giants like Exxon have led communication and even the validity of mate-change-related videos on You- a disinformation campaign on climate our democratic institutions. Tube—a platform that receives five science for decades in order to pro- times as many views today as in 2009— tect their investments [23]. Explaining deny the reality of anthropogenic cli- why a new wave of people who believe mate change [20, 21, 22]. the earth is flat has cropped up in our Demetria Lee, post-photos-of-the-earth-from-space M.A. Student, Berlin School The battle between science commu- society is a bit more difficult. The age nication and disinformation extends of the internet has lifted the monopo- of Mind and Brain beyond climate change. In fact, the ly on knowledge sharing but sacrificed
1. http://bit.ly/2v7sKRc 2. http://bit.ly/32rWzbg 3. https://on.natgeo.com/2HWldao 4. http://bit.ly/2wO5TKT 5. D’Arrigo, Rosanne, et al., Global and Plane- tary Change, 2008. 6. https://on.wsj.com/2v7sXDY 7. https://nyti.ms/2Pm8nXm 8. Leiserowitz, A.A., et al., Am. Behav. Sci., 2012. 9. Archer, L. Rowand, Climate Change Baffles Brains: Climate Charlatans Commit Intellectual Fraud on Reason, 2019. 10. Editorial board, Nature, 2010. 11. http://bit.ly/2HWNQnT 12. https://go.nasa.gov/38ZLkt6 13. https://cnn.it/3a4OtI9 14. https://bbc.in/32oQxIg 15. http://bit.ly/2PpuTOP 16. http://bit.ly/380ufxE 17. https://nyti.ms/2vf4VH1 18. http://bit.ly/2SVL2xN 19. Leiserowitz, A., et al., Climate change in the American mind, 2019. 20. Allgaier, Joachim, Front. Commun., 2019 21. http://bit.ly/32o4Wog 22. http://bit.ly/2Td69uh 23. http://bit.ly/2wMxnk0
March 2020 CNS newsletter 23 Wait, but Neuralink?
The Efforts To Innovate Communication Between User And Device
The Neuralink [1], in development by into Neuralink’s scientific efforts, the And he found an approach that might a company of the same name founded more my attention was pulled back to be helpful. According to Urban’s view, by Elon Musk in 2016, is a high-band- Musk himself. Talking to neuroscien- Musk has a method. He grabs a press- width, implantable brain-machine in- tists or physicists, listening to profes- ing topic, comes up with a very big terface (BMI). The primary short term sors comment on him or reading about idea based on a big assumption, and goal is to enable people with quadri- him — without exception, everyone breaks it down into smaller pieces un- plegia to control a computer or smart- had a reaction: enthusiastic, avoidant til it sounds feasible. Then he tackles phone using just their thoughts. But or skeptical. the small pieces to build up into his Musk’s vision aims much higher than bigger assumption, almost like top- that: he seeks to enable humans to What is it about Musk that is so down/bottom-up feedback. And - Neu “merge” with AI, ultimately enhancing strangely polarising, equally towards ralink is no different. To explain it, human intelligence to an unprecedent- disbelief and enthusiasm? How can Wait but Why created a model of how ed level. This is why he has assembled one see what he is actually accom- Musk develops his strategy, a team of scientists and engineers in plishing, through the polarising mist? as well as a model for San Francisco to develop a bidirection- And wait, but... why? making Neuralink al, small, wireless and biocompatible a reality. BMI. All clear on what are they doing It is all about the vision. up there? If you are still confused, you Wait but Why is a blog dedicated to are not alone. Let us unpack a bit. unpacking complex scientific, aca- demic and generally interesting ideas. Is it a crazy endeavour? And they have been doing a great job Giving people superhuman intelli- in communicating science to a broad- gence is a goal hard to ignore. But er audience. Once upon a time, Tim writing about Neuralink, there is no Urban, the guy behind the post, got way around it. First because there is a phone call. On the other side was no way around Elon Musk himself: a Elon Musk*. It is entertaining to know billionaire investing 158 million dol- that Musk wanted to be portrayed in lars to create some still possibly unat- a more independent way, by an inde- tainable “brain stuff” no-one is really pendent writer. So Urban went with sure about. Second because apparently it, developing a series of posts cover- everyone has a thing for Musk. ing all Musk’s companies [2]. Among them, obviously, Neuralink [3]. If you Like most people, I knew him more think going to Mars is Musk’s most as “the Tesla guy” (for the car, not the ambitious endeavour, you may want scientist), who says he wants to die to think again. on Mars and is attempting to do some cutting edge research out-and-away Urban, like me, had to cut through the from academia. The more I looked Musk effect to see through his mist.
Once we move past The inspiration Musk mystique, Neuralink becomes The Neuralink idea came from the “neural lace”, a concept from Scot- more attainable. However, tish novelist Iaim M. Banks, as form of brain–computer interface it might still seem too fantastic to implanted into the brains of young people that grows as they do. It the general public, as much as it still comes from the sci-fi space opera novels and short stories known seems undoable for the specialists and as the Culture series. The “neural lace” has the capability to read academics. Even if either may find the and store the full sentience of any being, biological or artificial, and idea quite attractive... are also wireless, so the population is always mentally “surfing the web” and connecting to other people. In a way, what is called now So, is it (really) a crazy endeavour? Brain-Machine-Interface (BMI) will likely, as foreseen by Elon Musk, If now we have computers, smart- become a type of “whole-brain interface”. phones, iPads, google glasses, cars (au- tomated or not), bicycles, books and pens to extend our cognition and off- *Ok, not really him, but his team. For the sake of effect, let us stick with Elon Musk 24 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
load part of our work to devices (usu- ally more efficiently than our original capacities). Why not integrate those devices into our biological functions? The extended cognition hypothesis, that our minds extend into the tools we use, was formulated by Andy Clark and David Chalmers [4] 20 years ago. Enhancements like Neuralink should be the next obvious step. So why is Neuralink surrounded by so much skepticism and polemic?
Elon Musk, founder of Neuralink Image by JD Lasica on Flickr
cortex implant to trigger a non muscu- ty is well explained), the engineering lar communication between user and approach does not require all scientific a given device. Or even more widely, explanation to carve its way into the instead of using words to describe a brain (literally). Over and above its given feeling, you would be capable to successes and failures, the scientific relay encoded sensation to someone data extracted from this (sort of) bot- else’s device. Sounds quite practical, if tom up process leads to advances in not clearly doable (and perhaps over- scientific findings and explanations ly intimate?). Well it will, surely, raise a as well as on engineering quality. It large amount of ethical questions and a sounds like a win-win case. wide range issues regarding security and privacy. If you want to know more, just So, if you can’t speak neuron, look at what has been written regarding your interface can? side channel attacks [5]. How, then, are they doing it? And what has been done so far in that di- Can you Which begs the question: really? Neu- rection? As BMI has been gaining speak roscience still does not understand the presence among gamers, more infor- neuron? brain well enough as it is, how would mation is being gathered about their The goal is to it be possible to access the brain in the behaviour and better portable equip- record from and way Neuralink is proposing? More im- ment has been developed in order to stimulate spikes in neu- portantly, assuming it would be tech- do so. The most common method used rons. Meaning: Take information nically possible, how to interpret the by BMI’s in gaming is electroenceph- from the brain and bring information data? alogram (EEG). The ability to capture into the brain. From within. one’s cognitive activities enables the Well, this is true, and also what makes development of more adaptive re- What Neuralink wants is to create a neuroscience so exciting: There is so sponses to one’s affective states, such specific device that would be in con- much to learn. And Neuralink is in as satisfaction, boredom, frustration, tact with the user’s motor and senso- favour of the hands-on approach: as or confusion. If you are interested, ry-motor cortices. Ultimately, instead much as one does not need to under- take a look at the BrainGate and their of using your hand to open your car stand all the mysteries of the universe publications.They have developed a (should be very useful under corona to get into the moon (not even gravi- method in which people with tetraple- pandemic), you would use your motor
Central graphic: upklyak on Freepik March 2020 CNS newsletter 25 FOCUS
gia can play with a screen cur- sor by thinking [6]. Challenges Besides gaming, EEG has also been used for neurofeedback What makes Neuralink different from medical BMI and gaming is Elon therapy in attention deficit hy- Musks vision to create transhuman intelligence (for more about trans hu- peractivity disorder (ADHD), manism, see [10]). In order to do so, three main requirements must be ac- epilepsy monitoring, and sleep complished: disorders. And to study under- lying processes of skilled perfor- 1. Scale – how much information can be recorded from units and groups mance in sports and changes in of neurons. vigilance, as well as in estimat- 2. Resolution – how detailed is the information, i.e., how understandable ing alertness and drowsiness in is it and how much computational power is required. There are two drivers and the mental workload types of resolution in brain data collection: spatial (how accurately of air-traffic control operators. it can report where the information come from) and temporal (how timely the activity can determined) Brainwaves captured by EEG 3. Invasiveness – how much someone needs to perforate the skull and have a great predictive power. enter the brain and what are the risks. They help scientists to under- stand what mental states are made of. From the non-invasive Embracing Sisyphos’ routine take them out. So, still a big distance EEG readings to predict behaviour So, first things first. Regarding to the to go here. to the more invasive version to be, real possibility of creating such tech- many steps have to be accomplished. nology, where would Neuralink be 2. Current bandwidth is not yet accu- right now? rate enough to record the firing of sin- BMI are no news to medical use. In gle neurons [12]. For now we can only a 2012 study [7], a pill-sized device By drawing a line, it would look more capture the firing of groups of neurons implanted in the motor cortex of two or less like this: —which is computationally expen-
dawn of man Neuralink 2020 cyborg future
tetraplegic patients enabled them But it is still exciting. Musk’s team has sive and inexact. If Neuralink wants to control a robotic arm with their spent the last two years developing to learn how to speak neuron, better minds. More recently, in 2017, BMI quite cutting edge technology. So what work on band power and resolution. technology allowed patients with have they accomplished so far? What locked-in syndrome to communicate big challenges are they facing? 3. Robustness (biocompatibility): the via yes-or-no questions by reading brain’s chemical environment can their brainwaves [8]. Not to mention 1. Very (very) thin electrodes are a real cause many plastics to gradually de- the experiment from 2013 in which a thing [11]. They have developed elec- teriorate. It is salty in there and bio- brain-to-brain interface allowed two trodes thinner than a quarter of the di- compatibility isn’t yet built to perfec- geographically separated rats to com- ameter of your hair: 4 to 6 μm in width. tion. How hermetically sealed must plete a task by combining informa- The space issue is a big one. To put has the components be to resist? How fast tion that they both individually had to be small. Neuralink’s team is work- can they deteriorate and also what to [9]. ing hard to minimise size. However be done if components become out- impressive, it is not enough. They may dated? Those are questions yet to be If it nonetheless still feels way too not resist the brain’s salinity and pre- answered. distant from happening, as an enter- maturely break. Currently, they have taining sci-fi dream, let us talk more only figured out how to insert small 4. Scarring [13]: implanting an extra- closely about the “technicalities”. things inside the brain, not how to neous element inside a living being
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generates several immune responses. pable of reading information from 1,500 Once communication and language be- It is not different for the brain. The in- flexible electrodes connected to a labo- come precise and direct, many press- sertion of electrode implants create an ratory rat – 15 times faster than current ing issues would turn obsolete. Patient inflammatory reaction caused by the systems embedded in humans at the reports, for example, on non-specific glia cells. They engage the cerebral im- time Urban’s piece was written.[14-15] pain could be easily solved by shar- mune system in defence against strange ing direct brain information; impreci- bodies. The scar tissue around the elec- 6. At least and at last, electrodes will be sions and language ambiguities would trodes are too thick and work as a sig- sealed inside the skull [15]. They would disappear and cognitive limitations nal barrier, preventing signalling (like require some kind of wireless mecha- would be stretched beyond our smart- a firewall). Subsequently, transmission nism to communicate. Remember, they phones and computer. How much of chemical messengers via neurons is are supposed to relay information back would it alter human relationships, disrupted by the barrier-forming glial and forth into a computational unit. apart from the cognitive disabilities it scar, followed by progressive neurode- The amount of security, privacy and would restore? generation, attenuating signal sensi- ethical questions it raises is a question tivity - and ultimately impairing brain for another time. However, the most pressing issue activity. In animal models, this process might be, assuming all the engineer- been happening after two weeks. A new brave world ing efforts come together perfectly—a Complications and compromises aside, high-bandwidth, long-lasting, bio- 5. Invasiveness [14]: not yet as simple the possibilities Neuralink’s idea may compatible device with bidirectional as having a laser retinal correction from be transformative. According to Wait, communicative electrodes, non-inva- your ophthalmologist. But Neuralink but Why?, if the technology were made sively-implanted, which can be also has a strangely cool robot, which looks available, it would raise communica- easily retrieved or absorbed by the like a sewing machine, and inserts very tion to a whole new level. The “type of brain harmlessly—we still have to be thin electrodes as noninvasively as upgrade” that BMI integration with AI able to decode all that. Then, when we possible. Far from perfect, what they could represent a real revolution, on a can speak back and forth with a billion have accomplished on this front is a species scale. The engineered evolution neurons at once, decoding should be lot less bulky than currently available era will no longer be constrained to ge- no problem. Probably. Its worth a try. implants; like those used in epileptic netic editing, but will also include brain or Parkinson’s patients. They have of- enhancing. Suddenly, going to mars sounds quite a ficially presented a medical device ca- bit more feasible...
