bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Entrepreneurial Orientation on Radical Innovation: Mediating Roles of Organizational Learning and Network Capabilities
Authors:   Centre of Postgraduate Studies, Asia Metropolitan University (AMU), Johor Bahru, Malaysia., Lu Guojian
Published: December 2024

This study delves into the impact of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on radical innovation within specialized and new enterprises situated in Zhejiang Province, China. Building upon knowledge-based theory, organizational learning theory, and social network theory, this study develops a comprehensive model that explores the mediating effects of organizational learning ability (OLA) and enterprise network ability (ENA) on the relationship between EO and radical innovation. Through a meticulous questionnaire survey of 350 enterprises, this study collects rich data which are subsequently analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software. Our findings unveil that EO exerts a notably positive influence on radical innovation, with the dimensions of innovation and foresight/proactivity demonstrating more substantial effects compared to risk-taking. Furthermore, both OLA and ENA function as critical mediators in the EO-radical innovation nexus, fostering a mutually reinforcing and cyclical relationship that underscores their synergistic effect. These insights offer actionable recommendations for enterprises aiming to bolster radical innovation by aligning their strategic orientation, enhancing organizational learning, and cultivating robust network capabilities.
The Impact of Social Presence on Impulsive Purchase Intentions in Live Streaming E-Commerce
Authors:   Centre of Postgraduate Studies, Asia Metropolitan University (AMU), Johor Bahru, Malaysia., Zhang Xiaoran
Published: December 2024

With the rapid growth of live streaming e-commerce, understanding the factors influencing consumer behavior is crucial for the industry’s sustainability. This study explores the relationships between social presence, perceived value, emotional quality, and impulsive purchase intention in live streaming e-commerce platforms. Drawing on theories of social presence and consumer behavior, it is hypothesized that social presence positively affects perceived value and impulsive purchase intention, with perceived value mediating and emotional quality moderating these effects. Data from a survey of 550 consumers were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results confirm that social presence significantly enhances impulsive purchase intention and perceived value, with perceived value fully mediating the relationship between social presence and impulsive purchase intention. Emotional quality was found to moderate this relationship, with positive emotions amplifying the effect of social presence. These findings offer both theoretical and practical insights, suggesting that e-commerce platforms can boost consumer engagement and sales by optimizing social presence, enhancing perceived value, and fostering positive emotional experiences. The implications for both researchers and practitioners are discussed, along with directions for future research.
Research Preparation in Australian Accredited Counsellor Education: A Brief Report
Authors: Beel Nathan , Purvis Mayumi
Published: December 2024

This study investigated the research training opportunities offered in accredited Australian counselling courses. A desktop review of 90 accredited counselling qualifications across 44 institutions was conducted, focusing on the inclusion of named research methodology and project subjects. Results indicate a wide variation of exposure to specific research methodology and project subjects, depending on the level of study and specific course chosen. Students who study courses offering insufficient research training and production may require additional bridging studies to be eligible for doctoral studies. Recommendations are provided.
Gustav Shpet, Immanuel Kant and Terminist Logic
Authors: Dennes Maryse
Published: December 2024

In his book Appearance and Sense Gustav Shpet, comparing Immanuel Kant’s transcendental logic with the traditional probleтs of the philosophy of language, thought it appropriate and conceptually effective to turn to the medieval scholastic debate on universals. Later, in the Hermeneutics and Its Problems, he goes back to this discussion and notes that it was the framework in which the thirteenth-century tradition of “terminist” logic was formed. Shpet attributed the fruitfulness of this approach to his concept of the inner form of the word. Terminist logic is based on the definition and analysis of such terms as significatio, suppositio, expositio, exponibilia, and Shpet, in examining them, demonstrates the consonance of his concept with terminist logic. Proceeding from thirteenth-century logical studies, he proposes his own approach to resolving the contradictions found in Kant’s critical philosophy. Shpet believed that transcendental idealism failed to resolve the problem of the relation between intuition and concept (even though Kantian “schematism” was a search for such resolution). This inherent Kantian problem is for Shpet a take-off point to which he kept returning throughout his career. I will pay particular attention to such works as Appearance and Sense, in which Shpet broadens the problematics of Husserl’s phenomenology, and The Inner Form of the Word, in which he reinterprets Humboldt’s philosophy of language. In both cases Shpet shows that neither Husserl nor Humboldt managed to overcome the Kantian contradiction. So the reference to Kant is a starting point from which Shpet proceeds to put forward and consolidate his hypotheses. It is in thirteenth-century terminist logic that Shpet will see an original way of overcoming the Kantian contradiction and direct us toward interpreting the problems of the philosophy of language.
Developing an ethical framework for artificial intelligence management in the financial sector
Authors:   Banking Academy of Vietnam, Nguyen Bich Ngan
Published: December 2024

