Introduction

Welcome to Undressing Science! 

I’m AFour, one of two bloggers who will be contributing posts to Undressing Science. My co-blogger will also be posting an introduction here soon but for now I’d like to tell you a bit about myself and what I intend to blog.

As you will undoubtedly notice, I have decided to stay (mostly) anonymous by using the blogger name AFour. My reasons for this are not to be deceitful but rather to allow myself some freedom to express and communicate my thoughts. This is my first time blogging and I’ve found myself in a kind of paradox; the idea of putting down words and thoughts for everyone to see is both scary and, at the same time, liberating. Don’t let my withholding name prevent you from reading on, short of providing my address or credit card number, most other relevant details about me will be shared. 

I am a student studying at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. I have recently commenced a PhD in population health, specifically epidemiology, and I am particularly interested in mental health and diseases.  Aside from my direct research interests, I am also passionate about communication and believe that research results should be available to, and openly discussed by, any interested individuals and communities.

There are many fantastic sites and blogs (I recently became addicted to Bad Science – an endlessly thought-provoking and rip-the-blindfold-from-your-eyes blog written by Ben Goldacre) dedicated to the discussion of all things science and research, aimed at those with a more advanced understanding of science concepts. I will try to avoid duplicating these and will instead be trying to write posts, focusing on recent research publications and books, that untangle the web of jargon and technical spiel to reveal the crux of what is being told. I hope this will be readable and enjoyable for those interested in or wanting to learn more about science and what the latest research is revealing, but who do not necessarily want to spend three years getting a science degree.

While I will be taking a much needed break from my computer over Easter, keep an eye out for my upcoming posts on critically analysing science reports (a layman’s guide) and understanding statistical significance tests.

Oh, and please bear with us as we try to get this blog up and running. It may need a few make-overs before the month is out....