Neuralink’s team Lorena Sganzerla Along with CEO, Elon Musk, the Neuralink team consists of: MA Student, Berlin School Of Mind and Brain • Flip Sabes, a UC San Francisco professor working on brain-ma- chine interfaces • Ben Rapoport, a neurosurgeon with a PhD in electrical engineer- ing and computer science from MIT • DJ Seo, the designer of new brain-machine interface concept called Neuron Dust • Paul Merolla, the designer for more than 10 brain-inspired chips 1. https://www.neuralink.com 2. https://bit.ly/2U6XXNO • Vanessa Tolosa, a top researcher of biocompatible materials at the 3. https://bit.ly/2QC5kuB Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 4. Clark & Chalmers, Analysis, 1998 • Max Hodak, who worked on Transcriptic, the “robotic cloud labo- 5. Martinovic & Song, USENIX Assoc, 2012 ratory for the life sciences” he founded while at Duke University 6. Brandman et al., Neural Comput, 2018 7. Hochberg et al,. Nature, 2012 • Tim Hanson, a top researcher at the Berkeley Sensor and Actua- 8. Milekovic et al., J. Neurophysiol, 2018 tor Center 9. Pais-Vieira & Nicolelis, Sci. Rep, 2013 • Tim Gardner, an leading researcher and associate professor of 10. https://whatistranshumanism.org biology at Boston University who has worked on implanting 11. Seo et al., Neuroresourc, 2016 12. https://www.transcriptic.com brain-machine interfaces in birds 13. Adams & Gallo, Nat Neurosci, 2018 14. Hanson et al., bioRxiv, 2019 15. Musk & Neuralink, bioRxiv, 2019
March 2020 CNS newsletter 27 FOCUS
Scientific Childrens’ Shows
Die Sendung mit der Maus
Lovingly dubbed "the school of the na- Stories") to explain science and tech- Germany that its mascots, the mouse tion," Die Sendung mit der Maus ("The nology topics in a pleasantly straight- and the little elephant, have been put Show with the Mouse") is a common forward manner. While the "Lachges- on special aircrafts and trains (the feature of growing up in Germany. chichten" are cute and age-appropriate making of which was explained in an Since first airing in 1971, the show for young children (you may know episode). A stuffed mouse has even has combined entertainment and ed- the Shaun the Sheep stop-animation floated around the Russion MIR space ucational content as "Lach- und Sach- series), the "Sachgeschichten" are station! Thanks to its popularity, the geschichten" ("Laughing and Learning well-researched and illustrated to catch format has also been aired interna- adults' in- tionally as Mouse TV and the stories terest as have been dubbed in English. How- well (the ever, from my personal perspective, I author be- would recommend watching it in Ger- ing guilty man, because the language is usually as charged). very clear and simple and many of the Not surpris- "Sachgeschichten" have been narrated ingly, the by its director and editorial journal- show has ists Armin Maiwald, providing them received with a significant recognition factor plenty of and identity. The show airs weekly on awards. It public German television (ARD, KiKa, is so popu- WDR, NDR), and the episodes are also lar and im- available in the channels' online media portant in centers. Alexas_Fotos on Pixabay
Once Upon a Time... Life
One of the very early formats of transferred metaphorically. Every ep- aspects are significantly curtailed, edutainment, airing first in 1986, is isode explains a different body func- like the brain being represented only this animated series explaining many tion or organ by illustrating various as a bearded Maestro (a real pity for processes in the human body by com- cell types as sympathetic characters. us neuroscientists), whereas other as- bining fun stories with scientific facts, Suitable for a children’s show, some pects, especially the perks and tasks of white blood cells, are very elab- orate. Except for few minor mis- takes, it has been researched quite accurately. The originally French format (Il était une fois... la Vie) also exists with different scopes, eg. dealing with space, history or scien- tific discoveries, all of which I find also worth a watch. Since October 2019 the 26 episodes are available on Netflix!
Bettina Schmerl PhD Student, Edutainment Lover, AG Schoichet The Movie DB
28 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
Interview with David Puder If Freud Was Around Today, He Would Be Podcasting
Dr. David Puder is a psychiatrist, psy- Why did you select podcasting psychotherapy. That kind of increased chotherapist, and active science com- and did you try other types of money and that allowed me to start municator. His podcast, the Psychiatry science communication? the podcast. & Psychotherapy Podcast is one of the You know, I had done a little bit of fastest-growing in the field. Besides dis- blogging years prior, and it just didn’t Do you get any income from the cussing rare and controversial topics, really play on my strengths. I’m much podcast now? David innovated podcasting, by inte- more of a verbal communicator. I listen You know, I have a little bit of Patreon grating continuous medical education to a lot of podcasts and audiobooks. It support. I offer CME, continued medi- and new social media. We recorded this was something that I was interested in, cal education, for people. But it doesn’t interview at 8.30 pm California and 5.30 something that I consumed informa- cover what I pay for it still. I end up am Berlin time and hope you get some tion by. putting about two thousand dollars in insight into podcasting. every month. How is your podcast financed? You are a psychiatrist with lots That’s an interesting story as well. I What does that pay for? of clinical and teaching duties. was working at a student health clinic I have an audio engineer. I have a writ- How did you come to podcasting? at a local university. And I was get- ing editor who looks over everything I I teach residents — medical students ting paid a resident salary. Basically, post. I have a person who does about here at the university — and I think I’d been getting paid the same amount 100 hours a month for me just on odd podcasting allows me to multiply my since I’d graduated. I started moon- jobs. He does all the posting of the ep- efforts. You know, with a podcast you lighting there. When I was thinking isodes. Anything that I don’t have to can reach ten thousand people, where about doing this, I was going to need do, he does. So if I’m mailing out cups maybe in a classroom 20 people. By a little bit more money. I met with the or doing different marketing things, he bringing on top people in the field, I people at the university. I was like: does all that stuff for me. think you can move the field forward. “Hey, this is how much I would like to make. This is how much an attending Finding Continuous Medical Edu- How did you decide to start a psychiatrist makes.” They said “No.” cation (CME) points on a podcast podcast? So I said: “Ok, I’m putting it in my, website was really surprising I was thinking about it for a while. I you know, two months... “ and then I to me. How did you come to the bought the equipment and I sat on the started a private practice cash-pay for CME idea? equipment for about two years and I recorded like 10 episodes, which were horrible. I couldn’t stand the sound of my voice and different things that both- ered me about the way I speak. It took me two years and finally, I think it was December 2018, I just thought: “You know what, I need to do it. I need to quit making excuses.” And so I went for it.
Were you alone when you started? I was all alone. Then I did find an audio engineer and I had a medical student, a little team that does research with me. They helped me get some episodes off the ground. And then I randomly ran into Dr. Cummings, who I had known from years before. I ran into him at a farmer’s market and I was like: “Dr. Cummings, I got to get you on my pod- cast.” And he was like, “Oh, I just wrote a book.” I got his book and I think ep- isode three was me interviewing him. David Puder, creator of “Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast” I’ve had a bunch of episodes of Dr. image provided by David Puder Cummings since.
March 2020 CNS newsletter 29 FOCUS
I was just thinking, if someone’s al- There are guests that I would love to and see why we said what we did about ready listening to this and they find have on, like Irvin Yalom. I emailed him a particular thing. value in it, to give them medical edu- several times. I get e-mails back. He’s I’ll get once in a while someone who cation would be ideal. That was a lot of very polite, but he declines. There are disagrees with something. But then, hoops, to jump through the hundreds a couple others that I email or call their you know, it’s not like a disagreement of emails back and forth between this office and... nothing. At this point, it’s that’s big enough to actually change accrediting agency and me. It was hard. more of the problem of people coming the podcast. I think only one time have That was probably one of the more dif- to me who want to be on. Then I have to we recorded something that later was ficult things. It takes a little bit of or- read their book or screen them. I had a found out to be false and we just took ganization to get the quizzes for each publishing house contact me and like ” it off. But we got that before it got pub- episode. But overall, you know, Here are our 20 books we’ll re- lished. it’s a labor of love. lease in the next year.” I’m like: “Well, I Do you get a lot of feedback Can you tell like free books. from your audience? a bit more If someone’s already listening to So if you want I get about 15 emails a day. I try to about how “ to send me a respond to everyone. Right now, I’m you prepare this and they find value in it, to give them medical education would be book and if it backed up about one hundred and forty. an episode? fits what I’m How do you ideal.” How did you initially find your find your looking for, I’d audience? Did you have to adjust guests? be more than happy.” But somehow to their needs? Yeah, it’s very You just post content and people find spontaneous. I’m not sometimes I’ll say I really like to do podcasts in you. I listen to some degree, but often a huge planner. I have things people have requests of stuff that’s very floating in my mind. For this year I real- person and that can put a little bit of a barrier on some people. idiosyncratic to them and I just can’t ly want to do a series on borderline per- cover that kind of stuff. I think right sonality disorders like narcissism, some now most of the stuff I’ve posted is the of the main personality types, antisocial Do you interview in person all the time? stuff that I just think is important and personality disorder. I want to do a deep under-talked about. dive into personality theory and how the Mostly. I would say 95 percent of the big five relate to psychotherapy. I want time. My guests just come here. I’ve had people fly in from out of the area. Was there any hard time along to do a lot on attachment. I have medical the way? What makes you stick students who come and they want to do to it? projects. I sit down and show them how What do you think makes a hard topic in general and for podcasts There’s been a bunch of hard to do a literature review. They do what in particular? times. There were once technical they can and we talk it over. That’s how I would say a hard topic is a controver- issues. I couldn’t figure out why the we do some of the episodes. Some of the sial topic or a topic I don’t think there’s podcast wasn’t populating to a bunch other ones are just myself talking, like an answer for it. We did one on social of podcast players and I had to actu- lectures I’ve already given. I give all the media. We don’t want to glorify it, but ally move everything psychotherapy lectures for the residents we want to look at the evidence. We every year. And then some of them with try to look at it. There are some things Dr. Cummings. that we can conclude. There are some I think about what I feel are the biggest things we can’t conclude. We try to gaps in medical education. We do epi- not draw conclusions for things sodes on drugs that no pharma rep is that we can’t. going to come to push on you like lith- ium or Depakote. They’ve been around How do you balance ac- so long, but they’re good drugs. We talk curacy versus dumbing about clozapine because it’s a marvelous down complexity? drug for someone with treatment-resis- I think our podcast uniquely tant schizophrenia. does add a lot of nuances. For those who are seriously curious, Do your guests easily agree to be we have all of our notes online. interviewed? Or is this a bit of a All of our studies are hyperlinked. hassle? You can dig into one particular study
Graphic: ngupakarti on Adobe Stock 30 CNS newsletter March 2020 FOCUS
over to a new podcast host. You can talking about something and instantly are your emotional, spiritual or phys- have a hosting service that then sends catapulted into a place where then they ical life. And there’s generativity. It’s it out to all the podcast sites. So I had could join a research lab, add value, really hard, actually to go through this to switch like 40 episodes over. There’ve understand where the research is cur- life and to do a net positive of good. been times where it’s just like: “OK. I rently. That’s really cool if you think There’s probably some sort of a bell have two kids. I have a full-time job. I about it. And that’s the type curve for that. I want to move do research and I’m trying to get these of learning that this a couple standard de- papers out and on top of that, I’m pod- generation is doing. viations if possible. casting.” So it’s like the margin is pretty The younger gen- “A hard topic is a If you’re world- low at times. I think those are the hard eration will binge. controversial topic” class in something, times when I want to watch Netflix and They don’t just lis- you’re just going not work on the podcast. ten to them once a to change the me- week. They binge dium. You know, if How long does it take you to on my episodes. They’ll Freud was around to- prepare one episode? listen to all of them in two day, he would be podcasting. He It could be anywhere from four hours weeks. And then they’re just thinking wouldn’t be writing. If I was a neuro- to like 40 or even more. Right now, I’m about psychology, psychiatry different- scientist and I wanted to improve the doing one on disorganized attachment. ly. general education of the world’s under- I had kind of an idea, I had some knowl- standing of neuroscience, I would make edge. But then I’m literally reading like Can you track how long the epi- Tik-Toks. Because that’s where the at- 50 to 100 articles and I’m trying to think sode is listened to? tention is. like how to teach this and then how to Yeah. Average. You can through iTunes. apply it, creatively to the work that we I can’t individually. But I get people Do you have any advice for some- do. How do we use this construct to un- who tell me. These people write me in one who wants to start podcast- derstand human behavior in a way that e-mails: “I’ve listened to all your epi- ing? most of us don’t think about it. Some- sodes in the last two weeks. I just found Yes. Send me an email. I’ll give you a thing like this is taking a lot longer. you two weeks ago.” You know, when list of the equipment. Spend a thousand I really get focused on an idea. That’s dollars, if you’re a professional. Good Do you think now is the right how I learn as well. I just binge-watch sound is just gonna make it much more time for podcasting? something. listenable. Then hire someone to edit for I think right now, if you want to reach you. There’s a whole science of how to the general public, it’s a good time. Did you have people coming to edit to make it sound better. Then don’t Books are always a good way to put you from your podcast and try- be too self-critical when you start. Just something down, but not as many peo- ing to learn from you, or work start releasing stuff and just be clunky. ple are reading anymore, especially the with you? Twenty episodes later, you’ll sound dif- younger generations. So it’s YouTube, Yeah, I’ve had a few. It’s hard because ferent. Don’t worry about the numbers. it’s podcasts. And I would say, Tik-Tok. if they’re in undergrad, they can’t just You have to think about someone four Those are the platforms with a lot of come and shadow a psychiatrist. I’ve years from now, who’s going to find growth potential. asked my institution, they don’t allow this series of episodes and they’re gon- that. Often people do various projects na binge on it and they’re literally going What do you think will happen with me. I have a bunch of medical stu- to be caught up in two weeks and like all with podcasting in the future? dents to write my articles that go along these ideas. You have to think about that You know, podcasting is not going with my podcasts. I give them first au- person when you produce the first one away. YouTube is not going away. I thor. They get experience in writing hundred episodes. don’t see how that would be going and they get something for their CV. away. If you have a niche and you can literally lecture on that topic for one Some people say science communi- hundred lectures, this is the perfect me- cation is more for our personal de- Maryna Polyakova dium for you — long-form putting your velopment, not for making money. Postdoc, The Cognitive thoughts out there. What do you think about it? I disagree. I think it depends on what Neuropsychiatry Group If no one’s doing that in your area, that Max Planck Institute for would be where you could then jump you do for your work. But I’ve gotten in. You would get probably, over the several clients from the work that I do Human Cognitive and Brain next 20 years, 5,000 true fans, people that are high-paid. But income is only Sciences who listened to 100, 200 hours of you one value point, the other value points
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What Have We Learned, Dr. Brown? #6: The Value Of Networking
on (and often automatically do during “Doing networking” is not a self- Graphics: above, Weber, Ioana 2019; below, on Freepik pikisuperstar your Ph.D., even if you are not entirely ish thing per se that drains time and aware of it). First, it’s always nice to be energy. Networking does not mean less anxious and, second, many people that you need to become besties with are not so much of a stranger after all. everyone around you and spend your Usually, there will be some connection days and nights out, chatting with col- between you and any given person on leagues. It does not even mean that the planet anyway (check your Ba- you need to genuinely like everyone! con-number, https://bit.ly/39hw0rS). All networking requires is a profes- sional and friendly attitude and some Just imagine that time when you were effort (or organizational skills) to keep Academia is becoming increas- looking for an antibody or that weird track of what people are doing, e.g., by ingly aware of the fact that only huge 5-liter flask you only need once taking notes during talks at your insti- a minority of doctoral candi- every two years. You might not know tute (to remember) and looking up par- dates will proceed with pursuing if what you need exists at all (within ticipants before an event (to prepare). an academic career. The rest of reach), but if so, someone else likely us need to face the question of will. And even if that someone else Why bother networking? Well, you what else to do with our lives will not read your (almost anonymous) never know what good will come out of and how to make a living out of all-user email, then someone else in a it for you and how much you can make it. This series aims to direct your different lab might, and make a connec- someone else’s day or even life! Most attention to all your skills that tion. Or just think of your own experi- people are, in fact, quite nice when may seem trivial to you solely ences: if you saw a call for participants being reached out for. It might be a po- as prerequisites to perform your for an experiment hanging in Mensa, sition you could apply for, or a schol- Image: Ioana Weber, 2019 Ioana Weber, Image: research, yet are incredibly pre- you might notice it but quickly forget arship you haven’t heard of or simply cious outside of the lab! due to lack of time. Imagine instead, a protocol that could save your time by that the experiment was conducted by improving your experiments, or very Many scientists seem to have a tendency a former colleague or fellow student. profanely just a message announcing to be rather quiet and/or introverts. This Now you are much more likely to re- leftover cookies. You’ll never know, and group of people shudders when “net- member the call when talking to others you are networking already anyway. working” gets mentioned as a profes- and even forward the information. Try Just be more open and confident about sional and/or career skill. It seems either thinking of that fancy new technique it. Happy networking! frightening to approach strangers (espe- your supervisor wants you to estab- cially people “higher up” in the hierar- lish. First thing you’ll do is frantical- chy than yourself), or amoral to contact ly searching online for pros and cons, people simply for your personal benefit. problems and general advice – but Well, while the latter surely is, the first frankly, you’d be happier if you knew is something you can and should work the person giving said advice, right? Your Dr. Brown Team
Hello! Bonjour SALAM!