The exponential growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has yielded significant achievements across various sectors of the economy, including finance. This growth, however, has also introduced economic instabilities that regulators need to address by establishing ethical frameworks. These frameworks are essential to ensure that AI is managed properly and does not contravene the financial regulations and legal standards of a country. Drawing on the experiences of countries including the United States of America, Europe, and China by gathering regulations publicized by authorities, this study aims to offer recommendations for regulatory bodies on developing an ethical framework for AI management in the financial sector, with the ultimate purpose is to use AI in a way that is sustainable and socially responsible, thereby contributing to the establishment of a developed and sustainable financial system. The study also discusses the potential challenges of implementing AI ethical frameworks in organizations in the financial sector, which may raise the necessary adjustments of AI ethical framework when being applied in practice.
PERSEPSI GURU DAN SISWA TERHADAP KUALITAS PELAYANAN PERPUSTAKAAN DI SEKOLAH DASAR NEGERI 004 SAMARINDA ULU
Authors: Gustiawan Fathan , Eka Wardhana Kautsar
Published: December 2024

This study aims to explore the perceptions of teachers and students towards library services at school. The method was descriptive qualitative, with data collection through in-depth interviews and observation. The research subjects comprised 3 teachers and 2 students at 004 Elementary School of  Samarinda Ulu. This study used triangulation to analyze the data studied. The results showed that teachers view library services as an important resource for learning. They appreciate the availability of books and adequate facilities. Still, they would like improvements in the availability of the latest book services and the internet network, thus the students could get information easily in learning. On the other hand, students show enthusiasm for the library but complain about the lack of variety of reading topics and room for reading. Based on this information, the recommendation for library services is to improve library management to support the learning process and literacy and develop programs for improving student attractiveness. Thus, library services can be optimized.
PRINSIP KEPEMIMPINAN YANG EFEKTIF DALAM MENINGKATKAN KINERJA GURU DI SD NEGERI 011 SAMARINDA SEBERANG
Authors: Rahmita Siti , Eka Wardhana Kautsar
Published: December 2024

Effectiveness of leadership creates a conducive work environment and increases teachers' motivation and performance. The research used in this study is a qualitative description approach. The data was collected by interview, observation, and documentation methods. The subjects of this research were principals and teachers at SD Negeri 011 Samarinda Seberang. The results showed that principals who apply the principles of participative, democratic and transformational can have a positive influence on teacher performance, providing space for teachers to make decisions and increasing a sense of responsibility. In addition, principals who apply effective leadership principles, as well as transparent communication between principals and teachers and create a positive work climate will make teachers feel supported and valued. Structured training and professional development also have a significant effect on improving teacher competence and productivity. These results showed an improvement in teachers’ performance as well as an improvement in quality education in SD Negeri 011 Samarinda Seberang.
PERAN KEPEMIMPINAN SITUASIONAL DALAM KONSEP INTEGRASI MADRASAH DI MTS AL MUJAHIDIN 2 SAMARINDA
Authors: Azizatun Nisa Rahmatiana , Eka Wardhana Kautsar
Published: December 2024

Situational leadership is a flexible leadership style, where the leader can adjust his leadership approach based on existing conditions and situations. In the madrasah context, integration includes the synergy between management, teaching staff, curriculum, and student development to create a conducive and effective educational environment. The research method used qualitative with a case study approach. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, observation and document analysis. The research results showed that the headmaster of MTs Al Mujahidin 2 Samarinda adopted various leadership styles, such as directing and training employees, participation and authority, based on needs and madrasah development level. Thus, the educational goals are achieved effectively, improving coordination between teaching staff, and synergy in implementing academic programs. The results confirmed that situational leadership has a significant role in supporting integration at MTs Al Mujahidin 2 Samarinda, which impacts the learning quality and madrasah management.
PERAN KEPEMIMPINAN DIRI DALAM MEMBANGUN TIM DI UPTD TAHURA BUKIT SOEHARTO
Authors: Salsabila Nada , Eka Wardhana Kautsar
Published: December 2024

