Kohl S Gill

SEA Virtual Interns hail from across the country and around the world and work remotely on specific assignments and in committees. Virtual Interns are an integral part of SEA’s work. In addition to weekly or bi-weekly assignments, Virtual Interns are encouraged to participate in weekly science policy conference calls, recommended readings, and bi-monthly science policy speaker webinars. - Kohl S Gill

In the end, what the UEA e-mails really show is that scientists are human beings — and that unrelenting opposition to their work can goad them to the limits of tolerance, and tempt them to act in ways that undermine scientific values. Yet it is precisely in such circumstances that researchers should strive to act and communicate professionally, and make their data and methods available to others, lest they provide their worst critics with ammunition. After all, the pressures the UEA e-mailers experienced may be nothing compared with what will emerge as the United States debates a climate bill next year, and denialists use every means at their disposal to undermine trust in scientists and science. - Kohl S Gill

The authors comment that because women are "far more likely to be equally talented in both math and verbal domains," they have more options for entering nonmath fields than do men. In addition, Ceci and Williams note that women pay a greater professional penalty for having children than do men, which makes them more susceptible to work-family conflicts. - Kohl S Gill

"Let no machine come between you." - Kohl S Gill

Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today sent letters to several scientists, some of whom allegedly manipulated data to prove the scientific "consensus" of global warming, as well as to the inspectors general of several federal agencies, notifying them to retain documents related to the release of emails from the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit in England. - Kohl S Gill

A new study suggests that we mentally alter politicians' skin tones to match how we feel about them. When presented with three photos of President Barack Obama and asked to choose which was most representative of him, liberals tended to pick a shot in which his skin had been digitally lightened, whereas conservatives tended to choose a darkened version. - Kohl S Gill

The Student Award for the Health and Dignity of Women will recognize one student who demonstrates commitment to women’s health and/or the promotion of the rights of women. - Kohl S Gill

The overwhelming importance of “micro-geography” was quite striking, particularly as this is the sort of organization in which Instant Messaging and e-mail (plus blogs and wikis) might have otherwise suggested the death of distance. Certainly this research changed my mind about the importance of open-plan seating. This isn’t a lesson lost on Google either, as cube-mates are kept in close proximity, and Googlers are asked to move desks approximately once every three months. Interestingly, personal relationships persist once these moves have occurred, and people tend to trade in a way correlated with that of their cube-mate from three months ago; although, reassuringly, they do not trade in a way correlated with their future cube-mate. (I say “reassuringly” because this is a useful way of testing whether our results reflect Google seating people with similar opinions near each other, rather than people near each other influencing the opinions of others.) - Kohl S Gill

Yeah, Peopleware says if you've got a good team going, the last thing you want to do is split them up. Also, open plan => lower productivity. - Andrew C