Guten tag! Hola! ciao!
32 CNS newsletter March 2020 CAREER
CDI ANNUAL CAREER EVENT CAREER FINDING DAY Meet your next employer This event has been postponed!A Staypr updatedil 25t hby, 2checking020 https://facebook.com/CareerDevelopmentCharite Your current study is close to ending? You want to look for a job, but you don't know where to start? CDI offers you the chance to meet a broad spectrum of potential employers in Berlin. Representatives from pharmaceutical, biotech, consulting, intellectual property, publishing, and digital health companies will participate in our event to inform you about their business and answer your questions.
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March 2020 CNS newsletter 33 CAREER
Interview With Radhika Patnala A Conversation With The Founder Of Sci-Illustrate
In April 2018, the European STEM- standing of what was missing in the some time off to understand what val- Peers Network hosted the EuroS- scientific ecosystem, and what value ue you can provide to humanity which TEMPeers conference in Berlin. Many I could bring to it with my personal is not already being provided by thou- great speakers made this event a skill set. sands of other people. You should pur- very special occasion for all attend- sue this full time, too, because it takes ees, some of whom agreed to an in- What steps did you take to de- quite some time to develop these ideas terview with the CNS Newsletter to velop your career path as a sci- and plans, so that you’re prepared in talk about how they transitioned from entific illustrator? Did you take advance for opportunities. academia to their current positions. some courses? Or did you just jump into the cold water with I imagine this involves knowing Dr. Patnala, after your PhD, you what you already knew? what style you’re going for over- founded the Munich-based scien- The first important thing that I had to all but what else, do you think, tific design and illustration com- do was decide what I’m going to do does it mean to be prepared for pany “Sci-Illustrate.” How is it after my PhD. Being on the fence just opportunities in the world of sci- that you chose this career? And meant that nothing was moving for- ence illustration? what is your mission with scien- ward for me. You need to know what you can ad- tific illustration? dress in the market, so you need to My mission is quite personal. I would study the market. How do you know like to be useful to the people around whom to speak to? How do you know me, and that includes the scientific what problems you’re going to community. solve? And why bother to do all of it, except for the fact that you My skills were given to me enjoy creating? It also needs at a very early age. When to make you money, and I was in sixth grade, I you won’t know how it don’t know why, but can do that until you do my parents enrolled your market research. me in a web design A very simple thing that course. Because of this, one can do is make a I ended up getting a feel website for oneself. That’s for design early in my life, the simplest, low-energy even before I knew what I thing that a person can start could do with it... with.
When it was just a fun game ...Be researchable, findable. to play. Exactly. Exactly! I had this software that was Dr. Radhika Patnala, founder of already nice to play with back in the Sci-Illustrate Did you have a mentor or some- day, like PowerPoint and Corel Draw, one else to guide you in how to Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator... It was a did this market research? lot of fun, but, as a kid, I had no con- ...And it’s tiring to be on the fence, No, and that did make the transition text in which to use them. This is what it’s draining. difficult. Every single day after my science provided me with. I love sci- Yes. I was lucky in one way: I had my PhD, up until I decided on my current ence beyond measure, so first, it pro- husband to support me financially, path, I was having a full-time identity vided me with the motivation to put so I knew I was not going to go hun- crisis: “Am I a scientist or not?! I don’t these design skills to good use, and gry. This is the kind of opportunity know, I don’t have access to any jour- second, with the right context. that one must seize, and, after that, nals any more...” (laughs). the most important thing is to final- I carried my design skills with me all ly decide what exactly you want to The worst part was that there seems to through my research career, and, for do. However, one must keep financial be some inherent bias in the scientific the last ten years of my education, I things in mind - if you need to work community towards the people who put them to different kinds of uses in for money, then definitely go for your choose science communication as a this ecosystem. By doing so, I got to a money first. But if you have the finan- profession, a belief that they are doing point where I had a very good under- cial support, then, by all means, take so because they were a disaster as sci-
Graphics courtesy of Dr. Radhika Patnala and Sci-Illustrate 34 CNS newsletter March 2020 CAREER
entists. It was really funny for me that started because I could see a dearth also teaches you skills like how to con- everyone who ended up meeting me of good people that I can depend on nect and communicate with people. after seeing my LinkedIn profile asked when I get a big project that I can’t me, “Hey, so I looked at your pro- handle by myself. And the only way Like storytelling, both visual and file, and it seems to me like to find these people was to in writing, triggering the right you were doing create the in-house emotions? pretty well [in projects so that Yes. It’s not about taking a fine arts science]. What “[...] as the need for public I could, in time, program, it’s more complex than that. happened?” I outreach increases, so will train interns to Science communication demands a had to think ev- the need to involve science high standards. wide spectrum of roles, including be- ery time, “Okay, communicators early in the ing a science journalist. This it com- so this is where scientific process.” How are the pletely different from the skills re- the conversation economic in- quired to make an anatomical drawing. starts from... “ centives for And then, the next training as a To add to that, I also feel that every question they always cautiously science communicator? I no- skill takes a certain amount of prac- asked, was: “So... is it going... well?” ticed that there are very few de- tice. So, if you say you want to pursue grees that teach this. communication, then it’s very import- It’s this old-time bias where art- One of the issues is that science com- ant for you to practice it enough to get ists are romanticized as strug- munication is a very varied field. an intuitive feel for it. We must realize gling, but free spirits, but still There are a few master’s programs that, as science communicators, we struggling for money for subsis- which teach people how to illustrate are still dealing with science. It would tence, and so on. I think this is science for medical professionals, spe- have been amazing if science were like something that permeated so- cifically, to make anatomical drawings. art, where anything is okay, and artis- ciety at some point in the 18th In my view, that’s not really science tic freedom is great for self-expression. century, and never left it. communication. For science commu- But when you do science communica- This is exactly what I had to fight nication you need a program on the tion, when you approach things from a with for a very long time, and I think intersection of art and science, which technical standpoint, it’s very import- it is something every single science communicator should be prepared to face. The field of science has not yet invested in science communication as a legitimate field, which requires qual- ified and trained scientists who can, as communicators, do justice to the com- plexity of the science. We really have to get these people together and train them, nurture their skills, so that they can be useful to scientists, who would benefit from these services at multiple points in their scientific workflow. I think that is because hardly anyone in the scientific community even realizes that they need the help of a science communicator until it’s too late. Times are also changing, and I think, as the need for public outreach increases, so will the need to involve science communicators early in the scientific process.
This is also something I’m trying to do with Sci-Illustrate. We have these in-house projects for interns which I Disclaimer: This image is only a digital mockup, and visual sugges- tion of a design concept by Sci-Illustrate.
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ant to think about accuracy in science actually improve the general visual I’ve seen from your Behance and the best way to communicate it. quality of the scientific research portfolio that you work with cus- That is the key difference. . tomers from all over the world. Now that we’re on this topic, the thing How do you manage this? Do you So, the key difference is that sci- which really ascertained my going travel to them? Or is it every- ence communication through vi- into this field was when I got the re- thing done remotely? suals is problem solving through viewer comments back for my publi- I meet my German customers in per- design, right? cation. They literally said: “We have son, and for everyone else, I work re- Exactly. You must keep the other per- never seen such beautiful drawings!” motely. son in mind and think of the best way the science can be communicated to them. For instance, you don’t want something erratic or very adventur- ous in your technical illustration to detract from your message.
What does your average day look and feel like; what are the duties that come up time and time again, are things that you need to keep doing? I usually keep quite busy and it’s a 10- 10 day. I split my time between doing client work, doing work on in-house passion projects like the Women In Science series (Sci-illustrate Stories), coordinating with the team, and gen- eral management.
Do you also have the feeling that there are very few people in science interested in the vi- sual side of science communica- tion? Well, this is one thing that I’m try- ing to address with the company: We have workshops for scientific illustra- tion. And that is exactly why I started this business, because I understand that I was lucky to get all these skills at a very young age. As opposed to this, what many scientists are trying That told me that people want to see How do you establish a rela- is what my husband says: Using Pow- visually appealing things. For all as- tionship of trust with your cus- erPoint for making scientific illustra- piring science communicators that tomers? I think that’s something tions is like trying to hammer down a are reading this, I would really like to that may be easier when you’re nail with your cell phone. It will do the tell them that this is a very amazing face to face with someone. But if job, but it’s not the best tool for it. way to increase the visual quality of you’re in a completely different not just academia, but of society as a country, and it’s just a Skype call That is one way that we can improve whole. And it’s definitely a service to that connects you, and somebody the state of academia: We take on re- society if you’re able to produce beau- insists, “Oh, just send us your searchers – postdocs, PhDs – and we tiful things for your community that prototypes for all this,” they train them in using the right illustra- can also help educate, entertain and could just as well take them, use tion tools for the job, which will make inspire. them, and you may never hear it all so much easier. And then it might back from them.
36 CNS newsletter March 2020 CAREER
Oh, taking 50% of the fee up front usu- Okay, let’s start with people who want Google search has fifteen blog posts ally weeds out these kinds of things. to go into science communication. The on some bogus science and one pa- first and most important thing is: You per published in Nature, which pres- Of course, there are situations where must be prepared to accept that the ents the opposite thing, this person is free work is good. Especially when the field is not ripe yet. There are many surely going to go with the blog posts terms of the engagement and exchange who do not realise the power of clean that they can actually understand. are very clear, and it is towards the presentations and good visuals in re- Open science is not enough. We need benefit of society. This kind of work is taining attention of, say, a reviewer, science that people can read. That is also referred to as pro bono and makes the grant committee, or an audience. exactly where the science communica- tors fit in, and, therefore, we need to nurture a new generation of people to take on that role.
Aside from that, you’ll have many other roles. If you’re a freelancer, you have to be ready to call yourself an entrepreneur, because you’re building everything on your own. So that re- quires a whole new skill sets that you might have to acquire.
As skills for an employee go, an em- ployer really needs someone depend- able. The most important thing you can give to employer is being sincere, being dependable, and performing to the best of your capacity.
Is there anything else that you would like to add or emphasize or something as a closing re- mark? I’m very happy to know that there is so much longing in the community to embrace art and better visual design.
Thank you so much, Dr. Patnala! It was a pleasure talking to you.
Illustrations from Sci-Illustrate’s Women In Science Series. Left, botanist [interview conducted by Ioana Weber at Janaki Ammal. Above, software engineer Margaret Hamilton the EuroStemPeers conference, 27th of April 2019. Interview has been edited for the most sense when the work aligns Presenting unclear content that peo- clarity and brevity.] with your interest and mission. ple find hard to understand is a disser- vice to the audience and the science. Sounds absolutely fair. So, since you’re managing this company That aside, if you want to be a science of scientific illustration, and you communicator, you, of course, need a train people, and so on, what passion for science. You need to have do you think? What personality strong emotions against the inaccu- traits are essential for this job? rate portrayal of science. And what wouldn’t be advanta- When a layperson wants to know geous? What do you need to re- something scientific, the first thing Ioana Weber ally like to do? they will do is Google it. And if the PhD Student, AG Tarabykin
March 2020 CNS newsletter 37 CAMPUS
Book Review: Helix Marc Elsberg’s Novel Imagines Dystopian Genetic Egineering
In 2018, the Chinese scientist He Jiankui If you were given the option, would you claimed to have successfully gene-edited improve your child’s genome? two human embryos using CRISPR/Cas9 The book tells these various storylines in paral- to protect them against HIV infection. The lel, while the reader tries to connect them to a twins Lulu* and Nana* caused a world- common origin. Soon, a secret research facility wide scandal and started a discussion on takes the focus of attention. “New Garden” is how far gene-editing should be allowed in home to uncommonly strong, smart, and beau- humans. Later on, other scientists raised tiful children – gene-edited children. While doubts about whether Jiankui’s claims discussions on the ethical and legal impacts were actually true, yet they showed that of these unexpected scientific advances start, science might be further than some ex- it becomes clear that these new children have perts thought [1]. their own agencies. Being underestimated in their intelligence by their creators, they have Marc Elsberg’s book, Helix [2], goes one long started doing their own research and im- step further into a potential future, where provements. gene-editing is more common than one might think. The US minister for foreign A glimpse into the future? affairs is killed with a virus that was ge- While Helix was released in 2016 ahead of the netically modified to target only him. first scandals of gene-edited human babies, Some corn plants in Africa are suddenly it perfectly mixes up-to-date science with a resistant against parasites and extreme fictional future. The book, similar to Jiankui’s drought, and a couple in the US struggling case, also illustrates that official regulations and to have kids get offered the chance to have laws can only to a certain limit prevent these “optimized babies.” developments. Yet, it also shows the potential
of gene-modification, for example, to adapt to djvstockGraphic: modified on Freepik from a changing climate and increasing world pop- ulation. The book is (so far) only available in German.