This research was carried out to uncover and understand the role of self-leadership in the team-building process at UPTD Tahura Bukit Soeharto using a descriptive qualitative approach. The research subjects and main data sources focused on the head of UPTD Tahura Bukit Soeharto and the forestry police team. Various techniques applied to collect data were interviews, observations, and documentation.The result showed that in the context of self-leadership and team-building efforts at UPTD Tahura Bukit Soeharto, the head of UPTD applied five sources of strength namely personal strength, knowledge, relationships, influence and resources. This shows that leadership strength does not depend on the position or title, but rather on how a leader utilizes the various strengths to inspire, motivate, and build a solid team.Furthermore, when facing various challenges faced by the team, the head of UPTD Tahura Bukit Soeharto acts as a leader who provides emotional support to his members and encourages flexibility, which contributes to increasing the team's resilience. This results in team members feeling more secure and supported, so they can deal with difficult situations and find innovative solutions. With this support, a strong bond is created between team members, which is important for maintaining enthusiasm and motivation in achieving common goals.
Kenya: Where the Wild Things Are
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Everyone we knew who had been on safari told us they’d had such an amazing experience that I was worried our expectations for our trip to Kenya were being set too high. Elephants trekking across Amboseli National Park I needn’t have been concerned. For six days we bounced and rattled in a Toyota Landcruiser driven by our knowledgeable and sharp-eyed guide, Senei, and each game drive seemed to be better than the last.
Being mortal and being Crick
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Two more book reviews from my reading list for this year. On several occasions while reading

Being Mortal

, surgeon Atul Gawande’s book about end-of-life care, I could feel a lump swelling in my throat and tears behind my eyes pressing for release. I’m not an emotional type but this is an intense book. The intensity is surprising since Gawande’s lucid style is very matter of fact.
Manifest Sense
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Mark Henderson’s The Geek Manifesto is a remarkable book. Though many of its themes are not new, it is difficult to imagine such a book being published as recently as five years ago. The Geek Manifesto provides a timely analysis of the power that different groups of geeks have levered from the growing sophistication of the of the internet.
Libel Reform: Not There Yet
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

The British cardiologist

Dr Peter Wilmshurst

was reported in 2007 to have made remarks critical of a clinical trial involving a medical device made by NMT Medical. He is now being sued for libel. The case is complex and I have not mastered the detail.
What the hell is Reciprocal Space?
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

It’s the name of this blog. But why? Well, in Web2.0-land, a blog (can you hear my teeth grinding?) is quintessentially a space for the reciprocation of views, the exchange of ideas. So far, so good, but the title is also a rather cheesy crystallographic pun because reciprocal space is a

real

thing.
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Carbon
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

I may not know much about Chemistry but I know what I like. And I like carbon. In fact, I’ve decided that it’s my favourite element. I’ll tell you why in the short video below, which is part of the Royal Institution’s 2012 Advent Calendar.     Please take a little time to explore the rest of the calendar.
Festive Tech
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

It’s Christmas Eve and the Curry household is getting ready for the big day. All the shopping is done and work has been put aside for a couple of days. Now I can turn my mind to the serious business of recording the festivities. This is not something to be undertaken lightly.
Vital Supplements
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Those outside science are often surprised to learn that we usually have to pay for the privilege of being published. The charges incurred by authors, argue the journal publishers, reflect the cost of the significant value that added when a raw manuscript is converted into a scientific paper. And, at a pinch, I would tend to agree. I remember seeing my very first paper appear in

Biochemistry

back in 1990. It was a magical moment.
Open Access Headaches
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Tense, nervous headache? Feelings of confusion? Mood swings from warm optimism to a gnawing sense of futility? You’ve been reading about open access again, haven’t you? I know because I have and I recognise the symptoms.  Open access week came and went in the latter part of October and brought with it a plethora of events, publications and blogposts. The worldwide verbiage on this topic increased once again.
Joule’s Jewel
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

For the longest time I thought he was French. It’s the name — Joule; it

sounds

French and in my physics class at school no-one thought to explain otherwise. In fact, Joule was not even introduced as a name — the word was simply handed to us as the SI unit of energy, a replacement for Calorie who, for all I knew, might also have been from France.
The past, The future and The Guardian
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

This week I got to visit a part of London that is for me a hallowed place – the offices of

The Guardian

newspaper. I was participating in a workshop for the people who had been short-listed for the Wellcome Science Writing Prize, which is sponsored by the

Guardian

, and so made my way to its large glass headquarters behind Kings Cross.
Open Access Juggernaut Hits London
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Everyone’s talking about open access (OA). It has been a year of dramatic developments in the drive to liberate access to the research literature and the blogosphere is buzzing with excited chatter. Well, perhaps not everyone and not even the whole of the blogosphere. It’s important not to get too carried away. I wonder how much in the online discussion has spilled over into common rooms and group meetings around the world?
Response to House of Lords Science and Technology Committee Call for Evidence on Open Access
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

