Having spent several years as a fellow starving grad student alongside Dr. Barrilleaux, who wrote an excellent post on creating cheap and nutritious breakfasts using eggs, I was pleased to be asked to follow her in discussing affordable nutrition for graduate students. I think that the perfect food for lunch or dinner for a hungry student (or for anyone- this is what I eat for lunch on most weekdays) is a combination of beans, rice and vegetables.
Poverty Nutrition II: Beans & Rice (And Their Infinite Variety)
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BenchFly Laboratory Techniques: Now on the Go!
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Today our laboratory techniques join the ranks of the Whopper, the Tall Latte and the Burrito as items that can all be enjoyed on the go (hopefully without the heartburn…). As the Apple vs. Flash video war rages on, the real victims are often us – the innocent internet users – who find many of our favorite websites aren’t fully functional on our cell phones. And in an on-demand world, that’s just not acceptable.
Working for a Micromanager is a Macro Pain
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Dear Dora,
My boss is a serious micromanger and it’s driving me crazy. Is there any way to get them to loosen the reigns, or am I stuck?
– Amy, grad student
Poverty Nutrition: A Fugue in Egg Minor
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As the recent recipient of a shiny new PhD, I’ve spent almost 20% of my life so far as a member of the impoverished and undernourished graduate student demographic. One of the things I wish I’d figured out earlier is how to eat well on a stipend—especially when it comes to breakfast, the neglected meal. For this guest post, I’ve compiled three breakfast options that cost less than $1 each, can be prepared in the time it takes to brew a pot of coffee, and contain only basic, cheap ingredients. I won’t bore you with the calculations, but I can certify that each breakfast comes in easily under a buck.
Longevity Genes: Do You Want to Know?
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If you test positive for the longevity genes, you may want to call Willard Scott and put your name on the waiting list for your 100th birthday announcement sooner than later. Last week Sebastiani et al., out of Boston University, published their findings titled “Genetic signatures of exceptional longevity in humans.” Given an individual’s DNA sequence, researchers can predict with 77% accuracy if a subject has the magic DNA to live to 100. It’s a remarkable finding that opens many doors – including some we may want to keep closed…
The Weekend Conversion Factor: Price per Drink
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At the end of a long day in lab, sometimes it’s nice to unwind with an old friend. And by old friend, we mean a drink. But the tough economy (and our tougher stipends) are seriously killing our wallet – and our buzz. So we figured it’s time to put those analytical skills we’ve been developing for years to good use and find out which drink is actually most affordable.
How to Give a Good Talk
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The ability to communicate effectively is one of the most important talents of a good scientist. Whether it’s standing in front of a poster, giving a ten minute talk at a meeting, or writing the next Citation Classic, scientists who connect with their audience create a better impression of themselves and their work than colleagues who don’t. The good news is that although there are examples of outstanding, naturally-gifted communicators (see Barack Obama) scientific communication is an acquired skill. The more you work at it, the better you’ll get.
How Smart is Your Phone? iPhone, Droid or Other
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Last week, Apple released the iPhone 4 and Verizon executives started referring to this season as “The Summer of Droid.” It’s pretty clear that the Mac vs. PC battle we talked about last week won’t stop at computers.
The Lab Desktop: Looking Busy at Work (When You’re Not)
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A lab desktop is probably the last thing most of us want to stare at during a long day at the bench. It’s also far nerdier than the gorgeous beachscape of picture from your last vacation that is currently filling the role. But if we told you that a lab desktop can make you look like you’re working hard, when the truth might suggest otherwise, it might not sound like such a bad idea afterall…
Changing Thesis Projects: Death Sentence or New Life?
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Dear Dora,
When is it too late to consider changing thesis projects?
– Casey, Graduate student