Melina Engelhardt PhD Student, AG Picht
1. https://go.nature.com/37PuxHN 2. Elsberg, Helix, 2016
38 CNS newsletter March 2020 CAMPUS
The Struggle Of Moving On A Review Of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Have you ever met a person for the recent memories, they subsequently which conditions such a procedure first time and immediately felt con- erase all those unwanted memories. could and should take place? Could nected, as if you’ve known them for anyone decide to modify or erase sad ages? When Joel and Clementine meet Is it all fiction? memories? Don’t memories shape on a train, they experience this very Although the setting and methods in you and make you the person you same feeling and despite having quite this movie are clearly fictional, they are? While Joel undergoes the proce- opposite personalities, they connect raise some interesting questions: How dure of removing Clementine from his instantaneously. What they do not accurately can we trace memories or memories, he starts to remember the know, however, is that this is not their emotions in the brain? Modern re- good moments of their relationship first encounter at all. search increasingly aims to study and tries to fight the procedure. He the functionality of different brain subsequently realizes mistakes they Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind regions. While this is far away from both made and decides to give the re- tells the story of two former lovers, trackingsingle memories, it has, for lationship another chance, however, their relationship, their struggles and example, been used to describe acti- he ultimately fails to resist against the fights, their breakup, and how they vation patterns associated with happy memory erasure. handled it. The viewer experiences all or sad memories [1]. Further, research of this through Joels’ memories of the has shown that memory becomes frag- Rating and general reception relationship as he undergoes a memo- ile and more prone to manipulations The movie starring Jim Carrey (Joel) ry erasure. during retrieval [2]. While we are far and Kate Winslet (Clementine) was away from a memory erasure appara- released in 2004 and won an Academy Wait – you can erase memories? tus, as in the movie, memories seem to Award for Best Original Screenplay The company Lacuna is specialized in be less stable than we think. [3]. With a rating of 8.3 on IMDB [3], memory erasure and has developed a it is amongst the top 100 best-rated unique apparatus looking a little like Would you change your memories? movies on the platform and definitely a metal EEG helmet. With this device, This could be of special use for the worth a watch. the company’s employees can track treatment of fears or traumatic expe- brain activity while the client is asleep riences. Yet, the question arises under and visualize the location of a spe- Graphic: modified from djvstockGraphic: modified on Freepik from Melina Engelhardt cific memory to be deleted PhD Student, AG Picht in the brain. Starting from the most
1.Lindquist et al., Behav Brain Sci, 2012 2. Maren, Neuron, 2011 3. https://imdb.to/2UQnsne
Graphics: brain coral, jenesesimre on Adobe Stock and seahorse, rawpixel.com on Freepik March 2020 CNS newsletter 39 CAMPUS
40 CNS newsletter March 2020 CAMPUS
Opinion: Suffering is not my standard Why I refuse to perpetuate the normalization of suffering in academia
A book that got me vexed scientists and their little peculiarities As already excellently outlined by my This was supposed to be an innocu- and obsessions. Additionally, as a fe- colleague Pina Knauff [4] and even dis- ous review of Lab Girl by Prof. Hope male graduate student in the biologi- covered within the Max Planck Society Jahren. However, the book bidirection- cal sciences, I am particularly happy [5] and by the most recent survey of ally tugged at my judgement all the to see a female professor write about the journal Nature [6], we, the “novic- way through, because I kept sensing science from her still-too-rarely-rep- es” have to deal with a lot more daily ugliness lurking under the wonderful resented perspective. I was even more complications than just the ever-loom- parts that shine with the author’s love happy to see her call out the ing fear of getting scooped. If for her research. I therefore could not blatant sexism that she we even get paid at all, avoid putting together some observa- had to endure as it is through year- tions on the work culture in academ- a woman in sci- “It should be seriously alarm- by-year contracts ic scientific research that have been ence all through ing that your average graduate or precarious crystallizing in my mind for some time the 90s, 2000s student has a two to six times scholarships that now, which resulted in this opinion and most likely higher risk of developing a barely cover the piece on the normalization of suffering to this very day. most basic living in academia. Also a plus: she mental illness [...]than a lay- expenses in large has a steadfast, person [...].” cities. Group What it’s about non-sexual, non-roman- leaders that do not have Lab Girl is the critically acclaimed tic friendship with Bill, whom tenure often have to go from one memoir of Hope Jahren, a visionary she meets in grad school and who ends research institution to another every professor of plant-focused geobiol- up being her most trusted research as- few years, sometimes moving between ogy with an impressive array of re- sociate, following her to every lab she different countries, and the choice of search prizes and grants under her moves to. All of this makes Lab Girl whether to follow or not seems unfair belt. Quirky in its format, the book a unique voice amid other scientist when the only other option is trashing alternates short chapters about the memoirs, and I very well understand years of work as a PhD and starting inner workings of plants with longer why so many readers were delighted over in a different group on a different chapters that describe Jahren’s tedious by the book. topic. Sure, mobility is great in terms academic journey, in which she built of gathering work experience and new four labs at four scientific institutions Working conditions: the “meh”, perspectives, but uprooting your entire across the globe and launched some the bad and the ugly life every few years is definitely not dangerously new ideas in her field. One of the things I do not understand, the most low-stress way of doing so. The lyricism-infused prose made my however, is how there has been no Things are additionally distressing for biological scientist/wannabe science uproar in past reviews of the book those of us whose visas are bound to communicator heart leap with joy be- against the ghastly working condi- their work contracts, because one fears cause it perfectly suits the loving way tions in academic science [1, 2]. Jahren losing years of research work in the in which Jahren explains how plants captures this poignantly by describing event that a follow-up work contract is evolved to live the life we see today. countless nights spent in the lab as a not granted. Finally, the high-pressure She deftly connects these descriptions, student, working several jobs during winner-takes-it-all environment in ac- collected in smaller chapters, to the her studies, the endless act of trying ademia also grinds us down mentally. stages of her professional and person- to turn a dime into a dollar as a group al life, interspersed as longer chapters. leader, and the perpetual long-term As a community, we are (sort of) more It is a string that starts with chapters contract uncertainty for both herself aware of these academic mental health about her childhood and culminates and her best friend/research associ- hazards due to the diligent efforts with the part “Flowers and Fruit”, ate, Bill. This is what can lead even of those who have investigated why where she describes finding love, sta- tenured professors, the ones who, mental illness is rampant in graduate ble lab funding, and ways to raise her arguably, got the Holy Grail, to leave students [7-11]. These aren’t just some son. their jobs [3]. Additionally, I found it numbers: it should be seriously alarm- bothersome that she does not openly ing that your average graduate student Why it’s good thematize that many of those who are has a two to six times higher risk of I wholeheartedly believe that the book just starting out in science, such as developing a mental illness such as deserves all the praise it received for its graduate students and, to some extent, depression and anxiety, than a layper- accessible communication of scientific postdocs, have to face the same things son at the same level of instruction. It knowledge, the beautiful language and she did at those stages, or even much should be even more alarming that this the tenderness with which it depicts more. happens especially given that many of
Illustration by Ioana Weber March 2020 CNS newsletter 41 CAMPUS
us theoretically benefit from access Johann Hari’s book “Lost Connec- ful and secure future. Each of these to excellent scientific information on tions” [14] presents a range of current important human needs is not ade- how to stay healthy. I really hope that evidence that depression and anxiety quately met in academic research. This no one from the readership is, at this are linked to a person’s profession- starts at a basic, obvious level: the point in history, still trying to mini- al situation. In plain text, very function of a scientist mize the degree of suffering caused by this means that your as a scientist is hardly these mental illnesses. working envi- ever secure. The ronment has a “The explicit or implicit expec- pay is low enough No, these results are not just a freak powerful impact tation [...] is that the newbies that I’ve rumi- occurrence, and it’s not academia on how healthy sacrifice any part of their per- nated over buy- somehow attracting people who hap- your mind is. sonality not relevant to chas- ing the full-grain pen to be more prone to mental health Before dismiss- toast or sticking issues. The biopsychosocial model of ing the book as ing down results.” to the one that’s what causes mental illness has been “just another self- one euro cheaper. established back in 1977 [12]. In brief, help book for millennials”, Let’s not even get into how this model acknowledges that mental you should know that he supports low the odds of actually getting a illness does not solely have biological this claim by referring to the dozens satisfying choice of where and with (“organic”) origins, but also a strong of published, peer-reviewed studies whom to work are. A feeling of lack- environmental component, which in- on the matter that have accumulated ing control over one’s dissatisfying cludes how we are raised and what since 1977. These studies are taken circumstances is also a major trigger pressures our current social situation from a vast number of fields, such as of depression, which is, by the way, subjects us to. This is well-known for psychology, healthcare, social science, the very position most graduate stu- a whole host of mental illnesses [13]. and others. And, as it turns out, the dents find themselves in. But there So, even if, for some reason, more studies have a lot to say about the are more insidious disconnections, “sensitive” “introverts” were flocking ways in which working conditions like the one from feeling valued and towards scientific research, there still trigger disease in our psyches. like one’s work has some importance. is something to be said about how the Even if you have a three-year-contract work culture triggers these predispo- Disconnected from what matters in academia, you are still far too often sitions to turn into full-blown mental Some of the causes for mental health subjected to, as Jahren so well puts it, illnesses. At the same time, this means breakdowns that Hari presents are “unnecessary venom”: reviewers going that simply popping an antidepressant disconnection from meaningful work, ad hominem, being treated as worth- will scarcely solve the problem. from other people, from receiving ba- less until proven otherwise, and con- sic human respect, and from a hope- stant reminders that you’re competing with basically everyone else on your hierarchic level, because too few are the instances in which true teamwork is well-rewarded and well-regarded in science [15]. It’s also an environment where one hardly ever gets recogni- tion unless one makes it to the very top...which is where most of this be- havior is trickling down from: from those very persons who are supposed to act as leaders of the future genera- tions of scientific progeny. For this, the examples presented in Jahren’s book aren’t exactly positive ones.
Impostors Particularly because harmful beliefs and behaviors are known to “trickle down” in hierarchies, such as the very stark one we work in, I found it prob- lematic that the author lets an attitude of “this is how I did science, therefore, Graphic: modified from Michal Jarmoluk on Pixabay 42 CNS newsletter March 2020 CAMPUS
this is the right way to do it” pervade the entire book. Jahren neatly sum- marizes this in a paragraph that states Ways to lessen suffering in your that “the honest, humble heart of sci- academic environment ence” beats by working through Friday to Saturday nights, which makes the As a student/postdoc/junior researcher I author feel “smug”. • To assure yourself in those moments when you feel it’s you and not This is what has been tugging my the system, read this: https://www.nature.com/collections/ijfdfjhjef judgement away from just perceiving the book as a loving description of sci- • Don’t perpetuate the normalization of suffering by saying things ence, and what made my writing this to the more junior ones amounting to “well, I also have/have had essay so difficult. Basically, the book it hard”. Recognize that suffering is not normal and not to be ex- triggered such strong feelings of anx- pected of anyone. If you are unsure of this, please read this thread: iety in me that I am simply built in too https://twitter.com/daniel_swensen/status/1197903566448386048 wrong a way to ever make it in science - the now-famous impostor syndrome • Recognize the signs of burnout and actively protect yourself from [16] - that I have probably eaten my it. Check out this link for a how-to: https://blog.trello.com/guide- weight in chocolate ever since I start- to-burnout ed re-reading it and writing this piece. No, my anxiety is not just a chemical imbalance that I can solve with a pill: it is exacerbated to pathological levels a rush I could not explain at that time. of trying to make things work, but only by the very factors I mentioned in the I had more of a hunch than a feeling criticism for the absence of results, the previous section, and yes, I have tried that I was finally doing the right thing sole thing I reaped was burnout. In very hard to subdue it by simply fol- in order to succeed, the thing which hindsight, I had it foreshadowed pre- lowing the suggestions of the current was presented to me as a necessity cisely by those sluggish months in my academic work culture. Here’s how. and hence expected of me. Now, re- first year. Bad as this has been, I still sults were bound to follow, meaning had a crucial advantage: I did this out As many of us know, in most cases, the that nobody, not even my self-distrust- of fear of failure and ambition. Others explicit or implicit expectation of peo- ing mind, could say I wasn’t putting don’t have it that “good”: as with the ple in academic positions of power is enough effort into it, should the results case of Bill from the book, I know fel- that the newbies sacrifice any part of not roll in. I continued doing this for low PhDs, especially from the US, who their personality not relevant to chas- about half a year, across pilot experi- simply have no choice but sleeping ing down results (or better yet, never ments and until I fully delineated my in the lab and working, working, and have it to begin with, but more of that research plan for my PhD project, and, then working some more in order to in the next sections). Another unspo- after a break of a few months where keep hold of their contracts and visas. ken expectation is that one works I felt inexplicably lacking in energy, I I also sometimes slept in my office, but hours that are well beyond what the did it for three more years. I had the “luxury” to at least not be do- rest of the world has long ago estab- ing it because it was an explicitly stat- lished to be genuinely productive in The twist in the story? The more I tore ed requirement. Overwork is pervasive the long run. In an ambitious bid to into my energy backups with long in PhD students [5, 15], and there are finally be accepted in the academic cir- workdays, the more my perception many people who stay in academic sci- cles, I did precisely all of this, and now of my research started to change. As ence working at this pace for dozens I can say that it certainly can be done... it turns out, lab procedures that were of years. for a while. once fun started to feel tedious and unmanageable, the finicky ones like Why is overwork the standard? How to crash in academia nerve-wracking exercises, and set- The question is, why has this become When I started my PhD, I enthusias- backs I would’ve normally taken in the standard we measure performance tically embarked onto working long stride started to seem unsurmountable. by? Why do we need such smugness days and equally long nights. I dis- On the background of this tiredness, about overwork to confirm our own tinctly remember some months of cy- my experiments stopped working, as worth to ourselves? Why is academic cling home from the lab at 3 AM on they inevitably tend to do when you’re science so obsessed with comparing Unter den Linden, intoxicated by the just starting out in a field, and, when who worked the most, in almost inhu- sweet perfume of the linden trees and no recognition came for the long hours mane orders of magnitude? In the end,
March 2020 CNS newsletter 43 CAMPUS
nobody who has financial or adminis- lab) when we are already tired from a he credits the success of all his busi- trative power over you cares anyway ten-hour-workday. However, the truth ness ventures and his problem-solving about how long you work, only about is that this choice is often taken acumen to working extremely your results...which don’t get better by from us beforehand by long hours (the numbers having glass vials explode in your face the fact that we are coursing around at 3 AM, as happened to Jahren and made to constantly are 80-120 hours Bill. Long hours don’t guarantee the seek out that rush of “too many people burn out per week [19]). As production of results at a faster pace smugness that both before they have a chance to a second example, than a more normal daily workload, as Jahren and I seem truly shine.” we also get this has been established for a long time in to have experienced hustling mindset the working world outside academia from overwork. I due to the boom [17]. Additionally, many people falter have some ideas of what of the gig economy and in the face of such pressure before the the causes could be. startup scene, and the public world gets to benefit from their poten- presence of many a hip entrepreneur tial. In the words of an unknown wise Wide-spread diseased narratives who knows how to extol the benefits person on the Internet, “too many peo- It seems to me that this smugness of “work hard, party hard”. ple burn out before they have a chance stems, first and foremost, from the to truly shine.”. (hit me up if you know feeling that one finally conforms to In reality, things are not as rosy as the source, I’d love to credit the per- the work ethics narratives we hear all these prominent figures would have son) over the place from people in positions us believe. I have interacted with a of power and influence. I’m going to handful of very young, very driven It’d be easy for me to say that we all use Elon Musk as a first example here, startup owners from the Berlin scene, have the choice to not torture ourselves whose brilliance at solving import- and, cheerful and convincing as they by running “just that one last qPCR” ant problems in record time is much may look for that hour of interview- (for non-initiates, one of the most stu- lauded (for instance, in this series of ing, they are anything but living the pefyingly fiddly, attention-demanding excellent essays by WaitButWhy’s good life on a daily basis. Those reg- and repetitive procedures in the wet Tim Urban [18]). In every interview, ular fourteen-hour workdays many of these entrepreneurs are telling us about, slightly smiling with a whiff of superiority over nine-to-five mortals? After some time in the field, those days are most often fueled not by the ever- lasting power of having a higher call- ing, but by meth [20]. Similarly, Tesla, Musk’s probably best-known venture, has attracted a lot of criticism for its high employee turnover and injury rate [21], and, surprise! this is also due to the crass working conditions he im- poses on his employees. Naturally, this is democracy, so nobody is, technical- ly speaking, forced into slavery. If the sources are to be believed, he compels to such overwork by repeatedly sug- gesting that those who can’t pull it off just don’t feel enough of a calling, since this is obviously enough to keep him himself going [22]. It turns out that, in this case, just like in academia, simply working for a higher calling does not automatically protect you from burn- out. Quite to the contrary.
