Blogs

LIvE: The Living Improv Experiment

March 29, 2015 - 12:43pm — Neil

The Living Improv Experiment (LIvE) will take place Monday, March 30, at 6:30 at Ned Devine's in Fanueil Hall, Boston. The LIvE event is the first of its kind, drawing from improvscience & friends, to bring an improvised performance about science to the public. Raquell Holmes, creator of LIvE, will emcee the evening and involve the audience as co-researchers in the experiment.

Creative, maladjusted scientists: create a better culture for all

January 19, 2015 - 6:05am — Raquell

A less often mentioned quote of Martin Luther King from his Western Michigan, 1963 talk:

            "I must say there are certain things in our nation and in the world which I am proud to be maladjusted and which I hope all men of good‐will will be maladjusted... I say very honestly that I never intend to become adjusted to segregation. and discrimination. I never intend to become adjusted to religious bigotry. I never intend to adjust myself to economic conditions that will take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few...

Did you say caring?

November 7, 2014 - 7:09am — Raquell

I learn from the participants what they value or enjoy experiencing in an improvscience workshop. Yes, even those who find doing interactive exercises uncomfortable and awkward find value in the communicating science workshops: improv for STEM professionals or professional presentations.

Sloan Foundation supports Program of Excellent Mentoring at ASU

June 26, 2014 - 6:52am — Raquell

The Sloan Foundation awarded a three year grant to the Mathematical, Computational and Modeling Sciences Center of ASU for its Program in Exemplary Mentoring. The award funds improvscience workshops and coaching to advance faculty's mentor skills and students' ability to direct their careers. Workshops begin this summer with the Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute (MTBI). If you're interested in a faculty training or mentoring group during the year, sign up for more information.   

An improvscience view on creating a startup company

May 1, 2014 - 9:57am — Raquell

On May 17th, I have the opportunity to participate in the Ph.D. Career Conference in San Diego representing Ph.D.s that have  a start-up company. I am excited to share the process of creating improvscience and what I have learned from colleagues along the way.

Beyond networking, create interesting professional conversations

April 20, 2014 - 9:35pm — Raquell

I don't know many people who look forward to those large social gatherings of professional colleagues where striking up seemingly random conversation is dubiously expected to find new common interest and joint projects. Okay, sometimes I am excited to go and find people who are doing things I have only dreamt about. But I still find it anxiety producing. How do we talk to one another? How will I share what I do? How will they respond to my work? How will they respond to my interest in their work?

What do you do in these moments?

March 17, 2014 - 7:44am — Raquell

All of us have been in a situation in which one person in our group says something, intentionally or unintentionally, that we perceive as excluding or hurtful to another person in our group. What do you do? It’s a serious and challenging question: What do we do?!? I’ll be working with faculty at the NCWIT summit, May 20th on exactly this question.

Shout out to improvising STEM professionals

February 26, 2014 - 5:35pm — Raquell

After a couple of weeks on the road, it’s nice to be able to sit and reflect on the events that took place. And when those events include courageous, playful colleagues, it’s a pleasurable recollection. So, what happened?

Revisiting play: enriching scientific environments

January 27, 2014 - 12:25am — Raquell

"Play" is a provocative word in some work places, despite increasing recognition of its significant contribution to human development, creativity and productivity. As I head off to Seattle (Tapia Conference) and then Chicago (American Association for the Advancement of Science), I envision a range of sentiments in response to my call to scientists to develop through improvisation: to play. 

Nature Careers features improvisation in scientific training

January 7, 2014 - 9:01am — Raquell

The scientific community is rallying behind the cry, "Communicate your science."  This call is being answered by innovators who bring the arts and skills of communication to science students and professionals. The significance of improvisation in graduate education and our scientific professional development is the focus of the Nature Career feature, "Communication: spontaneous scientists" by Rachel Bernstein.

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