Reed's Ruminations: A Blog by Dan Reed

Singapore Biopolis

Two weeks ago, I was in Singapore to give a keynote presentation at GridAsia, which brought together teams from a variety of Asian Grid initiatives. I spoke about the confluence of scientific influences and disciplines via Grids and high-performance computing and the importance of culture in scientific partnerships. I believe most projects fail not for technical reasons but due to failure to understand what the reward metrics are for each collaborating group member. However, that is not the topic of this essay.

Food for Thought

School’s out and summer is here. You could grab an airport bestseller -- you know the kind -- “hardnosed but psychologically damaged PI doggedly solves grisly murder” or “elite special forces unit foils terrorist plot in the nick of time.” Perhaps emotionally satisfying, or at least mind numbing, these are the cerebral equivalent of cotton candy and potato chips, empty intellectual calories with instant gratification but no lasting benefit. Or, you could have a hearty bowl of steaming oatmeal – some chewy books on serious topics that will give you strong bones and a healthier intellect.

Herewith are my summer reading recommendations, some old, some new. Bon appétit!