Wednesday 12 December 2012

PhD week 40: Societies

Not-so-gratuitous picture: Gull-billed Terns Gelochelidon nilotica.
Courtesy of Gossamer1013. Licence: CC: BY-NC-ND.

Last week, I talked about conferences being an important part of the world of science. Another major aspect is the role of scientific societies where professional scientists join together to promote and support their field of research through publishing scientific journals and hosting conferences, among others. Like every group, they require a corpus of people to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Somehow, I've managed to make my way into this esteemed circle in two of the societies that I am a member—namely as website editor for the Entomological Society of New Zealand and as newsletter editor for the Society of Australian Systematic Biologists. Neither of these roles take up copious amounts of time, but occasionally they require some action on my part. When those times do occur, it does feel a little like a distraction from the "real work" and requires a small reminder that it's all part of making the wider scientific community continue to function.

The week was ended by two very enjoyable experiences. The first was being present while a friend's song for their upcoming CD was being mixed, before watching the said friend's band perform live. The second was a sail on Lyttleton Harbour with another couple of friends on a spectacular Sunday afternoon.


Read:
   Pine-Coffin RS (translator). 1961. The confessions of Saint Augustine Middlesex: Penguin

Websites:
Discover Magazine—The Priest-Physicist Who Would Marry Science to Religion
Kill Your Stereo—Norma Jean to tour Australia 2013

Watched:
Norma Jean—Bayonetwork (Live at Reggie's)

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