In the UK the parliamentary House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology is conducting an enquiry into the implementation of the government’s policy on open access.
A vision for a better future – using new tools of openness and transparency to improve the scientific process
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

This is a guest post by Pete Binfield and Jason Hoyt, co-founders of the open access journal PeerJ. I don’t make a habit of running posts from private companies here at Reciprocal Space but have been impressed by the innovative model of open access publishing that PeerJ represents and was glad to be able to provide them with a forum to expound on their publishing philosophy. No payment was made or requested.
That was the open access week that was
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

A round-up of some of the issues that got an airing during Open Access (OA) Week and in the days that followed, including more rumination on the implementation and implications of the RCUK OA policy, more bad (and some good) publisher behaviour, ideas for new directions in OA publishing and, finally, an important African perspective on the rumbling debate.

The start of open access week

From 22-28 October
My Nobel prize acceptance speech, 2010
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Your royal Highness, members of the Academy, esteemed colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great and singular honour for me to accept the Nobel prizes for physics, chemistry and medicine.
Petitioning the President on Open Access
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

It has been quite a year so far for open access. And the momentum is still building. First came the Elsevier Boycott, triggered by an angry reaction to the publisher’s support for the US Research Works Act, which would have undermined the open access policy of the National Institutes of Health. The Act has been withdrawn but the debate stirred up by the boycott continues to play out in the blogosphere and the press.
The unsustainable goal of university ranking
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Ranking organisations are seeking to diversify the measures use to evaluate universities.
Science: the bargain for funding
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

On the

Guardian

web-site today you will find a piece by myself and Imran Khan of CaSE which is a response to an attack on scientists for striking a faustian bargain with business.   The attack was written by Ananyo Bhattacharya, who is the chief online editor for

Nature

and, funnily enough, a former PhD student of mine. We’re still good friends, by the way!
An open letter on EDI matters to the Secretary of State for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

The letter below started out as a ‘closed’ communication sent to DSIT on 11th October but in the absence of any response, despite two reminders, and the revelation in the meantime that the Secretary of State herself sometimes has  occasion to write open letters, I have decided to publish it. Although my letter precedes the furore ignited by Michelle Donelan’s missive to UKRI raising her concerns about tweets by members of Research
A Declaration on Bicycle Assessment – the Decision
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Reader, I bought a Brompton. After all my research – and a considerable amount of humming and haa-ing – I finally took Henry’s advice and went to my local bike shop to test-ride a couple of different eBike models. The cheaper one on offer there didn’t work out – easy enough to ride and a motor with plenty of power, but nothing like the compactness of the folded Brompton.
What’s the easiest way to become a less lazy photographer?
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

I’m thinking of becoming a less lazy photographer. Can you help? Brussels window. Long-time readers of this blog will know that I enjoy a bit of photography from time to time, since I have an annual tradition of posting my favourite photographs at the end of each year. Photography is something I’ve enjoyed since childhood. I was probably only seven or eight when I got my first camera.
Sick of Impact Factors: Coda
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

My ‘Sick of Impact Factors‘ blog post seems to have struck much more of a chord than I anticipated. At the time of writing it has attracted over 12,900 page views and 460 tweets, far higher than my usual tallies. The post also generated over 130 comments, which is a daunting number for anyone who now stumbles across the post;
To the sea
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

With emails running alongside, barking for attention, we beat a retreat from London. The clamour of work was soon swamped by the heat and light and sights and sounds and smells of Barcelona, and by the newness and oldness of it all. In the evening as we wandered the narrow streets in a desultory Google search for a restaurant, the continental warmth seeped into our bodies like a muscle relaxant.
Willetts’ Speech on Open Access: Analysis
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

David Willetts, Britain’s minister for science and universities, trailed the announcements made in his speech on open access to the UK Publishers’ Association yesterday as a ‘seismic shift’. One learns to be wary of the more hyperbolic statements of government ministers but I was at least left wondering whether the earth had moved for the publishers in the room.
Lunacy and sanity
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

It’s less than 24 hours, so this still counts as a timely post. I guess I had been primed because I had been thinking about it. But although I hadn’t set my alarm I found myself awake at 02:52 on Monday morning – I can still see the digital display – and so I got up, checked out the window that the moon was visible (it was – and already mostly eclipsed), dressed and hurried downstairs, grabbing my camera and binoculars on the way.
I’m a Scientist – making the film
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Today sees the release of my new film:

