Scientific discourse
Intro
Scientific discourse is core to good science. It transmits ideas, data and observations, and opens research to the scrutiny necessary to expose substandard work or fraudulent behaviour.
Creating opportunities for interaction is fundamental to the Crick way of working. We promote robust scientific discussion and exchange in a variety of ways, from chance encounters and lab meetings right through to large conferences.
Discourse operates on several different levels at the Crick.
Levels
Informal interactions
The open design of the building and the many collaborative spaces encourages and facilitates informal daily interactions. There are few barriers between labs, increasing the chances of regular encounters outside immediate groups.
To further promote scientific discourse and spark new ideas, we use a ‘salt and pepper’ approach in locating existing and incoming research groups, ensuring that entire disciplines are not grouped together, but that neighbouring labs have shared research interests, approaches or experimental organisms, or that collaborators are nearby.
More on our buildingLabs
Individual and clustered research groups run laboratory meetings to discuss data and ideas. Encouraging small research groups led by engaged and motivated group leaders means they can ensure close contact with lab members and their research activities and data.
Supportive lab meetings are encouraged with constructive critique, the sharing of data, and participation in data analysis, ideas and hypothesis testing.
Explore our labsInterest groups and informal groups
We have a system of bottom-up scientific interest groups to bring together researchers from across the institute to discuss current findings and ideas, strengthen connections between disparate fields of study and promote new collaborations. These provide opportunities for graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and technicians to present and discuss their results.
Researchers from our university partners can join interest groups as associate members, engaging researchers from disciplines that are less well represented at the Crick. This is further supported through informal ‘forums’ which bridge interest groups and link researchers around common technical or conceptual interests. These provide an agile platform for the exchange of ideas and interdisciplinary collaboration.
A number of these forums or clubs are open to external members.
Our science clubsLectures and conferences
We are small enough to be able to hold meetings and events which are open to the whole institute, and to interested colleagues from our founding partners. At the same time, the Crick is also large enough for these events to draw in participants with a breadth of scientific expertise and a range of experience, promoting engagement across disciplinary boundaries.
Weekly Crick lectures open to the entire institute are given by internal group leaders and external distinguished researchers. Insight lectures open to the entire institute are given by public figures in science, or on the edge of science, and followed by smaller group discussions.
UK-wide scientific discourse occurs through conferences, networking and structured interactions such as Medicine at the Crick.
Our scientific events
