Professor emeritus of Molecular Biology, Tampere University
Setting aside the growing threat to the scientific literature from outright fraud, wilful misinterpretation, undeclared conflicts of interest, low-quality peer review and malign pseudo- science, it is an inevitable fact that much of what is put into print today will turn out to be erroneous when revisited in the future. At the very least, it...
When I first joined the faculty in Tampere, a high-point of every working week was the institute seminar. Except when they were away at some other meeting, all PIs attended every time, and so did their PhD students, postdocs and other associates. Nobody was formally compelled to attend. They did so because that was what...
The landscape of scientific publishing is rapidly changing. We academics need not only to keep pace with the changes, but preferably take back control of the entire process. Having been involved with the ‘industry‘ for almost 3 decades, both as author/reviewer and editor, it feels to me as if we are close to a tipping...
Recently I happened upon a group of students in the atrium of our institute, resplendent in their traditional student overalls, who were busy putting out plastic glasses and ice buckets of sparkling wine. “What are you celebrating?”I asked. They seemed a bit nonplussed, even slightly embarrassed by my question. I asked it again adding a...