Since these are the narratives we hear all the time from influential people in Illustration by author 44 CNS newsletter March 2020 CAMPUS
this is that Jahren writes how she and Bill try to rate the intelligence of every Ways to lessen suffering in your new student in the lab against that of academic environment Jahren’s dog. Believe it or not, the year was 2016 when such a disrespectful As a student/postdoc/junior researcher continued II thing was published. In my view, such acts of disrespect rare- • Don’t brag about how late you worked. If you are not forced by ly stem from ill intentions, but rather circumstances to spend evenings, nights or weekends in the lab, from a lack of empathy. I can almost not this is first putting you at serious risk for accidents, and, second, believe that, even though Jahren herself creating an unnecessary, unhealthy kind of competition with your went through working high-stress jobs, peers, which will especially harm those who are already at risk of such as medication preparer in a hospi- being marginalized for not being able to deliver as many results tal, during her studies, there is no hint as others (think single parents, people from a low-income back- of acknowledgement that her students ground, people who do “hidden work” as being a caretaker to a may well go through the same hassles, sick family member, etc). Also, this may just not be the metric and maybe that’s why they have trou- of the future – see https://qz.com/work/1486863/boasting-about- ble with looking and sounding partic- how-many-hours-you-work-is-a-sign-of-failure/ . In addition to ularly brilliant at all times. Especially this, you are likely hurting yourself more than just by lab acci- jarring was the story of how she and dents: when life circumstances that prevent you from working at Bill gauge a student’s success poten- this pace will inevitably intervene, you will quickly start question- tial. They basically set up a nonsensical ing your own worth in the system. test in which a student is told to label countless little vials with a complicated bogus naming code, after which they tell them that they will trash all of that work due to some other bogus reason. I academia, I believe that this is why, ers who stumbled upon this essay. I imagine that there is some good inten- as I mentioned before, impostor syn- maintain that our search for that over- tion of sparing some students unhap- drome is rampant in almost everyone work-induced smugness in scientific piness in academia through this, but, [16]. The bar is just in too odd a place research stems from how normal the even so, the general feeling it conveys to ever reach: one is never productive abnormal has become in terms of the to me is that students are considered enough, never the proper amount of types of human interaction that are too nothing but a pair of working hands passionate about one’s research, never often encountered in the academic hi- until proven otherwise. safe from getting scooped. As if it’s not erarchies. bad enough in the other work domains This depersonalization of students to have women and minorities suffer How (not) to regard subordinates probably also makes it easier to not from crippling anxiety that they are I am missing an outcry about how take responsibility towards the ones not up to the field’s standards, we aca- Jahren regards and, consequently, that don’t succeed, like the one PhD demics have magnanimously extended treats her students, at least by what who, according to the book, stormed that possibility to everyone working in she describes in many passages of out of the lab for good, saying she this establishment. And can someone, the book. I suppose some didn’t want Jahren’s life. in the face of the mounting body of of these offenses She presents this evidence, wholeheartedly believe that are not as obvi- “It turns out that [...] simply student as just being made to feel anxious all the time ous to an outsider another spoiled doesn’t facilitate the mental health cri- looking in on aca- working for a higher calling nuisance she has sis presented earlier? Anxiety is stress, demic research as does not automatically protect to put up with in and stress about things one cannot or they are to me, a you from burnout. Quite the her daily lab prac- can hardly change over extended peri- graduate student contrary..” tice, but, from ods of time breeds depression. So why who has collect- what I see in my are we having such a hard time resist- ed and still collects environment, grad- ing these narratives? many microaggressions uate students actually have that constantly remind me of which a very hard time just throwing their I suppose this has not been new infor- rung of the academic hierarchy I am work away unless serious reasons are mation for the vast majority of read- on (hint: it’s low). A prime example of involved.
March 2020 CNS newsletter 45 CAMPUS
What I also find jarring is the perva- other formal title for research group so far. However, I intentionally wrote sive assumption that passion can only leader here] not actually care about “as if it didn’t take a toll” and not “it ever stem in its entirety from intrinsic having long-term motivated didn’t take a toll”. Jahren’s interest and never needs to be nurtured and healthy employ- (and every other good by the ones we work for. Even though ees, both mental- researchers’) pro- Jahren speaks beautifully about her re- ly and physical- “This depersonalization of found fascination search in her book, I found only one ly? I daresay they students probably also makes it with her research example of how she tries to motivate should go further easier to not take responsibili- topics is a won- students by reforming the way in and demand this ty towards the ones that don’t derful thing to which she and Bill teach the soil study for themselves have happened to course. I find it jarring because yes, we as well, by get- succeed [...].” humanity and the might work for advancing our own ca- ting funding for lab furthering of our reers, but, as PhD students and post- managers, managers for knowledge, but there are docs, we are, for the most part, neuro- science documentation/communi- consequences to it that may not be typical employees. I am using the not cation with authorities, and so on. But, that positive. well-looked-upon term of “employee” of course, some will argue at this point because it is still our PIs that make that they do not need such things. First, as she probably well knows her- demands on our results and reap the self, it is potentially dangerous for her most important laurels of our work, Diversity is an advantage that some of the prolonged research such as funding (for the non-acade- Along these lines, I know that not ev- sprees described in the book stem micians, this is a Catch-22 twist: such erybody is impacted to the same ex- from her well-illustrated struggle with funds are also mostly what our sal- tent by this working environment, and bipolar disorder type I. To be clear, I aries are paid from). Aside from this, there certainly are a number of people do not see this as any sort of issue in as I wrote before, simply seeing one’s who thrive in this system as if it didn’t itself, quite the opposite: I am more job as a higher calling only works as a take any toll on them, who have proba- than happy that even people with in- motivator for a limited time [22]. So, bly been raising their shoulders in puz- tense quirks and suffering from mental should our PIs/professors/ [insert any zlement at everything I have written illness can find a decent place in the world for themselves (I’d be silly not to, having been extensively bullied for years because of my ability to absorb knowledge and for having a hang for contemplation). However, I still re- member a rather famous psychiatry professor saying in a talk that being on the autism spectrum is basically a requirement for success in science, because one would otherwise nev- er love the data enough to pore over them again and again, at the expense of some social interaction. In the same breath, the professor told the audience that this also can’t be too accentuated, as one still needs to be able to sell their research (to be noticed: the ironical contrast between field of profession and work ethics belief). I suppose very few people fall in this Goldilocks zone of any mental suffering, which only increases the intensity of the “I don’t belong here” sentiment for many of us.
Second, if the world of business and politics facilitate the ascent of narcis- sists, scientific research seems to re- quire another dimension for success Illustration by author
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on top of it, and that is, introversion coupled with this extreme fascination with one’s topic and little else. This is Ways to lessen suffering in your academic all fine and well up until the exception environment becomes the rule, and the rule starts excluding other personality types. As a student/postdoc/junior researcher III Curiosity-driven scientific research is such a wasteland in terms of fund- • Take a project management course! [https://the-academic-soci- ing (yes, people from the humanities, ety.teachable.com/p/project-management-for-academics]. Taking I know you have it even worse, and I time for yourself in grad school while still feeling like you’re giv- just feel sorry for all of us on the aca- ing enough is easier said than done. With project management, demic treadmill) that the research com- you’ll be able to work more effectively and feel satisfied about munity is very eager to expulse anyone reaching your goals, so that you can enjoy guilt-free time off who does not or cannot contribute (which, as a reminder, is the other side of the 10,000 hours study). to the maximal capitalization on the available resources by having the “just • You are allowed to make a mistake every now and then, no mat- right” mental traits. A purely mathe- ter what others tell you. (Trust me, they make mistakes too. matical calculation would support this It’s just part of the negative work culture of academia to not by saying that, if the resources are as admit to them and act like they should never, ever happen, in- few as they most sorely are in academ- stead of using them as a chance to develop better processes.) ic research, then, of course, those who will quickly produce results even un- • Wherever you can, band together with other early-career re- der duress should be kept and the rest searchers to ask for working conditions that foster creativity and removed from the field. innovation without grinding young researchers into the ground. You can check out your local student association, or found one if By this logic, should people that are there is none. maybe not so intensely introverted just be excluded out of scientific research? Margaret Atwood very dryly acknowl- Are we, the not-so-singularly focused to live where they work just because edges this mentality in academic sci- ones, who need to also get external this is an acceptable living standard ence in her novel “Oryx and Crake” validation and the occasional vacation, for some. Aside from this, following [23]. When the academically not-so- worthless in this system? I will set up a Atwood’s tune, we have another clear bright Jimmy visits his prodigious daring thesis here by saying: we are, in function in science: to not let those friend Crake at an Ivy-League-like bi- fact, very valuable, but not valued. Just who push the boundaries of human ological research institution, Crake’s as businesses cannot be successful in possibility crash the world into con- colleagues quickly take to derogatorily the long run without somebody on the ditions that are dystopic for most hu- calling Jimmy “the neurotypical” and inside caring for what that company mans. being, in general, very dismissive of truly provides for the rest of human- him for not having a one-track mind. ity, science cannot exist in a vacuum, Bad working conditions Atwood’s stark commentary of this isolated from society and from what For the moment, however, science discrimination comes through the the majority of people actual- breeds droves of researchers that, like fact that (spoiler alert!) ly need and care for. my literary example, are either happi- these very re- We, the scientists ly mentally isolated in the proverbial searches are the more inclined to ivory tower, or are perpetually tired, ones who kick off “Should people that are maybe socialize and net- stressed and overwhelmed by the sheer the demise of hu- work outside of number of tasks they are expected to manity through a not so intensely introverted science, have the perform well at, when, in reality, the virus they engi- just be excluded from scientific essential func- only task they ever get recognition for neer for the pur- research?” tion of translat- is generating papers full of positive pose, all due to ing niche scientif- findings in their fields. Crake’s cold Malthu- ic findings into solutions sian calculation that the only that benefit many, instead of just This sounds bad enough in theory, but way to save humanity is by destroy- satiating the narrow interest of few. is even worse in practice, as almost ing it and replacing it with a genetical- We make sure that people don’t have anyone who has worked for longer ly enhanced version.
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The computer science professor Cal Newport popularized the well-known Ways to lessen suffering in your concept that, for deep thought to oc- academic environment cur - the kind that leads to paradigm shifts - most people need to beby As a student/postdoc/junior researcher IV themselves with only their own ideas and time on their hands. Here, they • Try to actually take weekends off and the holidays you are entitled may revel in only slowly analyzing im- to, and don’t assume that just because others never do, you have portant issues, and be able to become a duty to do so too. Your brain needs quiet time in order to sort profoundly engaged in doing so [24]. through your knowledge and come up with innovative solutions However, when was the last time you and ideas. This is well-argued in Barbara Oakley’s course on Learn- were genuinely bored and had time to ing How to Learn [https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how- sit around thinking in the lab? My best to-learn/] and her book, A Mind For Numbers [56] (it’s about mas- guess is never, as we have a seemingly tering any complicated subject, not just math, so whichever your indestructible culture of busy-ness and academic field you’re from, this applies). Your vacation is, in the working long hours, while quiet time end, also productive for your projects, and by that I mean a True for reflection, reading and forming Vacation, not the “I’m going to only briefly check Slack and email, new ideas are often not well-looked three times a day” kind. If you’re having a hard time disconnecting, upon. I still remember an internship in read this: https://www.success.com/4-tips-for-reclaiming-your- my studies in which my direct supervi- weekends-from-self-confessed-workaholics/ sor, a PhD student, was surprised and a bit scared to learn that I had spent a full day reading and preparing my final presentation. The sentence that than one year in academic research not only amplifies the suffering of the was uttered? “You should be careful can probably tell you. I heard plenty of individual by implying it’s not valid, with doing these things during work- small sentences with a big long-term making us care less and less about a ing hours. No PI will like you taking impact, such as: “When I was a post- system that does not care about us. It time from experiments for this, since doc, I never worked under 12 hours a is also a calculation that simply does giving presentations is for your per- day”, “Me? I barely had any expenses not follow, because bad working con- sonal benefit.” as a PhD - I learned to survive on very ditions are counterproductive to doing little in terms of food and hardly any the best research we could be doing. In scientific research as in business (es- entertainment”, and finally, “Oh, I was pecially the start-up scene I mentioned working full-time on my research, and ...don’t breed good work before), it is normal to be swamped just worked in the service industry Generating novel ideas and innovative with very different commitments (or on the side, because the lab ran out of solutions to problems on the frontiers to act the part), and not being so is funds to pay me”. As someone who of human knowledge is no mean feat immediately scrutinized as “taking it has worked in the gastronomic service even in a health-promoting environ- too easy”. We work in an environment industry, I can tell you that even a few ment. It is therefore nigh-unbelievable that mistakenly assumes that the high- hours of waitressing can kill your en- that some of this still works ly intense “sprint working” one ergy levels for the day, and being able out, given all the fac- does to kick a project off to think of nothing but when you’ll be tors I outlined is something that able to get some rest doesn’t exactly as mental health “Being able to think of noth- is sustainable on enable you to achieve intellectual peak risks, and given ing but when you’ll be able to marathon-long performance. (I still don’t know how all the other aca- get some rest doesn’t exactly spurs [25], and, people who work a second job outside demic tasks that enable you to achieve intellec- hence, being per- of academia find the physical resourc- eat away at your petually tired and es to further their research. All of my attention. I - as tual peak performance.” overworked have respect to you.) sume that this is been elevated known to you if you are from a nuisance to a pre- Just dismissing this incredible amount the kind of person who, like me, sumed necessity for success and of strain and the existence of the ex- doesn’t like to put her name on half- a status indicator. If you don’t believe pectation to go through it with “Ev- baked teaching plans, presentations, that this is the culture we work in, take erybody is tired, everybody is stressed, grant/scholarship applications, and it from the philosopher Agnes Callard: and so was I when I was at your stage” student supervision. “In an academic context, I’ve noticed
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that complaining about how busy one is hits a sweet spot of oppression—I cannot manage my life!—and impor- Ways to lessen suffering in your academic tance—because I am so in demand!” environment [26] However, the idea that busy-ness and long working hours are a necessi- As a researcher with more authority or group leader I ty for success does not follow from the most recent studies on performance. • Remember that competitiveness is not just about producing results, but also about whether those results are indeed a close approxima- Many people are familiar with the tion of the truth (reproducibility!). Encourage a positive error cul- “10,000 hour study” – a study of virtu- ture, in which people get rewarded for figuring out and admitting oso violinists, which found that that’s to their own mistakes instead of doling out harsh punishments. about the number of hours of practice required to master an instrument [27]. • Remember that early-career researchers and gradu- This finding has been popularized by ate students are human beings with back stories that can Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Outliers”, vary wildly. If they let you, get to know them and treat thus spreading like wildfire in all sorts them accordingly when you judge their performance. of fields of work, which made the ex- pectations to work long hours soar ev- • Learn how to correct mistakes and give feedback in a way that erywhere (see above, e.g. the hustling motivates people instead of crushing their self-confidence. They mentality in startups). However, one will thank you with loyalty and staying motivated in the long run. crucial aspect that is rarely mentioned, Here’s a good starting point: https://blog.trello.com/kindly-cor- is that high performers also plan in rect-someone-wrong times of rest and relaxation [28, 29], and, in the case of the violinists, nev- er practice above a certain number of hours a day, and certainly not after the — like genetics, personality, life histo- Ericsson, one of the original authors point when they are not able to give ry, etc. — makes up the majority of the of the 10,000 hours study, has stated practice their full focus anymore. Af- difference.” that performance is not birthed from ter all, it is not only our time that is just those 10,000 hours, but is contin- finite, but also our energy, and work- Taken together, this means that there’s gent on getting good mentoring. In ing or practicing when we are not able only so much one can achieve with his own words: “Just working harder to focus only breeds burnout and costs investing tightly crammed hours into or working more does not seem to be us and our employers more in the long becoming better at something, such associated with high levels of perfor- run than simply working at a moder- as learning the facts of one’s field and mance. Rather, if you’re working with ate pace would [30]. the ropes of academia. It certainly does a teacher or a mentor who has attained not motivate the stress brought about this high level of performance, that in- The 10,000 hours study itself has been by the excessive working hours that dividual can help you now design the called into question several times in are expected of all scholars. In fact, kind of training activities that they its entirety, and the conclusions of it is known that imposing a certain may have engaged in in order to reach meta-analyzing the attempts to number of work hours on employ- that higher level of performance.”[36] reproduce it aren’t quite ees only leads to the phe- Science, is, of course, no exception to what the original nomenon known as this [37, 38] but, for the moment, in- authors would “presenteeism”, sufficient mentoring is also a striking like. As per an “It is known that imposing a where employees deficiency of academia [5]. article of Bri- certain number of work hours spend long hours an Resnick [31], on employees only leads to the at the workplace The core issue is systemic By now, it should be obvious to the practice accounts phenomenon known as 'pre- to impress their superiors, even reader that all of this extreme stress for only about senteeism.'” one fifth of the though they are and long working hours are doing performance differ- not able to deliver anything but turning us into better re- ences between good and elite anything else for the day searchers. Why, I ask, is it then, in the players, and the failure to replicate [33-35, and see 36 for a poignant face of such a body of evidence, still the original study’s findings, “[...] also comic discussing the issue and its considered par for the course to suffer means that a great many other factors implications]. And now even Anders like this while we work in academia?
