Installing micromagnetic software can be a challenge. There are can be complex dependencies and it’s not always clear how to get a working system. I recently stumbled across the virtual micromagnetics project which provides an entry point for researchers wanting to exploit virtual machines for micromagnetics. I was intrigued by this idea – virtualisation plays… Read More »
Science and research budgets have been feeling the squeeze since the recession. Could careful use of project management be one way to make most efficient use of these scant resources? Science and project management are not normally a happy mix – but perhaps “Agile” could help scientists manage some projects more efficiently. Project Management And… Read More »
Open source science software has a lot to offer the scientific community. This is a far from complete list of open source science software that I’ve found useful in the past. Inkscape Inkscape is a vector graphics tool (similar to Adobe Illustrator) that is invaluable for making figures, diagrams and posters. You can also (with… Read More »
Tacit knowledge is the internalised ‘know-how’ that everyone picks up from working in a particular field. Turning this into explicit knowledge usable by everyone is fundamental to the creative process. How can we use an appreciation tacit knowledge to help our science? Japanese Beginnings In the early 1990s observers were beginning to wonder why… Read More »
Project management can help ensure that a project is completed successfully within the time and resources available. Not all projects are suited to project management, however, and science is particularly vulnerable to having creativity and innovation stifled by too much management. This post looks at what project management is and when it might be appropriate… Read More »