Tag Archives: Paul Salvaterra

Human Pipettes: Scientific training and education in biomedical research

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David Rubenson and Paul Salvaterra share their thoughts on a damaged and damaging research system

A recent cancer research symposium displayed a familiar asymmetry. 90% of the attendees were PhD students or postdocs sitting obsequiously in the rear and asking 10% of the questions. 10% of the attendees were front-sitting faculty providing 90% of the inquiries.

A simple case of youthful hesitancy and opaque presentations requiring years of experience to comprehend? But did individual Principal Investigators (PIs) meet with conference planners before advising their students to attend? Did conference planners consider the likely audience and ask speakers to modify their talks? And did faculty members attend the related trainee poster session?

 

Are junior scientists little more than human pipettes?

Are junior scientists little more than human pipettes?{credit}Paper Boat Creative/Getty{/credit}

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Successful vs. effective research presentations

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In a disturbing trend, biomedical researchers can achieve a degree of career success despite an inability to effectively communicate scientific information, say David Rubenson and Paul Salvaterra.

 

“I have only made this letter longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter.”

– Blaise Pascal, The Provincial Letters, 1657

It goes without saying that every biomedical researcher wants to give effective presentations. Or does it? Is a presentation effective if it merely wows the audience with dense data, causes minimal objections, but fails to convey true scientific understanding? While such presentations may provide a degree of career success, they rarely inspire systematic or creative thinking. Scientists are wasting significant time listening to presentations that fail to effectively communicate information.

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Revitalising the scientific research conference

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Many biomedical research conferences rehash old ideas rather than define key challenges. The problem is tied to fundamental issues in the research culture.

Guest contributors David Rubenson and Paul Salvaterra

 

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.

“I don’t much care where—” said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

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