How One Scientist Empowers Thousands of Others: Johan Erikson Publishes in Journal of Chemical Education

Politicians have been using science as a punching bag a lot lately. It’s hard to overstate the dangers of this, given that scientific thinking and the distinction of fact from fiction fuels our ability to cure diseases, invent new technology, and generally explain how the world works. Meanwhile, science educators shoulder on with preparing the next generation of critical thinkers and scientists, including Science Department Chair, professor, and author Dr. Johan Erikson who crosses Portland Harbor on the Peaks Island ferry each day and commutes to Saint Joseph’s College on Sebago Lake.

Writing in the Rain: A Tip on Notebooks for Travelers & Writers

Walcott’s mention of “each phrase go be soaked in salt” represented well my experience of trying to take notes on the wave- and rain-soaked deck so that I could document the specialized language used aboard the sailing ship and could write the magazine article the way the editor requested. There was no way that I could rely upon my memory for this detail. Given the volume of sea water sloshing about, I couldn’t use the Notes app on my iphone nor could I use a regular notebook. Each moment on the rocking deck and in the hold brimmed with characters, dialogue, and action. I needed a reliable note taking tool.