About the blog
I use this page to write all the things that do not fit in a tweet or in a scientific paper. Discussing recent results from our research group or from others, advertising interesting events job offers, sharing comments and opinions (science, education, publishing, etc.). You may also see updates about my science communication project, External Diffusion.
“The paper is open for discussion” is a sentence often pronounced by the chairman after an oral communication at scientific conferences. As a non-native speaker, I was always surprised by the use of the word “paper” in this popular expression.
The sentence invites the audience to asking questions to the speaker. From that moment on, everything is possible for the 5-10 upcoming minutes. The session can rapidly turn into a wild and passionate debate between more or less civilized and more or less arrogant scientists. This is usually a good sign that the work presented is interesting, at least in the sense that it triggers some reaction from the community. The audience can also look down on their cell phones, leaving the speaker alone on stage, showing no interest for what has just been communicated. How cruel! I think these few seconds of hesitation between both scenarios are thrilling.
Don’t forget, this blog is open for discussion too. Please leave comments 😉
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