Journal Club!

Most people know that grad school involves taking classes, doing research, and sometimes teaching.  But there are many other venues for grad students to communicate with other people about science.  In addition to attending weekly seminars and occasional conferences, the folks in behavior and physiology in my program have a weekly journal club for supplemental intellectual stimulation.  Contrary to how "journal club" might sound, we do not meet in a treehouse to write about our feelings.  (Ba-dum-ching!)  Instead, professors and students meet once a week to discuss a scientific paper that is of general interest to the members of the group.  Everybody involved in the journal club takes a turn choosing and presenting a paper, and the paper is sent to the group about a week in advance.  The presenter's job is to provide background information, offer a synposis of the key results, and stimulate discussion among group members.  Since our journal club meets on Friday mornings, our presenter is also in charge of bringing a tasty breakfast treat.  (Bagels are a perennial favorite, though homemade baked goods are often well-received.)  Participating in journal club is a great way to expand the scope of your knowledge and to learn how to critically evaluate research articles.  In the past year, our journal club has covered topics ranging from road-crossing behavior in pedestrians to the genetics of bee personality to the evolution of male ornamentation.  Plus journal club is a great way to interact with people in your research area who you may not otherwise see on a regular basis.  And who knows, it just might lead to a great new idea or collaboration...