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Even though much could be said about Jahren’s lack of self-awareness (judg- ing strictly by the contents of this book, published in 2016), I firmly be- lieve that her stance on how science should be done is merely a symptom of a systemic issue. Aside from the fact that science could really do with some catching up on organizational psychol- ogy (that discipline that helps compa- nies maximize their gains by support- ing employee wellbeing...) and could use a lot more funding to take some of the competitive edge off, I think that a significant part of the issue is a harm- ful mindset that we would do well to weed out if we want the academic work culture to ever change.
What I think keeps the factors lead- ing to such crass psychological suffer- ing alive is the fact that it has been, and still is, seen as normal for young researchers to go through the exten- sive suffering I described in the first ten-something years of their careers, like some sort of sadistic coming-of- age ritual. are, indeed, not worthy of your supe- words of hedging. riors investing time and effort in ex- Is it truly, really suffering? panding your mind, because you fall First, I am, of course, aware of the Why am I speaking of suffering? Be- short of the many ludicrous standards fact that academic suffering ranks far cause suffering isn’t just a diagnosed I mentioned before. It is dreading the below many other types of catastro- depression and/or anxiety or bipolar end of a two-year-contract because phe-grade human suffering. But does disorder or obsessive-compulsive dis- you may yet be pushed to apply for that mean we should tolerate it? We order. It is knowing that you are some scholarship or grant that do spend, after all, most of our waking expected to work well past won’t pay your costs hours at work, so why should we be your energy limits of living, not required to put up with this harangu- and that, if you to speak of the ing in order to be able to continue our don’t, you will Changing mindsets requires much-needed oc- work, which we started out of a pas- be disregard- “ casional escape sion that used to give us metaphorical ed. It is feeling us to first understand the from this stress- wings? overwhelmed source of the faulty beliefs ful everyday. day after day, leading to unproductive ideas.” Knowing how Second, I am aware that working con- feeling perpetu- much all of these ditions have improved over the last ally stretched thin factors predispose one few decades. After all, it isn’t common and that you don’t know to burnout [39], I am going to anymore for an university to threaten how you will make ends meet in set up a brave thesis here and say that the withdrawal of a graduate student’s the lab and outside, or how you will this is not how living should look like grant because they would like to marry survive another year of this infernal on a regular basis. their dying spouse, on the assumption working rhythm. It is feeling like you that marital duties would negatively are constantly coming short on one Not the worst, but still very impact the student’s productivity (this side of the many that are expected harmful is exactly what happened to Richard of you to excel at. It is carrying the Before I delve into a more philosoph- Feynman when he was a graduate burden of constantly feeling that you ical take on why we suffer, a few student at Princeton)[40]. But just be-
Graphic: Peter Forret on Flickr 50 CNS newsletter March 2020 CAMPUS
cause we have made progress, does it mean that we should now sleep on our laurels? I suppose most people would Ways to lessen suffering in your academic agree that, even though we have sur- environment passed the point where it was alright for the nobility to feast on caviar while As a researcher with more authority or group leader the rest of the population feasted on II rats, we should not stop attempting to improve the human condition. Call me • Learn how to speak about your science to a broader audi- a “Gutmensch” if you will, but I am of ence. Remember that foundation you keep reading about, the opinion that we all have to strive which offered grants to this and that prof? It will never offer to lessen any form of human suffering, to fund your work if the CEO doesn’t understand why it’s im- regardless of its cause, up to the point portant. More funds = less pressure on everyone, you includ- where this suffering is altogether erad- ed! And who knows, with it, perhaps you could finally hire icated. that lab manager and teaching assistant you are dreaming of?
Third, I am also aware that a handful • Encourage the participation of student and postdoc representatives of people succeed in the Sisyphean in decisionmaking meetings at your institutions. Having everyone task of getting a secure living while on the same page about changes in the institution makes people in academia. Certainly, these are the feel valued and is another great way to keep them motivated. people who will be pointed out by all the readers who, at this point, think • Wherever you can, speak up against unfair treatment, such as “I I am just another spoiled Millenni- expect risk taking but only if you get it right every time”. Also, al chick who makes demands before hard as it may be, stand up to your same-level colleagues if you delivering (I work on the assumption notice that they treat their subordinates unfairly. that a part of the readership scoffed and considered my burnout being just a result of me being a too sensitive Suffering: a misinterpretation that this should be the rule is a mon- fledgling and not psychologically “sta- When did tolerance to suffering be- strosity. Would it not make more sense ble enough” for the rigors of academia come an Olympic discipline in aca- to ensure we are avoiding suffering, to begin with.). However, in the face demic research? It seems to me that and encouraging that through differ- of human suffering caused by, say, an one of the first reasons is that we glo- ent narratives, instead of giving almost earthquake, do we assess the neces- rify suffering as a society. I am guess- everyone impostor syndrome, which sary levels of humanitarian aid by only ing this came about because we under- includes making them suffer for...not looking at the people that come out on stood and internalized the Bible in a suffering enough? the other side with minor injuries? Of backwards way (that whole part with course not: we take a complete picture “Blessed are those who are persecuted One of the reasons for which I think of all the people affected. This is what because of righteousness, for theirs is that the factors leading to such crass we should be doing in science too, and the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew psychological suffering have not been things are fortunately moving this 5:10). That good things should be systematically weeded out yet is that way, as shown by the exis- bestowed on those who we are, unconsciously, enamored with tence of the men- suffer should not two fantasies cooked up some 300 tal health sur- lightly be trans- years ago. veys I mentioned “We are, unconsciously, enam- formed into its earlier. But, just ored with two fantasies cooked corollary: that Genius, or: you wanted it badly like changing up some 300 years ago.” we must suffer enough one’s own mind, in order to get The first fantasy that all the hustle-fo- changing mind- recognition. Even cused thinking seems to stem from is sets requires us to first though a seemingly end- a belief deeply rooted in the American understand the source of the less number of movies and books dream, which, like all things USA, end- faulty beliefs leading to unproductive tacitly promote this belief, with their ed up influencing most of the world. ideas. We have, however, not near- protagonists undergoing terrible pro- That belief is that, if you want it badly ly sufficiently explored the historical fessional and private catastrophes in enough, you will find ways and you roots of our academic work culture order to become successful, assuming will do it, regardless of what obstacles enough in order to address them.
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are in your way. If you were only fasci- dramatic. There’s more than meets the is bad enough in itself, the fantasy of nated enough by your research topics, eye to this, though. the leisurely researching researcher is you would endure financial drought, steeped in several types of privilege. sexism and homelessness (like Jahren The discourse on how, when, where and her associate have) and come out and by whom science should be done If you are not entirely sure why I am victorious on the other side, with rec- has long been shaped by rich white talking about privilege at this point ognition as a scholar, funding for your men, and we see this reflected in the or how to understand it, you can get lab and the freedom to live the good image of the respectable scientist, some insight by first having a look at life, occasionally splurging on lunch who can take his time to muse on im- the short comic strip “On A Plate“, by for 200 dollars at Whole Foods (when portant questions and run quixotic Toby Morris [42]. I read this in the book, my neurons experiments (and he’s always a man, trained in financial insecurity almost of course). This has its roots in a time You see, Goethe had an easy time shar- had a heart attack). when science was the pastime of lords ing his seductive discourse on how the with boredom issues. Aside from, of way of life of the genius must include Just like some paragraphs ago, even course, making minorities feel like total sacrifice for obtaining wisdom, more dangerous is the corollary of this they don’t belong in that world, which while he was of wealthy descent and, belief: if you don’t make it, you just weren’t that into it to begin with, and you didn’t practice enough. This seems to be the gift that keeps on giving con- science relief for many people in posi- tions of power in academia. It quickly translates into “If the students don’t make it, they were just not trying hard enough, or they’re obviously not cut out for it.”, which makes for a facile ex- cuse to not try too hard to pay, mentor and lead one’s employees, because the truly good ones will fight and eventu- ally rise to the surface by themselves, won’t they? At this point, I would like to remind you of the quote about many people never getting to improve the world due to burnout.
Genius, or: a Faustian fantasy The second fantasy that suffering in academia draws from is the Faustian way of the genius. In high school, I have at least partially been seduced to a life as a scholar by Faust’s inspiring explanation that he wants to “under- stand what keeps the world together at its core”, and I thought: that’s precise- ly my future glorious life as a scholar! (ha). Goethe portrays the ideal schol- ar in the person of Faust: a man who forfeits worldly possessions and even the love of his life because he makes a pact with the devil in order to attain all possible knowledge and be left to toil away at furthering it for the rest of his life. At first glance, this seems to have been exactly Goethe’s own way of life, barring a touch of devil and the
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in later years, living off of an allow- how a researcher actually earns their colleague. In fact, this expectation to ance from Karl August of Weimar, living were basically sealed shut, up lose sleep should neither be met by with his mistress/wife catering to his to the point when I started working in someone who is otherwise healthy. every need better than any servant the field myself. There are plenty of studies by now would [41]. If I don’t take care of my that show the ill effects of not getting household, health, finances, insuranc- To me, it feels scandalizing that enough sleep, including the one that es and oftentimes even employment, Jahren does not once in can be summarized as “be- I have a serious risk of ending up in her book empa- ing tired is as bad dire straits that may impact my credit thize with her as being drunk” score negatively, lose me the so-very- students, who “Privilege comes in many [44]. And nobody vital health insurance, and put me at may not show shapes.” wants drunk-like the mercy of debt collectors. All of up on her door- scientists handling this would generate a level of anxiety, step being termi- carcinogens and that, as discussed before, is not exactly nally formed as research- explosives, right? However, guaranteed to make me a more pro- ers precisely because they do not the evidence shows that the academ- ductive scientist. come from as privileged a background ic working environment overshowers as she does. And there is more to this us with such expectations [6]. Since Of course, only doing science when privilege. I once heard a similar adage this in itself is what triggers mental rich is not, per se, what Jahren advo- from a professor saying that “sure, you illness in those of us with a less for- cates for in her book. She very well can be in science with a mental illness, tunate genetic makeup, it is an espe- captures the financial turmoil she went but only up to the point at which it cially cruel jape to measure everyone through for building up her labs, as starts affecting your productivity - we by an unified standard of performance she is also (surprise) not an old white are, after all, in a competitive field“. that measures the number of working lord in the good graces of a duke. But (Ironically, this professor focuses their hours and whether we produce a con- privilege comes in many shapes, and studies on a mental illness). stant flux of valuable results. the “if you want it bad enough, you’ll get it” mentality of academia is root- This quote highlights another lay- Additionally, some of us work a sec- ed in another type of privilege many er of privilege: not everyone has the ond job, either in order to make ends are not aware of: educational privilege good fortune of being in perfectly meet due to the low pay, or to ensure and/or class privilege. good physical and mental health, and our employability should we be one of it is therefore discriminatory to mea- those over 90% of cases who leave ac- More privilege to check sure everybody by the same standard ademia after their PhD or postdoc [45, How does the idea of privilege apply of long working hours at a crushing partially based on a report of the UK to Jahren and some other academic pace (this is called ableism). It costs Royal Academic society - 46]. Some scientists? Well, not everyone grows me a lot of effort to overcome my fear people may have an even more hidden up in a science lab with their dad be- of publicly admitting this, but I must: second job: caring for a sick loved one ing the town scientist and their mom people like Jahren and I are especially who is not able to do so by themselves. teaching them how to dissect heavy vulnerable in the face of the pressure These are all limiting factors on some- texts through her study of literature. that academic work culture mounts. body’s performance and should not be (I should know, having grown up as As I mentioned before, Jahren herself dismissed when evaluating an employ- the kid of two insurance company describes her struggle with her bipolar ee’s success, as they are not life choic- employees). Not everybody’s parents disorder type I in the book. One of the es, like partying a bit too hard on the can afford to let their children play important risk factors for setting off a weekend, but life circumstances that with things that birth a future career, manic episode is lack of sleep and/or one has little to no control over, and like Jahren’s father did for her, and sleep hygiene, as all the good habits cannot simply choose not deal with. it’s most often not for not wanting around sleeping are termed (going to to, but for the lack of financial means, bed at the same time, taking time to No ill intent and limitations time and opportunity. Like many of unwind beforehand, etc) [43]. Natu- Given that these privileged fantasies us, I have not touched labware up to rally, someone suffering from such an are so well-entrenched in the academ- the fourth semester of my Bachelor’s illness cannot, in a respectful world, ic mind that we take them for axioms, and hardly had any idea how a science be expected to forfeit sleep for their I recognize that much of the suffering project is managed up to my Master’s work, but this is precisely what she in academia does not come from ill internship. So, for me, when I decid- was oftentimes required to do as a stu- intent. The funding is indeed always ed that I would like to be a researcher, dent, for instance, in order to use a de- short, mostly not because of our di- around 2007, the ways of finding out vice managed by a creepy/hostile male rect bosses, and many academic lead-
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ers simply don’t know enough about cially and educationally privileged Implementing even the basic mea- healthy work habits for best perfor- people in scientific research than in sures that reduce suffering, such as mance, being just as much victims of the general population), are neither management trainings, establishing the two fantasies I outlined as all of rich hobbyists, nor singularly fixated support systems for people from dis- us are. I am fairly sure that Jahren minds, and we didn’t get a chance to advantaged backgrounds, and so on, herself is a victim of this perverted realize from the cradle that we want- are all things that cost a lot of money. belief system without realizing it. ed to be researchers. For most of However, large companies who imple- us, science occupies a medium ment such measures are not just Still, with the ever-increasing amount to high proportion of silly idealists, magnan- of knowledge on how certain aspects our interests, but imously extend- of scientific work culture harm the not the totality ing “free meals” ones who are supposed to be the most of them. We are “Much of the suffering in [48-50] and some productive, I say that it is up to you, employees with academia does not come from perks that may dear research group leader reading a high degree of ill intent.” seem downright this, to take action against the suffer- know-how and insane [50] to all ing and be better than your academic independence, but, in of their employees: they predecessors. Not having suffered is terms of our responsibilities, have gathered sufficient evidence not a career shortcoming, and I hope employees nonetheless, and not free- that these are investments which pay we can agree that suffering shouldn’t lancers. Therefore, I believe it is not off for them in time [51, summarized be wished on others just because it fair to ask of us to fend for ourselves and commented in 52]. After all, hap- happened to us. If you are still mak- but then make demands on our time py employees are more likely to be ing your mind up about this aspect, I and results. In order to be productive productive [53], innovate and thereby urge you to read through this @dan- in the long run, we need to be able to provide their employers with a com- iel_swensen’s Twitter thread below. live off our wages, not just subsist, petitive edge [54, 55]. Now, I am not and we need to be able to live our delusional and hence not expecting We, the 90%* of science, because I profession, but not be consumed by research contracts to come with com- assume a higher proportion of finan- it. plimentary pilates subscriptions any time soon. I know that many research groups struggle even with buying the most basic lab consumables, as am- Ways to lessen suffering in your academic ply exemplified in Jahren’s book, but environment there are improvements that don’t cost money, such as not discourag- As a researcher with more authority or group leader ing your employees from taking the III already meagre number of vacation days** they are entitled to. I think it • Similarly, I urge you to not treat early-career researchers as ought to be clear where the priorities worthless until proven otherwise. If they made it as far as ap- should lie from a humanitarian stand- plying for a PhD or even postdoc, there’s probably some perfor- point: people are hurt when they are mance ability in them that you can tease out with proper training. spent, money isn’t.
