Favourite Fragrances...

My top 3 perfumes of all time are:

3. Ultraviolet by Paco Rabanne

2. Flora by Gucci

1. Lola by Marc Jacobs

I'd happily wear them forever! They're all quite light & fresh; I'd love something with a bit more staying power for Xmas...does anyone have any suggestions?

Rachel xxx

Fascinating Figures

When you get to that all important stage of putting your results together for a publication, it's vital to have the figures in the correct order & telling the story in the right way. Figures are the most important part of a research paper, as well as your interpretation of them. Writing papers and arranging figures gets easier with time & practice, here are a few helpful tips that I found useful when I was starting out in the writing game...

1. Smile! If you've gotten this far then congratulations! Paper writing is a daunting task that like everything, seems much more complcated and difficult before you start it. But it's all about practice and lots of drafts & re-drafts, it's a skill that can be developed and honed over time. You have the hard part over with, I'm sure getting that data together took a lot of time, stress & heartbreak, so enjoy this brief respite from the bench!

2. Put the figures together first. Once you have them ordered, it's much easier to write the results section, as you know what to say/describe and when. The same goes for materials and methods, much more straightforward when the figures are in place.

3. The first figure should be ticking the boxes/showing preliminary data/highlighting the result that made you study this topic in the first place. This may seem like an obvious statement but sometimes panels are added to figures as an after thought or aside when they should have been right at the beginning.

4. Use panels wisely. Don't jam 8 panels together just to fill space, some results can stand alone, others are better grouped together as they highlight eachother's findings or may be several ways of showing a similar thing. On the other hand, 6 individual results may not be enough on their own (unless they're fantastic) so it's hard to know how to best lay things out, once it's clear and easy to follow, that's the main thing.

5. Size matters! Font is hugely important; figures are often shrunk right down to accomodate the size of the journals pages, so it's vital to have huge lettering and numbering-especially on axes and labels. I use font 20 and above, it looks a bit ridiculous in word but it makes reading the paper a lot easier in the long run.

6. Make sure figures in the correct order; which experiment should naturally follow the next, what way is it best to present the data such that the story is told well etc.

7. Legends are also a fundamental part of getting figures right. Don't overload them with info about the method, but make sure every part of the graph is explained clearly. A short succint statement about the main finding is good too. Reviewers can often ask for more or less text in legends so check what's the norm for the particular journal you're aiming towards.

Of course your boss will have final say on which way things will appear in the publication, but it's good to have a headstart & always helpful to practice for that big day when we'll have to do things on our own! But that scary time is far far away...for now!

Any questions or comments, just let me know.

Rachel xxx

Boots Glorious Boots!

Boots are THE daytime footwear of the season (and always an option for those really miserable nights out), they keep your feet dry & warm, plus they look stylish with jeans & dresses alike. There are so many amazing pairs of boots available on the high street this season, I've yet to get my Winter/Xmas boots this year but it'll be a close call between the following:

1. Topshop Damask Over The Knee Boots in camel:

http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=2038193&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=208544&parent_categoryId=208492&sort_field=Relevance&pageSize=200

2. Office Blowfish Jasper Buckle Knee Boot Taupe

http://www.office.co.uk/womens/blowfish/jasper_buckle_knee_boot/17/9722/25432/1?fs=9722

3. Aldo Voller Knee High Boots in Taupe

http://www.aldoshoes.com/uk/women/boots/knee-high-boots/81475867-voller/37

4. Barratts Ravel Leather High Leg Boot

http://www.barratts.co.uk/en/ravel-leather-high-leg-boot-170778

5. Aldo Doiley Knee High Boots in Medium Brown

http://www.aldoshoes.com/uk/women/boots/knee-high-boots/80710685-doiley/26

Let me know if you've picked up some fabulous boots in the past while, especially if they were a bargain! And help me to pick my favourite out of these boots too...I just can't decide!

Rachel xxx

Presentation Station

Part of the job as a scientist, be it an undergrad, postgrad or employee, is presenting your work, either to members of your lab group, or others in your field of research at conferences. This can be quite a daunting and nerve-wracking experience, especially when it comes to question time afterwards. Like everything in life, presentations get easier with experience and practice, but pangs of nerves will always get you; the most important thing is to be familiar with what you're saying and to try to relax-you will know your work better than anyone, and if there is a tricky question, there's always an answer to it. Here are my tips for making presentations as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

1. Less text-more figures. When first putting slides together, the first inclination is to write up all the text, so you know what you're going to say, and the audience can read along with you. This makes sense, but it is quite counter productive, as the best presentations are the naturally flowing ones that talk around figures and results and don't just involve reading sentences from a slide. Write notes about what you want to say & put key words and phrases on the slides to emphasise what you're discussing.

