For reasons ranging from a change in funding status to needing a larger floorspace, sometimes laboratories are forced to relocate. These relocations incorporate all of the challenges of a normal personal domicile move and multiply the number of variables to track and potential risks. Being organized is critical to ensuring […]

As global concerns about climate change rise, scientists are looking for new ways to harvest energy from cleaner sources—such as wind or solar—to power electronic devices. Capturing the mechanical energy from motion has presented a particular challenge within this field, since the mechanical energy input for most generators greatly exceeds […]

This summer, communities around the United States have faced multiple natural disasters. Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma devastated communities in the South, leaving millions of Americans without access to power and with limited access to fresh food. Wildfires in the West have also knocked out power for some communities, and […]

“Big data” has recently become a major buzzword in both the materials science and life science fields. As a researcher today, you have the ability to generate enormous datasets in a matter of hours, minutes or even seconds. This has opened up unprecedented opportunities for innovation, but it also makes […]

If you’re doing research in life science or materials science today, digital data storage and sharing is unavoidable. The rise of technology has opened up enormous opportunities for scientific collaboration both within labs and across organizational lines. At the same time, the rise of big data has empowered scientists to […]

From microscopic transistors in laptops’ core processors to clay bricks that can withstand hurricanes, the innovative, real-world applications of ceramic materials are widespread and on the rise.1 Ceramics play crucial roles in a wide range of industries. Perhaps the most significant drawback to these materials is the complexity and high […]

Occasionally, chemical reagent production can be as complicated and difficult as the cutting edge medical or materials research it is eventually used in. Production may require catalysts, high temperatures or pressure, all of which can be costly and chip away at the bottom line, causing headaches for labs and industry […]

Recent world events have made it clearer than ever: The need for alternative fuels is pressing. With efforts mounting to find viable alternatives to fossil fuels, scientists are turning towards organisms that create their own energy: plants. Scientists have developed polyaniline, an organic semiconductor polymer that reduces carbon dioxide into […]

In both the materials science and life science fields, modeling and simulation software is becoming an increasingly valuable tool in the R&D process. Materials science researchers can use the latest visualization software to better understand connections between the observable properties of a material and its underlying atomic and molecular structures. […]

Since the introduction of the Japanese concept of “leanness” in business, many different groups have implemented the lean concept to improve their internal processes.1  Surprisingly, the lean methodology hasn’t permeated pharmaceutical research, development, or discovery practices– at least not explicitly. As it turns out, there are a number of burdens […]