I’m a Scientist

. It’s about scientists. Please take a look either here, or on the web-site that I have created specially for it*. The film was a long time coming.
Anatomy of a blog post on the anatomy of a scientific discovery
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

At the risk of getting uber-meta, here is a blog post about writing my latest blog post at the Guardian. This was an account of a scientific discovery, albeit a minor one, that occurred during the process of shepherding the latest paper from my lab to publication. Why write about writing this post? Because maybe it will help others, and maybe it will help

me

to think it through.
No, DeepMind has not solved protein folding
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

(Please note that this post was updated on 12th Dec 2020 – see below)

This week DeepMind has announced that, using artificial intelligence (AI), it has solved the 50-year old problem of ‘protein folding’. The announcement was made as the results were released from the 14

th

and latest competition on the Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction (CASP14). The competition pits teams of computational
Rings of Saturn
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

It has been a beautifully clear and sunny day – perfect weather for a barbecue. We dined and chatted with our guests as the afternoon turned to dusk and then the stars began to wink in the night sky. After everyone had gone and the clearing up was mostly complete, Saturn had ascended above the houses across the street.
How to access Open Access?
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

My train of thought is still running. Last week, taken aback by the revelation of Elsevier’s deep support for the Research Works Act, an anti open-access piece of US legislation, I declined to review a manuscript for the publisher and wrote about my reasons for doing so. My blogpost received an unusual amount of traffic. It seemed to have caught a wave – started elsewhere – that is sweeping through the scientific blogosphere.
Impact factors declared unfit for duty
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Regulars at this blog will be familiar with the dim view that I have of impact factors, in particular their mis-appropriation for the evaluation of individual researchers and their work. I have argued for their elimination, in part because they act as a brake on the roll-out of open access publishing but mostly because of the corrosive effect they have on science and scientists.
Is Massively Collaborative Scientific Publishing Possible?
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

The job of a newspaper columnist is to agitate and George Monbiot did exactly that last week with a furious rant in

The Guardian

about academic publishers.
Combining preprints and post-publication peer review: a new (big) deal?
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Stimulated, I believe, by Ron Vale’s call to preprints last year, various luminaries from the world of science and science publishing will be gathering in Maryland at the headquarters of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) later this month to discuss the way forward.
Berlin Debate – Who owns science?
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Yesterday I had the privilege of participating in the 14th Berlin Debate on Science and Science Policy, which is hosted by the Robert Bosch Foundation. This year the invited participants discussed “Who owns science?
The road well trodden
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Scientists should do this. Journalists should do that. And eventually we will live in a world where the media reporting of science achieves perfection. At least that is the hypothesis. The hypothesis was put to the test at the Royal Institution last night in a discussion organised by Alok Jha and chaired by Alice Bell.
Sixes and Sevens
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

It’s all been rather unsettling but I guess that’s life these days. Moving the blog to its new home was a bit more fraught than I had been anticipating. Though I can piece together a rationale for Nature Network’s rather precipitate decision to change the locks, I’ve not really had a satisfactory explanation from them for their actions.
Open access and the humanities
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

At the end of 2013 and 2014 I wrote blog posts on Occam’s Corner (over at the

Guardian

) to list and briefly review the books I read in each of those years. I want to develop this practice into a good habit because it spurs me to read; and I hope it might also serve to flag up titles of interest to others.
Burying Pigs and Information
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Ben Goldacre wrote a short blogpost today to bemoan the habit of many media outlets of

not

linking to the primary sources for their reports and headlines. He was referring to stories that have appeared today about Asian gangs abusing white girls (e.g. this form the BBC). In typically trenchant terms he dismisses such shoddy reporting, “If you don’t link to primary sources, you are dead to me.” I sympathise.
Libel Reform – smells like victory
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

For those few resilient readers who have weathered the year-long storm of open access posts at Reciprocal Space and still look in here occasionally for reports of the libel reform campaign, there is good news. Within days I should be able to remove the Libel Reform Campaign button from my web-site because late yesterday afternoon the Defamation Bill had its final reading in the House of Lords.
Time for reflection
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

I think of Sunday as the last day of the week, not the first. Today, at the end of a hard week on political and personal fronts (though why the political and personal should be seen as separate I am not sure), I flew to Ireland to visit my parents. I am writing this on the plane back to London. This week’s election has come and gone and delivered a result that leaves the country in a deeply worrisome state.
Augmented reality: me and my hearing aids
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