• Only take on as many graduate students as you can effectively I know there is much nostalgia for mentor. There’s hardly any higher stress than starting out ina how things used to be in academia, new field by being thrown into the cold water of suddenly needing too. I think this betrays a highly hu- to manage your own project, and being the sole responsible for its man sentiment: fear in the face of the success or failure when you barely know the ropes of research. ever-accelerating changing of our world orders, and a perceived lack of • Don’t just let your employees sort out hierarchies and who “de- capacities adapt to them. I am sure serves” to be in science by themselves. This inevitably leads to that that many who, unconsciously think picture with several birds sitting on the rungs of a ladder, where along the lines of “well, I suffered, but excrement builds up increasingly on the birds as you look towards it built character, so the next gener- the lower levels. Actually lead your team, and lead by example of ation should too” do not do this out fair treatment. of genuine cruelty, but because they simply have not dwelled on alterna- tive ways of teaching people how to *90, not 99%, because I assume a higher proportion of financially and educationally privileged people in scientific research than in the general population
54 CNS newsletter March 2020 CAMPUS
overcome hardship. However, in the I know, from my own circumstances, the joy of the everyday ousted by over- face of such overwhelming evidence that it feels impossible to do all of this, work, all while running after a tenure of the need for improvement, I expect given that we are (justly) afraid carrot that 98% of us will never people in academic positions of power of the immense compe- grasp [46]. We (hope- to do what they pride themselves in tition for funding fully) all know doing so well: to change their mindset out there. But this to be true in from these 300-year-old fantasies and systemic change People are hurt when they the meanwhile, privileges to one that shows a bit more will never come “ no matter what understanding for employees also be- without the peo- are spent, money isn’t.” sweet, sweet ing people, and to educate themselves ple from within promises our PIs about how to implement this in ev- the system asking make, all while of- eryday work life. As exemplified by for it and doing things dif- ten assuming we are just a all those fancy companies like Google ferently. It’s never easy to stand up pair of hands until proven otherwise. [50], this will not only lead to high- for what’s right when you have a lot And even if I won’t make it very far er productivity, but, precisely because to lose. In this vein, I also know that, scientifically until my planned demise we are (scientific) researchers, this especially as a PhD student, you have from the field, I at least know I will not will ultimately also be beneficial for a lot more to lose than grants. You feel have trampled down the grass further the rest of society. like you can’t do much because the on a path of damaging fantasies that power dynamic between you and your almost everyone else tramples down Waiting for the transformation supervisor is usually crushing. As we on, unaware. Until such major changes in the mind- well know, if your PI deems you un- sets occur and are implemented as worthy of graduation, you most like- Unification from the grass roots up, work standards, we must remember ly won’t even get there, even if this is my friends, not uniformization from time and time again that, even though not based on a fair evaluation. If your above. suffering has become the norm in PI does not want to extend your con- academic research, it is not normal. tract, you only have the unfair choice Ioana Weber Suffering should not be the standard. of fighting tooth-and-nail for one of PhD Student, AG Tarabykin Most certainly, suffering is not my the unsatisfactory scholarships or standard. I therefore refuse to be made dumping three years’ worth of work to feel guilty anymore for not contin- and starting over somewhere else. But 1. https://anon.to/G0lV9f ually overworking myself to the point there are still small things you can do 2. https://anon.to/suCaqB where I have a near-constant sore (see text box) so that we may gradually 3. https://www.vox.com/2015/9/8/9261531/ throat, at least when I’m not in the fin- change the work culture from within. professor-quitting-job ishing throes of my PhD or in the few 4. Knauff, Pina: “Mad World: Mental Health in Academia”. 2018, CNS Newsletter, Vol. 11, weeks up to a publication/grant dead- Outlook Issue 3 line. I refuse to willingly go into that I sincerely hope that humanity will see 5. https://www.phdnet.mpg.de/41701/PhD- state of rush anymore where I feel, many more books that, like Jahren’s, net-Survey-2017-Final-Report.pdf somewhere in the depths of my mind, poignantly capture the passion for 6. https://www.nature.com/articles/ d41586-019-03459-7 how my body is screaming for rest, science that has brought humanity 7. Levecque K, Anseel F, De Beuckelaer A, Van but where my smugness/incessant from living an average of thirty years der Heyden J, Gisle L. (2017) Work organi- anxiety to not be kicked out of science in caves to living eighty-odd years in zation and mental health problems in PhD makes me plough on for just one more perfectly air-conditioned spaces. It is, students. Res Policy. 46(4):868–879 8. Evans TM, Bira L, Gastelum JB, Weiss LT, experiment this weekend. I refuse to in my opinion, vital to keep the impor- Vanderford NL. (2018) Evidence for a bow to the pressure to play the part tance of science and research in gener- mental health crisis in graduate educa- of someone solely and only interested al alive in the minds of every human tion. Nat Biotechnol. 36(3):282–284. PMID: in the inner workings of cells when I being, but, in an equal measure, to be 29509732 9. U Berkeley 2014 Graduate Student Well-Be- am, in fact, more than that. I refuse to transparent about how we are doing ing and Happiness Report (PDF) https:// be treated like worthless until proven science and critical about what this anon.to/jnuSI2 otherwise. I will take my holidays, and means for both researchers and soci- 10. NAGPS Institute mental health survey I will use my academic prerogative of ety as a whole, report (PDF) https://anon.to/nZ1s7J 11. Sverdlik A, Hall NC. (2019) Not just the occasional short day to make up a phase: Exploring the role of pro- for all the fourteen-hour-workdays The future shall tell if I’ll amount to gram stage on well-being and motiva- that are sometimes inevitable. Perhaps anything in terms of being a scientist tion in doctoral students. https://doi. you could try it too? and making discoveries, but at least I org/10.1177/1477971419842887 12. Engel GL (1977). The need for a new med- won’t have spent years of my life with *90, not 99%, because I assume a higher proportion of financially and educationally privileged people in scientific research than in the general population ** if you are looking for more suggestions, check the box on page 48
March 2020 CNS newsletter 55 CAMPUS
ical model: a challenge for biomedicine. DOI: 27. https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1 43. Lewis KS (2007) Sleep loss as a trigger of 10.1126/science.847460 037%2F0033-295X.100.3.363 mood episodes in bipolar disorder: individual 13. Schmidt CW (2007) Environmental connec- 28. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ differences based on diagnostic subtype and tions: A Deeper Look Into Mental Illness. mental-downtime/ gender. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.117.202259 doi: 10.1289/ehp.115-a404 29. https://www.success.com/why-leaders-need- 44. https://anon.to/RuVUml 14. Hari J (2019) Lost Connections, 2 nd to-make-time-for-self-care/ 45. https://anon.to/ppDFvH ed. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 30. https://hbr.org/2007/10/ 46. Royal Academic Society report (PDF) https:// 978-1-4088-7872-9 manage-your-energy-not-your-time anon.to/ceKojL 15. Editorial: The Mental Health of PhD research- 31. https://www.vox.com/science- 47. Morgan J (2014) The top 10 factors for on- ers demands urgent attention. (2019) Nature and-health/2019/8/23/20828597/ the-job employee happiness. https://anon.to/ 575, 257-258, doi:10.1038/d41586-019-03489-1 the-10000-hour-rule-debunked lDx66S 16. Young V (2011). The Secret Thoughts of 32. https://www.thehrdirector. 48. https://www.fastcompany.com/3056205/ Successful Women. Currency, ISBN-10: com/features/presenteeism/ these-are-the-best-employee-benefits-and- 0307452719 presenteeism-threat-productivity/ perks 17. https://blog.trello.com/scandinavian-se- 33. https://www.bbc.com/news/ 49. https://www.bamboohr.com/blog/ crets-to-work-and-life-satisfaction business-47911210 best-employee-benefits-and-perks/ 18. https://waitbutwhy.com/2017/03/elon-musk- 34. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/pre- 50. https://computer.howstuffworks.com/ post-series.html senteeism.asp googleplex3.htm 19. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/28/busi- 35. https://english.emmaclit.com/2017/09/25/ 51. Loeppke RR et al (2015) Integrating Health ness/elon-musk-tesla.html waiting/] and Safety in the Workplace: How Close- 20. https://www.gruenderszene.de/karriere/ 36. Interview with Anders Ericsson https://anon. ly Aligning Health and Safety Strategies erfahrungsbericht-drei-startups to/9RZvd7 Can Yield Measurable Benefit. doi: 10.1097/ 21. https://www.theguardian.com/technolo- 37. Kridelbaugh D (2017) The Value of Mentor- JOM.0000000000000467 gy/2018/jun/13/tesla-workers-pay-price- ship in the Scientific Field https://anon.to/ 52. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/ecpe/the- elon-musk-failed-promises JYORD8 business-benefits-of-a-healthy-workforce/ 22. https://qz.com/work/1528263/the-risk-of- 38. Feldmann MD et al (2010) Does mentor- 53. https://fortune.com/2015/10/29/ thinking-of-your-job-as-a-higher-calling/ ing matter: results from a survey of faculty happy-productivity-work/ 23. Atwood M (2003) Oryx and Crake, 6 th ed. mentees at a large health sciences university. 54. https://www.business.org/finance/benefits/ Nan A. Talese, ISBN-10: 9780385503853 doi: 10.3402/meo.v15i0.5063 top-reasons-to-offer-employee-benefits/ 24. Newport C (2016) Deep Work. Piatkus, ISBN- 39. https://blog.trello.com/guide-to-burnout 55. https://www.inc.com/rhett-power/10-rea- 10: 0349411905 40. https://www.brainpickings.org/2017/10/17/ sons-why-it-is-important-create-a-happy- 25. https://youtu.be/zHMfmclWXT8 richard-feynman-arline-letter/ workplace.html 26. https://thepointmag.com/examined-life/ 41. https://www.britannica.com/biography/ 56. Oakley B (2014) A mind for numbers. who-wants-to-play-the-status-game-agnes- Johann-Wolfgang-von-Goethe TarcherPerigee, ISBN-10: 9780399165245 callard/ 42. https://anon.to/wig9ai
Graphic: macrovector on Freepik 56 CNS newsletter March 2020 CAMPUS
Hearing Walls
A remarkable experience from the 36th Chaos Communications Congress
The Chaos Communication Congress perception of blind people in society, perately try to) create a non-visu- is an annual event hosted by the Cha- as the organizer of this year’s work- al representation of it in your head. os Computer Club, bringing together shop. In an introductory talk, he first hackers from Germany and many oth- told us how to to use the white cane, “Helping” isn’t always helpful er countries. They meet up between and how to synchronize it with your That one hour was just a short practice, Christmas and New Year’s Eve and steps. He taught our group of five to but the insights of how blind people’s created a four-five day long self-orga- walk boldly and not being shy of pos- navigation works remain unforgetta- nized, technology-centered, idealistic sible collisions. After a short practice ble. The evaluating talk and feedback bubble at the Leipziger Messe. Start- period, we were blindfolded and as- session afterwards gave some advice ed in the ‘80s by German politically signed a (visually unimpaired) vol- on how Sai, as a blind person, would engaged “computer freaks,” it draws unteer followed us, guiding our steps like to be treated by people: Never in people from all parts of society, at first and helping when we got lost. “help” someone without asking, never sometimes only loosely connected to touch without asking! (You’d be sur- technology. With as many as 17,000 A world unknown prised how often this happens!) Blind participants nowadays, it is the big- To me, this only one-hour experi- people often know the place better gest hacker convention of the world— ence during a crowded congress with than you do—and appearing disorient- and “all creatures are welcome”. many unfamiliar rooms and huge halls ed to an observer may, in fact, just be opened up a new view of the world. I re-orienting. Observe, and try to use A main philosophy of the congress is learned a little about how to perceive common sense and stay respectful. sharing knowledge freely and engag- space with my body, instead of my ing in interactions centered around eyes: I learned to “hear” walls—be- The c3blind assembly was active learning from each other. As part cause that is the direction from which during congress the first time and is of this, there is c3blind (Twitter: @ no sound comes ; I learned to “feel” looking forward to return in the fu- c3blind), an assembly created and run tunnels—because there is always an ture. Until then, Sai is preparing a by visually impaired people in the con- air stream going through. You “hear” transcription of his workshop and gress. Their goal is to create an under- the size of a room, from its echoes (or you should definitely check it out! standing of people for the daily strug- the absence of them); You “feel” the gles of blind people in public spaces. type of ground you walk on: Glass RenÉ Herzog feels different from wood, stone, met- M.Sc. Student, Applied I met Sai (Twitter: @saizai), who is al. Your world gets reassembled from Computer Sciences also engaged in research about the all these perceptions and you (des-
A display at the 2019 Chaos Communications Congress "36C3 2019" by Yves Sorge on Flickr March 2020 CNS newsletter 57 CAMPUS
Netflix & Brain
Netflix’s “The Mind, Explained” teaches neuroscience on demand
“Some moments feel so important tal palace. Another great thing about quite popular in the past few years. that there’s a perfect recording etched The Mind, Explained is that unlike oth- Vox’s expertise is to explain various in our minds.“ With these words, the er popular science series, despite sim- concepts with different complexities episode about memory opens in The plifying the topics explained, the nar- and this show is pretty much a visual Mind, Explained, a popular science rators are doing a great job sticking to manifestation of Vox’s finest experts. Netflix docuseries about interesting the facts and deliver the most import- I would be very happy to see more questions in neuroscience. Each epi- ant parts rather than omitting crucial shows like The Mind, Explained that sode covers a topic, from memory to information in order to make the topic make neuroscience more accessible for psychedelic drugs and anxiety, during more relatable or understandable. In others, and am waiting for more epi- which different experts and people fact, I think that The Mind, Explained sodes to come out. associated with the field explain it in could be very beneficial for education- a fun way that is easy to understand, al purposes, as it makes science more using study results and in-person in- enjoyable. It could even inspire more terviews. The explanations are paired high school students to pursue a ca- with great visuals to illustrate the un- reer in neuroscience and become fu- derlying mechanisms, brain regions, ture neuroscientists! and chemical compounds involved in the process. As a side note, The Mind, Explainedis a Nina Soto sub-series of the show Explained, both M.Sc. Student, Let’s take the episode about memory of which are created by Vox. Vox is an Medical Neurosciences as an example. Memory is a complex education platform that has become concept, which involves many mo- lecular, cellular, and network-based processes in multiple brain regions de- pending on the type of memory being encoded. The way the show introduc- es the concept of memory breaks the complexity down in a way it can be understood. It goes into detail about the fascinating concept of how our brains can register different informa- tion, events, facts and procedures. The format’s presentation of the capability of our brains is designed for the mass- es, so even a person with absolutely no background of neuroscience could un- derstand it. More importantly, it sheds light on how amazing our brains are, so it could attract people who never thought they’d be interested in neuro- science.
