疫情期间,被隔离在家的我们无法进行走进实验室,参与本应举行的科研会议也被迫延迟,没有了实验平台和科研伙伴的你是否会对目前的科研窘境感到焦虑。那么来读读这篇Science,教你如何利用互联网平台打破疫情屏障,与科学们在线交流学习。
How I’ve connected with other scientists online during the COVID-19 pandemic
在COVID-19大流行期间我如何与其他科学家在线交流
In early March, the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in my city, Boston. Suddenly, our university inundated us with emails encouraging good hygiene practices and social distancing. Then, a few days later, we were informed that all noncritical research should stop and that mandatory work-from-home policies would be implemented. Anxiety spread like wildfire. I had not expected my work life on campus to stop so suddenly. My lab mates and I think of our workspace as a home away from home, where we enjoy interacting at lab meetings and over coffee. I felt a pit in my stomach as I realized all that was over for now. I was afraid of feeling isolated.
参考译文:3月初,我所在的波士顿报告了第一批COVID-19病例。突然,我们的大学推送了我们许多鼓励良好卫生习惯和社会距离的电子邮件。几天后,我们得知所有非关键性研究都应停止,并将实施强制性的在家工作政策。焦虑如野火般蔓延。我没想到我的校园工作会突然停止。我的实验室伙伴和我都将工作空间视为家外之家,在这里,我们喜欢在实验室会议上和喝咖啡时进行互动。当我意识到现在一切都结束了时,我感到心中一沉。我害怕被孤立。
What worried me even more was the extent of the isolation. Within a few days of learning that I’d be working at home for at least 6 weeks, I found out that a conference I was planning to attend in June was canceled. Not only was I going to miss my work environment, but I was also going to lose a great opportunity to meet researchers from around the world, share ideas, and present my work.
参考译文:更令我担心的是隔离的程度。在得知我要在家里工作至少6周的几天后,我发现原计划在6月参加的会议被取消了。我不仅会错过自己的工作环境,而且还将失去一个与世界各地的研究人员会面,分享想法并介绍我的工作的绝佳机会。
On the last day we were all in the lab together, my postdoc adviser mentioned he wanted to start an online seminar series. At first I felt relieved, thinking that virtual seminars would at least provide some respite from isolation. But I doubted they would measure up to the experience of in-person seminars.
参考译文:在我们在一起的最后一天,我的博士后顾问提到他想开始一个在线研讨会系列。起初,我感到放心,认为虚拟研讨会至少会为隔离带来一些喘息的机会。但是我怀疑他们是否会照搬现场研讨会的经验。
Together with another lab head, my adviser spread the word that they were starting a Slack group, where researchers in our field—the science of aging—could have discussions and sign up to give seminars. The group quickly amassed roughly 600 members, and the speaker list filled up. That seemed promising, but I still wondered how many scientists would actually tune in to the seminars, which were slated to take place once every workday.
参考译文:我的顾问与另一位实验室负责人说,他们正在建立一个Slack小组,在这个小组中,我们领域的研究人员-衰老科学-可以进行讨论并报名参加研讨会。该小组迅速聚集了大约600名成员,发言人名单也随之增加。这似乎很有希望,但是我仍然想知道实际上有多少科学家愿意参加这些研讨会,这些研讨会计划在每个工作日举行一次。
One week after our university closed, I settled into my makeshift work-from-home desk and logged on to my first virtual seminar. I was pleasantly surprised to see some familiar names online, some from as far away as Brazil and China. Midway through the talk, I noticed that more than 250 researchers were watching. As I took notes, jotting down intriguing experiments and impressive techniques, the unfamiliarity of the experience faded. I realized that despite being alone in my apartment, I was taking part in an event with researchers from around the world, some probably motivated by the same fear of isolation I had felt.
参考译文:大学停课一周后,我安顿了自己的临时在家工作办公桌,并登录了我的第一个虚拟研讨会。我在网上看到一些熟悉的名字感到惊讶,有些名字来自巴西和中国。演讲进行到一半时,我注意到有250多位研究人员在观看。当我记笔记,记下有趣的实验和令人印象深刻的技术时,对体验的陌生感逐渐消失。我意识到,尽管一个人呆在我的公寓里,但我还是与来自世界各地的研究人员一起参加了一次活动,其中一些人可能是出于与世隔绝的恐惧。
We have continued the daily seminars in the weeks since then, hearing from senior scientists, Ph.D. students, postdocs, and others in our field. After each seminar, we ask the speaker questions on Slack and take part in a group discussion about their research. I’ve found the talks helpful for learning about new lab techniques and identifying researchers whom I might be able to collaborate with in the future.
参考译文:从那以后的几周内,我们一直在继续举办每日研讨会,听取了资深科学家的博士学位。学生,博士后以及我们领域的其他人。在每个研讨会之后,我们向演讲者询问有关Slack的问题,并参加有关其研究的小组讨论。我发现这些讲座对学习新的实验室技术以及确定将来可能与我合作的研究人员很有帮助。
We’ve also used our Slack group to connect in more personal ways, such as by sharing updates on COVID-19 cases in our respective countries and commiserating about struggles that we’re going through. I have been able to reconnect with colleagues whom I met at conferences years ago but had since lost touch with. My sense of isolation has faded, and—perhaps counterintuitively—I feel more connected than ever.
参考译文:我们还利用Slack小组以更个人化的方式进行联系,例如通过共享各自国家/地区关于COVID-19案件的最新消息以及对我们正在经历的斗争表示同情。我能够与多年前在会议上认识的同事重新建立联系,但此后却失去了联系。我的孤独感已经消失,而且(也许是违反直觉的)我感到比以往任何时候都更加紧密。
I began my work-at-home experience worried about losing the opportunity to connect with my colleagues. But I now realize that I am part of a global research community that can thrive online. I plan to continue my conversations with colleagues via our Slack group long after the pandemic is quelled. That will allow us to connect year-round, not just during our field’s annual conference, and to include researchers for whom travel is difficult.
参考译文:我开始在家工作,担心失去与同事联系的机会。但是我现在意识到,我是可以在线发展的全球研究社区的一部分。大流行被消灭后,我计划继续通过Slack小组与同事继续对话。这样一来,我们不仅可以在该领域的年度会议期间全年联系,而且可以将旅行困难的研究人员包括在内。
If you find yourself lonely working from home, I’d recommend starting your own online community with colleagues in your field. We’re facing tough times and an uncertain future. But it’s also an opportunity to rethink how we interact with one another, in ways that will benefit the scientific community in the long term.
参考译文:如果您发现自己独自在家工作,我建议与您所在领域的同事一起建立自己的在线社区。我们正面临艰难时期和不确定的未来。但这也是重新思考我们如何进行互动的机会,这种方式将长期有益于科学界。
文章来源:doi:10.1126/science.caredit.abc1562
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