My new best buds… When I started out on this blog back in ’08 I made a passing observation about my age, having noticed I was increasingly lifting my glasses to read the date on my watch. Not long afterwards I upgraded to varifocals. Now I have another upgrade to report: I have acquired hearing aids. It was not an easy transition. On the face of it, why wouldn’t getting a pair of hearing aids be just like getting glasses?
Still Running
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

After a slight delay, I had an idea for a blog post and I’m going to run with it. Hope you can keep up. I have started to run. I have known for a long time that I needed to do this but it took a build-up of pressure to get me moving. It is for my own good. I am feeling the pain but also, still somewhat to my surprise, the benefit. So far I am managing to go running about three times a week.
Science is Vital – Lobby of Parliament
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

After the amazing success of the Science is Vital Rally on Saturday (see here for video and Jenny’s report and here for another first-hand account by Prateek Buch), it was off to the House of Commons today. Not quite in my brand new shoes, but they had at least been cleaned following extensive glue coverage in Friday night’s marathon placard-making session.
Real and False Economy
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Last week I went to Germany to talk to a pharmaceutical company about my work on the blood protein, human serum albumin. It set me thinking. But first I need to tell you about albumin. Albumin is a surprisingly abundant protein in the human body;
UK Government Goes For Broke on Open Access
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Well that was quick. Less than a month after the Finch working group published its recommendations on the future of open access, UK science minister David Willetts has responded, saying in effect “Let’s go for it.” The government has taken essentially all of the recommendations on board and has committed the country to making all its publicly-funded research available for free online by 2014. Except that it’s not quite that simple.
The Finch Report on open access: it’s complicated
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

A committee set up by government was never going to foment a revolution. And so it has proved to be. The recommendations of the Finch Report released today mark a cautious, measured step in the right direction, but it is nevertheless a significant one.
UK R&D Roadmap 2020: big picture poses big questions
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

The latest in a long line of R&D strategy documents from the UK government reveals some promising evolution in its strategic thinking.
For my mother
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Black masked, weighed down by grey grief, We carried you into the church To be wrung out of our sodden farewells. But you had already gone. It was a slow journey to that sombre altar. In the last years the traces that bound us Stretched and frayed As Nature’s cruelty took hold. We had already said the longest of goodbyes While your mind darkened and your hands stilled.
Things to know about policy, science and the public
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

There has been a flurry of articles of late listing important things that scientists, politicians and the public should know about each other. I am logging them here because I enjoyed each of the pieces and think it likely that I will want to consult them in future.
Mark this Day
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Mark this day! Mark this day. Hang out the bunting And launch a clatter of fireworks from the grassy earth For its like may not be seen again. Today I ran for a full twenty-eight minutes Without stopping. I lapped the gleaming Serpentine And came to rest in Albert’s gilded gaze Beside the sun-turned crocuses. Mark this day Because life is short And we must take our pleasures where we can.
We need to talk about open access
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Last week I spoke on open access at the annual conference of Research Libraries UK (RLUK). I did so at the end of a session that also featured Dame Janet Finch, who had chaired the working group set up by the government to make recommendations on expanding access to the scholarly literature in the UK, and Mark Thorley, the public face of the new policy on open access developed in the light of the Finch report by Research Councils UK (RCUK), the
Careering out of control
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

As Jenny mentioned this morning, I have a post on the Science is Vital campaign on science careers on the Times Eureka blog today. For those of you without a subscription, the text is reproduced here:

The business of science is essentially one of creative problem solving.
Impact Factors — the revised RCUK open access guidelines
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

It has happened. Yesterday RCUK published the revised guidelines on its new open access policy and, as requested by this blog and everyone who signed up in support, the document (PDF) now includes, on page one no less, a statement that: RCUK’s Alexandra Saxon was good enough to make particular mention of our request in her blogpost to explain the most significant revisions in the new guidelines.
Continental drift: important open access developments in the UK and US
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Last Friday was a big day for open access — it felt like a kind of transition. In the morning the Science and Technology Committee of the House of Lords (the unelected second chamber in the UK parliament) published the report of its inquiry to the implementation of a new open access policy by Research Councils UK (RCUK) in the wake of the Finch Report.
Flags of our Daughters
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Flags are potent and emotive symbols for many people but when my daughter plonked her new school-bag on the kitchen counter at the beginning of this week I cracked a wry smile.

Love that Union flag?

