Need a scientist?

[Elizabeth Bent]

Hi there- I'm new to these forums, and thought I would mention that I work as a scientist (specifically, a molecular biologist/ microbiologist). If you have a specific question, I might be able to answer it for you.

[chopper]

welcome aboard!

kinda makes me wish i did have a question that needed answering, but you can't have everything...

please feel free to post a general introduction in the Introductions section as well - and i note you're also looking for agents, so thus you must be a perspiring writer yourself - anything in particular?

[Elizabeth Bent]

Thanks for the welcome. I'm currently working on a science fiction story I started maybe 20 years ago (!) and which has grown from a short piece of fiction to a full length novel. The bits of it which I've shown to people (including people that don't know me) have gotten encouraging responses.

I've actually self-published another, sillier novel (which I wrote while finishing my PhD and which sorely needs revision), but I want to try to sell my current work.

[Peter Graham]

Hullo Elizabeth,

What an excellent idea to offer your expertise! I wonder if we should perhaps ask the Mods if there is any mileage in making this thread a sticky, calling it something whizzy like Specialist Subjects (or in my case, WILTTIKA -What I Like to Think I Know About) and then inviting those of us who would be happy to share any specialist or professional knowledge they may have to set out their areas of knowledge?

I'll volunteer for beekeeping, brewing, early medieval British history (400-900 in particular) and the English legal system.

Regards,

Peter

[chrispenycate]

I can cover sound engineering, roofing and maintenance of French mediaeval châteaux, particle accelerators and their big brothers, linear accelerators.
Hm, looking at the list it doesn't seem to have much of any interest either to F or SF. Mind you, I'll have a shot at blacksmithing, early mountain climbing, video recording from two inch to digital – quite a lot of things, really.

[HareBrain]

Well, I used to know a fair bit about accountancy, and, er ...

*nervously hopes he doesn't get involved in any real-life balloon debates*

[Elizabeth Bent]

You never know what subjects might come up in a story. In my current book, one of my characters is a potter and I've had to learn a fair bit about ceramics and kiln firing to give her any semblance of reality.

There are a bunch of folks with varied expertise here- nice to know that if I have a strange question (perhaps about ballooning?) it may be answered here.

[HareBrain]

I've posted threads asking technical questions related to my WIP in the Aspiring Writers forum before (such as one about corrosion of various metals in sea water). But I wonder if it would be a good idea to have a single "ask an expert" thread, for questions that just require a factual answer rather than opinion or discussion?

[The Bloated One]

Got any cool 'sciency' type words for rotting flesh?

TBO

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Originally Posted by The Bloated One

Got any cool 'sciency' type words for rotting flesh?

TBO

How about "necrosis"?

[elfdragonlord]

I studied philosophy and history at university.

So if anyone needs information about European Philosophy (Hume, Kant, Heidegger, Sartre), Philosophy of Mind, Early Modern European History (roughly Rennaisance to mid eighteenth Century), Indian Philosophy or Indian History - these are all things I enjoyed studying at Uni.

I also have layman's interest in evolution/animal classification and astronomy - but I'm sure there are others here with more expert knowledge than my 'I read a lot of books' knowledge.

[BookStop]

Oh, wow, Elizabeth. You seem to have started something here Wish I had knowledge to contribute. I do know very little about a great many things; certainly something handy in there.

And welcome to the Chronicles.

[dustinzgirl]

I know how to change diapers, burp babies, and be awesome.

Welcome Elizabeth!

[bulldogwings]

Hi Elizabeth!

How very serendipitous to find your post and generous offer at the same time I am working on a story about a scientist whose love of animals leads him into employing some proscribed procedures in order to create the miniature elephant that his wife has always dreamed about having. My specific question is what types of self imposed rules might a scientist integrate into his/her work ethic if they chose to pursue this type of work? I would think that the cute little beasts would need to be created sterile so no one could start a 'tiny elephant mill'. Any ideas on other self policing guidelines?

Thanks so much for the kind offer.

I have ten years of medical imaging experience, fifteen years of IT experience and 40 years of experience making music on several instruments to offer, if anyone has a question around one of those areas

Cheers !

[digs]

If anyone needs advice on sleeping in, skipping class and wasting time, I'm your man!

I have a question: what does a molecular biologist/microbiologist do?