2. Use animation. If you have several panels or sentences on one slide, it can be distracting for the viewer to see everything at once, and it makes it harder for you to talk through it while trying to remain clear and understandable. Use fade in animations, let one item appear at a time, talk about it, then the next item should appear. This makes your job much easier and also helps to remind you in which order you should be discussing things.

3. Reminder tricks. This is a handy one if there's a lot of data on a particular slide, or if you have one 'hit home phrase or sentence' that's difficult to remember. Arrows that appear before you go onto the next slide are a great way of pointing out the key finding on a slide and can be a fail-safe way of remembering that key point that's really going to sell your results.

4. Practice! The more you go through your presentation out loud, the more comfortable you become with it. Practice with your fellow PhD students or members of the lab group, especially if you have a meeting with your supervisor coming up. If the first time you go through it is in front of your boss then you're bound to get tongue tied (speaking from experience here) so go into an empty office or presentation room with the lab gang and get familiar with it.

5. Have certain answers prepared. Ask others in the lab or your supervisor for potential questions. It's hard to predict what will be asked, it can be something specific and technical, or something much more broad, dealing with translational or physiological significance. You will know the answers to these questions, just keep your mind clear and answer as succinctly as possible; keep everything short and on point. If something comes up that you're not sure of then the old faithful 'that's a very interesting point, and something we hope to look at in the future, however, we have no data on this particular aspect at the moment' is always a handy last minute save!

6. Relax & enjoy it. If you've been selected to speak at a conference, it is a fantastic achievement and speaks highly of your work. Speaking in public is very scary, but often the thought of it is a lot worse than the oral itself; most people say that after the first slide you get into a rhythm and it goes by smoothly. Nerves can also be a good thing, the adrenaline rush makes sure you're awake and on the ball. We all look forward to the day when there are no nerves before a presentation, in my case I can't see that happening until I'm at least 40 though!

These tips don't just apply for science, no matter what the topic, good presenting is easy to achieve and is a fantastic skill to have in all career paths.

If anyone has other tips or advice please feel free to share.

Rachel xxx

Winter Warmers

So the clocks have gone back which means it's darker in the evenings & also a lot colder! I quite like winter though, and it's easier to be working in the lab when it's miserable outside, sunny weather when stuck indoors is just too depressing. I've put together a list of a few of my favourite winter accessories that are vital for keeping warm yet looking cool. All are from the high street and should suit every budget. In particular I love the red fluffy snood from Topshop, it looks so warm & comfy, plus red is a fabulous colour for Winter. Good accessories are the best value-for money buys as they can be worn so often, plus they can brighten up an outfit. We should all be saving for Xmas, but it's ok to spend on warm woolies that we really need, and it's also fine to get several colours and styles, coz we'll get lots of wear out of them, right?! Ah the compulsive shopper always finds a way to rationalise every single spend ;)

Rachel xxx

Power Dressing/Dresses

Being a scientist means working in a lab for most of the day and therefore wearing a labcoat. So not only is it a bit pointless wearing nice outfits, it's also important to make sure what you're wearing is comfortable, as you need to be free to stretch from the incubator to the fridge etc.

However, there are times when us science girls can embrace our stylish sides, such as presentations, meetings and conferences (and those reading & writing only days). Recently, I found some lovely dresses in Dunnes (www.dunnesstores.ie) that were really reasonably priced (between €18-€25) and perfect for work. They're to the knee or below the knee shift dresses available in a range of colours and all with fabulous shoulder details-see the pics below. The shape of each is super flattering and the high neckline makes them sophisticated yet still slightly sexy. I can't wait to wear them at a conference this weekend, and I'm hoping they can double up for a few nights out coming up to Christmas!

Other high street shops that stock nice work wear lines include New Look, Penney's, Zara & Oasis. Opaque tights, suede wedges or embellished pumps, and light cardigans/long sheer waistcoats finish the look nicely.

Rachel xxx

Hair Accessories & Best Hair Products

For me, a good hair day is a good day overall! Even if my skin or make up isn't quite right, or I don't feel my outfit is doing that much for me, once my hair looks good then I feel ok. However, constant washing & styling is not only time consuming, but is quite bad for hair (especially when you have a head full of bleach like me!). I use lots of hair accessories and products to avoid having to always straighten or curl my hair-one of my favourite things has to be putting my hair in plaits when it's wet-once it's dry you have great crimpy hair that's full of volume, with no fuzz in sight! A pretty embellished hairband can also glam up an outfit for a night out, with the winter weather sometimes it's easier to put your hair up & top it off with a nice accessory-it beats stressing over rain & wind ruining our style. Here's a list of my go to accessories and products for banishing bad hair days...