My reaction to the garish decoration of her bag made me realise what a long way I had travelled from my own childhood, a journey that has been at least partly influenced by science.
Australia Tour 2014
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

It’s funny how one thing leads to another. The video of my Friday Evening Discourse at the Royal Institution last year caught the attention of a former colleague and produced an invitation to contribute a lecture to her plans to celebrate the International Year of Crystallography at the University of Western Australia in Perth this summer.
Keep the Libel Laws out of Science
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Simon Singh is a brave man. He has announced that he is going to apply to appeal in his case with the British Chiropractic Association. He writes about the background to the case here. Simultaneously, Sense About Science is launching its Keep the Libel Laws out of Science Campaign. It should be widely reported in the UK media today.
Here is a Man Who Stood Up
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

In many ways Travis Bickle, the disturbed taxi driver in Scorsese’s famous film, is a model of public engagement. For one thing, he really

thinks

about his audience. He rehearses in front of a mirror so that he will be fully prepared for his encounters with the people he wants to reach. Legs apart, arms folded, his stance is confident — his body language is really very good. Then, with the merest tilt of the head: “You talkin’ to me?
Beachbooks 1: Trick or Treatment
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Just before heading off on holiday I gave notice of my intended reading matter. Pedalo-duty permitting, I hoped to get through all four books. The wind and currents of the French Atlantic coast precluded any pedalo action so the kids had to settle for surfing lessons instead, and were placed in the capable hands of an instructor.
The Crowded Cell
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe,” the dying replicant Roy says of his off-world experiences in one of the final scenes of BladeRunner.
Libel Reform: the endgame?
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

It has been a long and winding road but tonight the journey towards libel reform in England and Wales paused in the historic Great Hall of the Inner Temple to take stock. The wheels are turning and the machine of government is moving slowly in the right direction. The coalition came to power with a promise of reform. A parliamentary committee has met to consider the case for change and reported their findings last October.
Blogs are poo
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Blogging is mainly writing and writing—according to one informed source—is like having a poo. I have just seen the excellent

Screenwipe

, hosted by Charlie Brooker on BBC Four (that’s the TV, not the radio). It doesn’t appear to be on their iPlayer, I’m afraid*. There’s a re-run on at 00:50 but that’s in less than an hour’s time, so you’ll have to be quick!
I told myself…
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

I am on holiday – in Mauritius, a tiny tropical island in the Indian Ocean. And when I go on holiday, I make ridiculous plans.  I told myself I’d start running again. I’d get up early every morning, slip out of bed without disturbing my wife and cross the road to the beach. It might be hard at first but I could jog along the compacted sand at the shoreline, the sun rising at my back. It would be good for me.
ICYMI No. 5: Asking universities to be open about research assessment
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

I first wrote about the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) when it was launched in May 2013. DORA is a simple statement asking the different players in the business of academic research to free themselves from the damaging effects of relying on journal impact factors when assessing researchers and their research.
University rankings are fake news. How do we fix them?
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

This post is based on a short presentation I gave as part of a panel at a meeting today on Understanding Global University Rankings: Their Data and Influence, organised by HESPA (Higher Education Strategic Planners Association).

Yes, it’s a ‘manel’ (from the left: me, Johnny Rich, Rob Carthy). In our defence,  Sally Turnbull, who was chairing, sat off to one side and two participants (one male and one female) had to
Open Access – reasons to be cheerful: a reply to Agrawal
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

A opinion piece by Anurag Agrawal that was rather skeptical about some aspects of moves toward open access was published in the March issue of

Trends in Plant Sciences

. I felt several of the arguments advanced by Agrawal were rather weak and was glad to have the opportunity to write a rejoinder which has now been published in the April edition of the same journal.
Open Access by Peter Suber
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

There has been a fairly torrid debate over open access over the last six months (even longer for aficionados). For people who look in only occasionally it must seem like a storm that swirls around the same arguments time and again.
Rhythms of Life
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Some say April is the cruellest month but I found July to be more punishing. You might think that, for university staff like myself, July would bring respite from the tiresome enslavement of exam and project marking that fills all of June. At the end of that gruelling month the students are granted their grades and degrees and finally quit the campus.
From the pedestal – take 2
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Updated at 10:30 am

Following my brief and angry post last week about Simon Jenkins’ wayward accusations against scientists in

The Guardian

, Bill Hanage and I have written a more temperate but no less strongly felt response that has appeared in today’s paper (page 33 if you have a copy). The article has now appeared online (thanks to Richard for spotting it – see comments) but here below is the copy that we submitted
Prize-winning video
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Well this is nice. The Celebrating Crystallography video made last year by the Royal Institution, which I narrated and helped to script-edit, has won the the EuroScience New Media award. Full details are available on the RI blog but it’s great to see a project come to such fruition.
Guest post: Society Journals and the Research Works Act
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

