Speaker takes humorous look at grad school, science

Adam Ruben, Ph.D., author of “Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School,” and co-host of the popular Science Channel series, “Outrageous Acts of Science,” will be on the UNMC Omaha campus Tuesday for two presentations as a part of UNeMed’s ninth annual Innovation and Research Week.

Dr. Ruben, who also pens the humor column “Experimental Error,” will speak at 2 p.m. in the Durham Research Center Auditorium about the many challenges of grad school, and the struggle to make a career in academic science fields.

Innovation and Research Week

The ninth annual Innovation and Research Week will be held all next week.

Every fall, UNeMed sponsors Innovation and Research Week, a popular series of events that honor innovators at UNMC, and helps educate and inform faculty, staff and students. This year, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research is collaborating on the event.

In addition to an awards ceremony, Innovation and Research Week also raises awareness about technology transfer relevant subjects, including intellectual property, sponsored research opportunities, collaborating with industry partners, and research funding opportunities.

For a day-by-day breakdown of Innovation and Research Week events, click here for the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research website.

Dr. Ruben said he plans to “complain about grad school and offer career alternatives (other than failure) to the shrinking academic tenure-track market, which you don’t really want anyway.”

The event is free and open to everyone, but because space is limited, registered guests will receive the highest seating priority. For registration information, click here.

Dr. Ruben also will present an evening show open to the public, “Public Perception of Science: Lessons from a Dead Sheep,” from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Sorrell Center, Room 1005. Admission to the evening event is free, but seats are limited.

After both presentations, Dr. Ruben will sign copies of his book, “Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School.” Copies also will be available for purchase.

Dr. Ruben has been featured on the Food Network’s “Food Detectives,” the Science Channel’s “Head Rush,” the Travel Channel’s “Mysteries at the Kremlin,” the Weather Channel’s “Weather Gone Viral,” Discovery International’s “Superhuman Science,” and NPR’s “All Things Considered.”

Innovation and Research Week culminates Thursday, with the ninth annual Innovation Awards Ceremony and Reception, where one guest will win a free iPad. Any UNMC personnel can register for the free iPad drawing by attending any UNeMed-sponsored Innovation Week event.

Learn more about all the Innovation and Research Week events here for the UNeMed website.