Recent Entries

• Parenting and Research

  by Kerry McPherson Oct 15
  HAVING A BABY DURING A PHD When my husband and I started chatting about having kids, I was in the first year of my PhD. We went back and forth, trying to decide between having a baby during my PhD or waiting until I submitted my thesis. My PhD supervisors, who were all mothers, gave me great ad...

• STEAM: Do the Arts Still Belong in STEM?

  by Kerry McPherson Oct 8
  Author: Sophie Prosolek The subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are often grouped together due to their inherent overlap in subject matter and logic-focused approach to teaching and learning. However, with a rising employment focus on interdisciplinary skills, ...

• Smoking, aging, and COPD

  by Kerry McPherson Oct 1
    As per the CDC, in 2018, an estimated 16 million people in the United States live with a smoking-related disease, and 1 out of 5 deaths is due to cigarette smoking. Smoking-related maladies can vary from cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and lung diseases like chronic ob...
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• Post-doc Bullies

  by Kerry McPherson Sep 26
  PhD students are often asked what they like to do after graduate school. Since the beginning, my answer has always been something in the realm of science communication. Sure, I have flip-flopped between being an MSL, a medical writer, and working in science policy — but I’ve always staye...
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• Did I choose science? Or did it choose me?

  by Kerry McPherson Sep 24
  I’m a postdoctoral researcher now, but truthfully, I never did like science. Nor did I see myself having a future in academia. Throughout my career, I’ve wondered which is better, do what you like, or like what you do? A simple Google will result in many articles discussing thi...
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• Stuff they Didn't Cover at Orientation — Advice for Rotating S

  by Kerry McPherson Sep 17
  So, it's your first year of grad school — congrats! But your first year is during a pandemic — yikes! Graduate school is stressful enough without having to worry about a deadly virus. Hopefully, this post will help you navigate through your first year by providing concrete advice for cho...
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• Entoptic phenomenon: A Look Within Your Eyes

  by Kerry McPherson Sep 10
  Have you observed bright colored lights when rubbing your eyes? Have you seen transparent stringy particles floating midair when looking at the sky? Have you wondered if they are actually there? Or, are your eyes are fooling you? The answer is no; they aren’t there, but — your eyes aren&...

• Top Contenders in the COVID-19 Vaccine Race

  by Kerry McPherson Sep 2
  The novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is the virus that causes COVID-19, a disease that has upended the entire world.  Scientists have been working tirelessly to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. To control infection and also prevent further spread, entire nations are invested in the development of a sa...
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• Is it Magic?

  by Kerry McPherson Jul 30
  An email buzzed my phone: Volunteer Meeting at 4 pm. I smiled. It was that time of the year again. The silent maze of aisles wrapping our labs will come alive with bustling curiosity, eyes glazed in awe of the grandness of all the shiny things around, heads and hearts absorbing everything the e...

• Do you have a reference for that

  by Kerry McPherson Jul 23
  The Challenge In public arguments about controversial topics, one often hears the somewhat pugnaciously offered challenge: "Do you have a reference for that?" Meaning: Do you have a peer-reviewed confirmation of what you are saying, published in a reputable scientific journal? Providing such a...