My previous post on Elsevier and the Research Works Act (RWA) stimulated a conversation on Twitter with Benoit Bruneau about the possible impact on the journals of scientific societies of moves to open access publishing.  This is an aspect of the debate that has not been discussed in much detail of late.
Guardian of Science
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Some of you may not have heard of last week’s launch of a new science blogging site by the Guardian newspaper. They have a core group of regular bloggers — Jon Butterworth, Dr Evan Harris, Martin Robbins and NN’s own Grrlscientist — who between them will be covering good science, bad science and science policy. It’s yet another bright addition to the rapidly changing firmament that is today’s blogosphere.
An Astonishing Ascent
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

It seems somehow to have always been there. I cannot remember when it first came to my attention but I have long been aware of it as a landmark or rather a landscape in the background of my mind. Jacob Bronowski’s documentary series,

The Ascent of Man

, was first broadcast on BBC2 in 1973.
Sun Spot
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

I have been working my way around the solar system with my telescope. The moon was easy to spot. And Jupiter and Saturn were not so very difficult to find, though they proved to be beyond my photographic capabilities. Over the weeks and months, Mercury, Venus, Mars, and finally Uranus have succumbed to my searches. Of all the official objects in the solar system only Neptune has so far eluded my telescoped eye.
Access to the Finch Committee on Open Access
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

The Finch Committee, set up last year by David Willetts to examine how UK-funded research ﬁndings can be made more accessible — and mentioned by the minister in his speech on the subject earlier this week — has been meeting regularly and is due to report within weeks. If you would like to find out more about the committee’s deliberations, you can.
Science in Court
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Yesterday morning I made my way to the Royal Courts of Justice in London’s Strand to attend the Court of Appeal hearing in the libel case brought by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) against Simon Singh.
Three Things
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Three unrelated things.
The Royal Institution: not time to move on
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Less than a week after the Royal Institution announced that it was contemplating the sale of its historic home in Albermarle Street, Nature published an editorial criticising the 200 year old organisation for having lost its science communication mojo in a world that had ‘moved on’. The journal went so far as to suggest that the RI should hand over its historical artefacts to the Science Museum and quit a field that is now over-run with
Books of 2020
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

I made what I think was a smart move at the beginning of 2020. Instead of waiting until the year’s end and then struggling to recall what I thought of the books I had read, I created a Twitter thread of one-line reviews as I completed each title. Here, finally, is the entire thread: Books of 2020 – a twitter thread. Click on the image for the high-res version. You may find it easier to scroll through the thread on Twitter.
Status Report – February 2017
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

I said when I started this blog in 2008 that I would not promise to post regularly, so as to avoid the endless repetition of apologies for failing to write. And I’m not about to start apologising now, even though the regularity of my posting is not what it once was – not even close. But I’m disappointed that I seem to have got out of the habit and I’d like to turn that around.  I’ve been busy, you see.
The Hunters
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

I had never heard of James Salter till I read a profile of him in the Observer a couple of weeks ago, on the occasion of the publication of his latest book, his first in a long time. Salter is 87 and has produced only six novels, two collections of short stories and a memoir in a writing career that has spanned six decades. He wrote his first novel following his time as a fighter pilot in the Korean War.
Meeting David Attenborough at the Royal Institution
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

On Wednesday of this past week I found myself in the presence of royalty and felt quite giddy. It happened at a Royal Institution shindig to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first televised broadcast of their world-famous Christmas lectures. As you can see in the photograph below the Duke of York was in the room but that’s not the type of royalty I get excited about.
Teaching online: how to use an iPad as a whiteboard
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

Last week I gave my first online tutorials in which I needed to scribble on a whiteboard and show the students their exam scripts from last term, which had been posted to my home. To solve both of these problems, I spent a bit of time figuring out how to share my iPad and iPhone screens within Microsoft Teams running on my Apple MacBook. For anyone wanting to do the same, I thought I’d share what have I found.
Sick of Impact Factors
Authors: Curry Stephen
Published: December 2024

I am sick of impact factors and so is science. The impact factor might have started out as a good idea, but its time has come and gone. Conceived by Eugene Garfield in the 1970s as a useful tool for research libraries to judge the relative merits of journals when allocating their subscription budgets, the impact factor is calculated annually as the mean number of citations to articles published in any given journal in the two preceding years.