Dr. Gundula Bosch is a senior scientist and the director of R3 Center for Innovation in Science Education at Johns Hopkins University. She is dedicated to promoting global graduate education reform by fostering critical thinking skills and a broad knowledge base in students.
Recently, she published a paper on Nature. This paper discusses the potential limitations of PhD programs in the biomedical sciences, which are under pressure to produce productive lab members quickly. As a result, these programs have shortened their courses, which may not provide enough opportunities for students to understand the context of their research and may not nurture big thinkers and creative problem-solvers. This paper suggests that students should be taught about the scientific process, including its limitations and potential pitfalls, and should be exposed to interdisciplinary detective games and case studies derived from flawed real research in order to learn about errors and logical fallacies. This article also highlights the importance of showing students the "fun side" of science, including serendipitous discoveries and hilarious blunders.
This is a new and inspirational perspective that is worth reading. To read the full article, please click here.