Hair Accessories

Anything goes these days, hairbands, big clips & hats are all in fashion, try Accessorize, Penney's, Topshop & H&M for some of the best bits.

Hair Products

Dry Shampoo-Has to be Batiste, I love the Blush version.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume & Sheer Blonde ranges; especially the Tone Refreshing products and Blonde Hair Repair leave in conditioning treatment.

Elnett Hairspray-I challenge you to find a girl who does not swear by this.

Tigi Catwalk Fast Fixx Lightweight Leave-In Conditioner Spray-great for detangling and maintaining healthy, soft hair.

If I'm missing anything or there's a product you'd recommended, please feel free to leave a comment.

Rachel xxx

Being Stylishly Organised

It's not always possible to combine science & fashion at the same time...however, yesterday I got a little carried away when I was looking for an academic year diary & bought a filofax!

I was surprised at how many colours & styles there are, I got a red personal sized one for €16.99 which I think is pretty good value. There were others there including a beautiful purple leather one that was €75, but I couldn't justify spending that much (yet!).

So this has to be my most sensible buy in a long time-it looks cool, it'll help me to organise my days & stay on top of what I need to do week in week out in the lab, plus it looks cute & professional in my handbag! It's a win all round :)

As one of the girls in the lab pointed out to me though, filofaxes & diaries are a bit out of date now, since we all use email & have smartphones. This is true, but I kind of like the old fashioned feel of writing something down, plus it'll stop me getting distracted by facebook & twitter-which inevitably happens as soon as I go online or turn my phone on!

Does anyone else use a filofax? What's the nicest/most fashionable one you've seen? I have my eye on the black patent leather one (picture below)...very chic.

Rachel xxx

Conference Abstracts

It's that time of year again when abstract deadlines are approaching. Writing abstracts is quite tricky, it can be hard to get your point across, especially when there's a crazy limit of something like 250 words. The most important advice I was given is to know your audience. Depending on who will be reading or assessing the abstract will define the structure and tone of it. For example, if it's a medical conference, then you should discuss the translational significance of your findings in the conclusions section. If it's a more basic science audience, then detailed methods, statistical analyses and definitive scientific conclusions are vital.

Most abstract submission guidelines advise breaking the main body of text into several sections; usually introduction, methods, results and conclusions. Each of these parts is just as important as the next, concise sentences describing exactly what you did, why you did it, and what the results mean are the basic requirements for a good abstract. Get another PhD student to read through it to make sure it flows before sending to your boss for correction. And don't be disheartened if they change or re-organise most of it, abstract writing is an art that comes with time and practice.

Conferences are fantastic for networking, appreciating the field you're woring in, and also to remind you that there's life in a science career outside of the lab/bench (which is extremely important when those experiments aren't working)! I've been so fortunate to travel to some amazing places over the past few years thanks to accepted abstracts and posters/presentations, it makes slaving away at all hours over a tube, dish or apparatus seem worthwhile.

Rachel xxx

Festival Essentials

I've never been to a festival before, so I'm trés excited about going to Electric Picnic next weekend, the weather forecast says there's little or no chance of rain, the line-up just keeps getting better and better, and I've already practised putting up my tent; it wasn't as difficult as I imagined (granted I had some help from the family but it still went up in one piece)!!

Now comes the tricky part though...what to wear & what to bring with me. As the Irish weather is so notoriously unpredictable, I guess it's better to be safe than sorry. At the same time, I don't want to over pack and have too many options...that just makes it's more difficult to decide what to wear! So I've made a list of what I imagine to be festival staples, but I'd appreciate input to let me know if there's anything I'm forgetting or anything that more practical than what I have!

1. Straw trilby hat - great to cover up unwashed hair, may be robbed by overzealous boys and could blow away in a gust, but I think the benefits outweigh the costs here.

2. Denim shorts - perfect festival attire, although the forecast said it's going to be a chilly 10 degrees, so maybe tights to wear under them would be handy, or just jeans which would be warmer altogether?! Hmm...

3. Wellies - even if it's not raining I think I'll just wear them for the whole weekend!

4. Rain jacket.

5. Oversized sunglasses - protect eyes from the sun & hide tired/red/hungover eyeballs ;)

6. My favourite scarf, as scarves are the most versatile accessory on the planet.

7. An big hoody for warmth.

8. A bumbag/small across body bag to keep essentials in.

The picture below shows what's in my 'Definitely Bringing Pile'.

I'm getting excited now just thinking about packing! The scientist in me really wants to make an itinerary so I know exactly which band I want to see, where they're playing and when, but I won't (way too geeky ha)...I guess you can take the girl out of the lab but never the other way around!

Rachel xxx