I especially liked the storyline, which followed the “memory palace” the- ory. The Memory Palace (also called “method of loci”) technique is based on the fact that we’re extremely good at remembering places we know. A ‘Memory Palace’ is a metaphor for any well-known place that one is able to easily visualise, and it is one of the most powerful tools to memorise large sequences of information, by assigning the information to objects encoun- tered during a walk through our men- Graphics: combination of Freepik and macrovector on Freepik 58 CNS newsletter March 2020 CAMPUS
The March for Science
Science, not silence!
March for Science is a worldwide com- munity comprising scientists, science advocates, teachers, students, work- ers, parents, and youth. Together, they defend “science and a more sus- tainable, just world”. Their mission is to get advocates around the globe to propose “evidence-based, science-in- formed public policies” [1]. One of their main values is based on Rosa- lind Franklin’s saying “Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated.” Therefore, they -sug gest that the advances of science have to be used for the “common good”. But how did that movement start?
How the March for Science began The statement of US President Donald Trump that global warming is a “hoax” was an alarm call for the scientific Protesters at the Washington, D.C. March for Science in 2017 community. His announcements that there would be changes in environ- Union and the European Association as scientists, have our voices heard mental policies and double-digit cuts of Geochemistry, to name a few. Tens on a national level, not just in speak- in the funding for health, environmen- of thousands volunteers and about a ing to like-minded individuals” [2]. tal and research institutions, urged million social media users continue scientists to take action [2,8]. A to support the movement [3, Concerns user of Reddit was actually the 4], which now comprises more As March for Science has grown into one to first stress the impor- than 500 events – including a mass movement worldwide, there tance of scientists marches, rallies and has been a lot of dispute on the move- marching [2]. It teach-ins globally ment’s real aim. Specifically, critics went viral and on accuse the movement of having dis- Science and in order to draw April 22nd, 2017 - “ people’s attention torted its initial goal of supporting Earth Day - they everyday life cannot and to science [2, 8]. science itself towards presenting the planned to “walk should not Among those ini- difficulties scientists from racial- mi out of the lab and be separated.” tiatives, there is a norities’ backgrounds have to face into the streets” -Rosalind Franklin petition to pressure [7]. Another main concern is that the in Washington the US Congress protest renders science as a partisan D.C., as the new to research on gun issue. However, event organizers and regulations could violence. There is also a cam- supporters oppose this view and claim highly possibly raise pollu- paign to inform legislators that the marches aren’t political [7]. tion levels, have a negative about the climate change Other concerns were related to man- impact on health and on pre- - e.g. that it can increase agement practices, given its non-prof- dicting natural disasters [3]. the chances of wildfires - it status and its decision to remain “a and thus take action [8]. movement to advance science and its Ever since the movement role in public life” [5]. These concerns was initiated, it was im- The main view of scientists were actually posted as an open letter mediately supported by re- joining the movement is that to the central March for Science orga- nowned scientific societies “those who remain silent in nization in New York City by both ac- e.g. Nature, American Asso- the face of national policy tive and former volunteers on October ciation for the Advancement that attacks scientific cre- 23rd, 2017. The letter addressed issues of Science and the Union ativity and discovery will of secrecy and unwillingness of the of Concerned Scientists in only contribute to further organizers to distribute information the United States, as well as public opposition to the sci- across co-organizers from ‘satellite’ the European Geosciences entific community. We must, groups worldwide [5]. Additionally, Graphics: Stephen Melkisethian on Flickr and gstudioimagen on Freepik March 2020 CNS newsletter 59 CAMPUS
they were charged of marginalizing academic organisations [6]. Its sup- reluctant to express publicly their experienced activists who proposed porters also believe that critics who views for the sake of science. that the movement should aim on think this movement will strength- ways through which science will have en political views and deteriorate the The motivation of scientists to partici- less minority discriminations [5]. current situation, underrate the signif- pate varies. Some request that science icance of putting the target audience is peer reviewed and not politically Answer to the critics (pro-science) into action, since it com- biased [7]. Others, emphasize that pol- Organizers refuse that they profit prises of numerous participants [4]. iticians have to realize the leading role from this movement. They also claim of science to both health and economy it is offensive to the women in- lead “To change politics do more than [7]. This can only be achieved if scien- ership, underestimating their work march” [3] tists as active citizens get involved in and commitment to the goal. Rather, People who have joined the move- demanding for change, as some partic- they state that “most people do not ment want to make sure that, after ipants support. Science itself faces its have the luxury of volunteering full the march, there will be a long-lasting own difficulties, since it’s being con- time in perpetuity, and need - and de- message to politicians and that “like ducted by humans. However, it is only serve - to be paid for this work.” [5]. science, votes will follow the evidence” through science that one can expect [3]. Therefore, they suggested contact- to educate ourselves, trigger curiosity, Since inclusion and diversity in science ing state or federal representatives tackle future problems, get rid of prej- are their fundamental values, the or- and informing them that representa- udices and connect with diverse peo- ganisers support that they ensure there tives will lose voter, unless support is ple for the common good [6, 7]. This given e.g. to the National Oceanic and is why “Science has been, is and will Atmospheric Administration’s offic- be the reason that humanity moves es that forecast storm risk or coastal forward. It is the voice of reason in- erosion [3]. It is not exactly specified side the huge organism we call the hu- “politicians have to realize what kind of “support” they would man race, and I will not let this voice the leading role of science to expect. However, apart from finan- be unheard. I hope this march will cial aid, they likely mean the support both health and economy” bring public attention to science.”, as of science itself, acknowl- one participant passionately said [2]. edging that science, being based on facts, is no “hoax”. Long-term goals Another proposal they made Obviously, ensuring government is donation - of time and grants for basic research and envi- money - to organisations ronmental programmes is a long- are people from differ- that support government term goal. In order to achieve this, ent backgrounds at all policies based on scien- it is very important that delegates of levels of leadership in tific and medical facts [3]. government science positions have all March for Science the appropriate expertise [8]. Other national committees. Given Why people join (or plans include open access to scien- that discrimination is an ob- don’t) tific papers funded by government stacle to scientific progress, A great amount of sci- grants, in addition to data privacy they confront it with discus- entists don’t take a po- and net neutrality [8]. Concerning sion, even if it gets uneasy [6]. litical position in order the latter, US Federal Communica- to avoid loss of research tions Commission had announced Their answer to the fear of grants or being character- its aim to stop net neutrality by en- politicizing science was that ized in a specific manner abling internet-service providers to “... [given] scientists are -hu (e.g. belonging to party refuse access to certain websites [8]. man beings, science is not A or B). In other words, divorced from politics”. That’s they’re hesitant to par- In London, 2018’s rally’s aim was why they wanted to have a ticipate for reputation apart from securing grants for sci- variety of ideas and people, reasons [6]. On the oth- entific education and research, to who would, however, share a er hand, there are also a bring also Londoners in contact with common goal: science. That’s lot of researchers who scientific projects in their proximity. how they got the attention claim that “science isn’t The goal was to spark people’s inter- and the support of more than partisan and doesn’t take est, so they can take action togeth- 160 scholarly scientific and sides” [6]. So, they’ re not er with local organisations, such as Graphic: gstudioimagen on Freepik 60 CNS newsletter March 2020 CAMPUS
Zoi Chasapopoulou M.Sc. Student, Medical Neurosciences
1. http://bit.ly/38v6MoH Protesters at the Berlin March for Science in 2017 2. https://go.nature.com/3aCmO1C 3. http://bit.ly/2VOtNjQ neighbourhood clean-up schemes, Take home message 4. https://go.nature.com/3aF5uJ5 a campaign to support the National The movement has grown so much that 5. https://go.nature.com/2TwAghK Health Service or educational proj- it is not easy for everyone involved to 6. https://go.nature.com/2PTDGsP ects for young women in science convey a single andd united message 7. https://go.nature.com/2PVDj0V and technology fields [8]. Another [4]. Nonetheless, this is exactly the 8. https://go.nature.com/330Iimk aim was to persuade legislators to reason why the movement gained so 9. https://go.nature.com/2U implement the Next Generation Sci- much strength and public attention. It ence Standards [9], a set of guidelines is also inevitable that the movement is that addresses the issue of teaching flirting between the lines of science and students evolution, as well as the ef- politics. It could also be that science fects of human activity on climate [8]. and science communication can exist without involving politics anyway and Apart from these, in order to protect maybe the movement didn’t complete- freedom of expression for different ly achieve to distinguish those lines. matters, there have been established However, if they were indeed clearly several other social events worldwide. distinguished, maybe one could hard- For instance, there are some “Science ly expect desirable changes in legisla- Cafés”, including in Berlin, where tions [4]. So, despite all the concerns, people have the opportunity to talk it is to be admitted that this move- with scientists about their ongoing ment has joined forces from scientists research, as well as science education worldwide for one common purpose: for children and more [8]. For exam- to speak about science, their values ple, “Berlin Science Talk," “Pop Sci- and to stress that taking into account ence Café” as well as "Pint of Science," science is the best approach for policy are initiatives which both enable sci- making that respects all communities entists to discuss about their field of [4, 8]. All in all, it’s of outmost signif- expertise to a diverse audience in a icance that researchers’ voice is heard more relaxed atmosphere. There is also not only among their scientific circle, a “Junior Science Café,” which aims in but also in the outside world. Only in engaging school students in Digital this way, will misinformation be de- Science. However, this is a project of creased and will the public understand Wissenschaft im Dialog (WiD), which that “science and everyday life cannot is funded by Deutsche Telekom [10]. and should not be separated” [1, 7].
Graphics: gstudioimagen on Freepik and March for Science Germany on Flickr March 2020 CNS newsletter 61 CAMPUS
News in Brief
Master’s Applications 2020 The numbers of our applications slight- ly increased to 93 by 47% compared to the record low of 63 in 2018, and 33% compared to 2019. Yet the num- bers are far away from years without tuition fees, when we had on aver- age about 200 applications. Where do our applicants come from? The map below gives you an overview, with applicants’ countries of origin.
A New PhD Student We warmly welcome Alba del Río Ser- rato to our program! She has been work- ing on her thesis since May 2019 in the lab of Prof. Dr. Carmen Infante-Duarte. Alba is a MedNeuro Master’s alumna Charité NeuroScience and graduated in September 2018. (CNS) Newsletter
Review of the Master’s Program Every three years, external reviewers Correspondence evaluate our Master’s program. The Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin panel consists of experts on the field International Graduate Program of neuroscience who have experience “Medical Neurosciences” in coordinating programs and teach- Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin ing. One external student is also part This is an important feedback for improv- Neuramus III Proposal Submitted of the panel. They will interview - fac ing our program and assures quality. The The new proposal for the Neurasmus Contact ulty, chairpersons of modules, local panel gives recommendations and/or program has been submitted. Let’s keep [email protected] students and the coordination team. requirements that have to be addressed. our fingers crossed that it gets granted so that we can continue to train even Editors-in-Chief more dedicated, hard-working and Bettina Schmerl awesome students! The picture below Alexander Masurovsky was taken at the graduation ceremony Ioana Weber during the Neurasmus annual meeting Lorena Sganzerla 2019 in Berlin at the Berlin Museum of Medical History at Capus Mitte of the Issue Editors Charité – Universtitätsmedizin Berlin. Shereen Abdelnabi Constance Holman Summer Elective: Functional Sarah Margo Gawronska Neuroanatomy This summer, 22 – 26 June, you are Cover and Layout once again encouraged to partici- Demi Lee pate in the elective course on Func- Jana Quismundo tional Neuroanatomy taught by Prof. Wil Smeets of Vrije Universiteit Am- Images/Illustrations sterdam. We will keep you posted. Unless otherwise specified, by Demi Lee and Jana Quismundo, with free resources from freepik.com or Creative Commons-licensed resources
Volume 13, Issue 1. Stand:12/2019 Ralf Ansorg MedNeuro Office
Map: Ralf Ansorg with R/googleVis; Photo by Neurasmus program 62 CNS newsletter March 2020 SPARK-BIH Validation Fund - Call for translational project proposals opens on May 4th, 2020
Scientists and clinicians of all career levels from BIH, Charité and MDC are invited to submit their translational project proposals at the SPARK-BIH validation fund between May 4th 2020 and June 18th 2020. The funding aims at supporting translational projects in the areas of pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostic development from all medical fields. In addition to funding all chosen projects participate in the SPARK-BIH mentoring program which offers regular meetings, workshops on translational topics as well as an expert network to support the projects.
The aim of the SPARK-BIH Validation Fund is the transfer of basic research into clinical practice.
All applications will be submitted via the BIH Charité NeuroScience (CNS) Newsletter online application portal. Further information will be posted soon at: https://spark-bih. de/ and the BIH website. Correspondence Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin International Graduate Program “Medical Neurosciences” Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin Stay safe from the Contact coronavirus! [email protected]
Imprint Editors-in-Chief Bettina Schmerl Alexander Masurovsky Ioana Weber Lorena Sganzerla
Issue Editors Shereen Abdelnabi Constance Holman Sarah Margo Gawronska
Cover and Layout Demi Lee Jana Quismundo
Images/Illustrations Unless otherwise specified, by Demi Lee and Jana Quismundo, with free resources from freepik.com or Creative Commons-licensed resources
Volume 13, Issue 1. Stand:12/2019