Monthly Archives: February 2023

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Project for the Renovated RSL: Diversifying Portraiture

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The Radcliffe Science Library (RSL), part of the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford, is committed to supporting an inclusive culture and being a space where everyone feels welcome, valued and respected when it re-opens in Summer 2023. As part of this action, the library is launching two events to celebrate and highlight past and present contribution to science and medicine at Oxford from a diverse community.

  1. The equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) writing competition for all undergraduates in science and medicine
  2. Help the RSL celebrate equality and diversity in Science and Medicine through your nominations

The results of the competition and nomination will be part of an exhibition display when the RSL re-opens for Michaelmas Term 2023.

Nominate Outstanding Contributions to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

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To support the RSL’s commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and to coincide with the RSL’s building renovations, the library is reviewing its portraiture to represent the diverse and inclusive science community. You are invited to nominate outstanding contributions of staff, students, or groups, from MPLS or MSD, who promote equality, diversity, and inclusion through their research, outreach, or daily working practices. The achievements of the successful nominees will be celebrated in the newly refurbished RSL, as part of a rotational exhibition.

Illustration of a clear box with white envelopes inside and one white envelope being added. Continue reading →

Equality diversity and inclusion project for the renovated RSL: diversifying portraiture

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For the equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) writing competition we have a list of historical scientists for you to choose from.

Historical Scientists

Click on the name to see more information or scroll through the whole list.

Scientists from the Medical Sciences Division

Florence Buchanan (1867-1931)
Edith Bülbring (1903-1990)
Robert Burton (1577-1640)
Mabel FitzGerald (1872-1973)
Esmé Hadfield (1921-1992)
Norman Heatley (1911-2004)
Louise Johnson (1940-2012)
Margaret Pickles (1900-?)
Victoria Smallpeice (1901-1991)
Janet Vaughan (1899-1993)
Cicely Delphine Williams (1892-1992)
Acland’s Cholera map (1815-1900)
The Oxford unknown scientist(s)

Scientists from the Mathematical Physical and Life Sciences Division

Sarah Acland (1849-1930)
Madge Adam (1912-2011)
Ethel Bellamy (1881-1960)
Mary Buckland (née Morland) (1797-1857)
Ida Winifred Busbridge (1908-1988)
Mary Lucy Cartwright (1900-1998)
Lorna Ann Casselton (1938-2014)
Dorothy Mary Crowfoot Hodgkin (1910-1994)
Maud Healey (?-19?)
Jane Kirkaldy (1869-1932)
Mary Winearls Porter (1886-1980)
Marjorie Mary Sweeting (1920-1994)
James Joseph Sylvester (1814-1897)
Nikolaas Tinbergen (1907-1988)
Charlotte Trower (1855-1928)
Monica Turner (1925-2013)
The Oxford unknown scientist(s)

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Check out our Resource of the Month

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The RSL has a huge collection of physical and electronic materials. We have so much that we wanted to shine a spotlight on some of our items whether recently added or an existing collection item. The resources are recommended by our knowledgeable subject librarians who are excited to show off parts of the collection for their subject.

Text that says resource of the month over small images of books, computer equipment and scientific equipmentThis month’s selector is:

Alessandra Vetrugno

Alessandra Vetrugno has selected Reaxys Academic Edition.

Brief Description

Reaxys Academic Edition is a vital resource for Chemistry research and education. Its extensive database covers Chemistry information dating as far back as 1771 and can be searched in different ways including by chemical structure and reaction type.
Its advanced search tools ensure fast access to:

  • Over 86 million documents
  • Over 179 million organic, inorganic and organometallic substances
  • >57 million chemical Reactions
  • More than 500M searchable experimental properties
  • >35 million Patents from 105 patent offices
  • Over 43 million bioactivity data points
  • Published and AI predicted synthesis routes
Overhead photograph of a beaker placed on a colourful periodic table

Photo by Vedrana Filipović on Unsplash.

Who is this useful for?

This resource is essential for Chemistry students and researchers, from undergraduate level up to academics. It is also relevant for researchers in Biochemistry and in Pharmacology, with, for example, its applications in drug discovery. It is also relevant for researchers in Materials Science as well as for researchers in Biochemistry and in Pharmacology, with, for example, its applications in drug discovery.

How can I access it?

Reaxys Academic Edition is available through SOLO . To access it off campus use the VPN or sign in to the journal platform with your Single Sign On (SSO).

If you want to know more about searching Reaxys, you can talk to one of our friendly Subject Librarians! 😊

3D Printing in Space

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The 3D printing services at the RSL are out of this world and I’m not just saying that! Recently objects that we printed went up to the international space station. Let’s tell you how it happened.

Gif of an object wrapped in gold foil in a clear plastic bag floating in the air. A hand reaches out and touches it and starts it spinning.

The 3D printing covers the ferrofluid experiemnt. It is wrapped in foil and plastic for protection.

The Project

The NG-18 robotic resupply spacecraft launched 7 November 2022, amongst its supplies it brought several experiments to the International Space Station (ISS) including an experiment investigating ferrofluids in microgravity. Ferrofluids are attracted to the poles of a magnet and the experiment’s aim was to investigate how the ferrofluids would act in in negligible gravity. This experiment was assisted by the ISSET-Oxford payload development team, who designed the structure for the experiment, the truss assembly, and the outer cover. This team specialises in developing high school student-proposed research projects for launch to the ISS. The experiment contained a series of electromagnets, which were used to manipulate a ferrofluid sample through a sensing coil.

The truss, electromagnet coil holders and outer casing were printed by the 3D printing facilities in the RSL. Our New and Emerging Technologies Officer, Richard Smith, discussed the designs with the ISSET-Oxford payload development team and arranged for them to be printed. The structures were printed using Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) which is NASA safety compliant.

They were then shipped to NASA Wallops Flight Facility for assembly and launch in November 2022. The assembly was designed in Solidworks and Onshape design software by Dr Daniel Cervenkov, Jack Enright and Dr Mike Foale.

On the ISS, the experiment ran successfully within the 3D printed structure and the results were saved to an SD card. That card returned to Earth on 11 January 2023 as part of the SpaceX CRS-26 Commercial Resupply Service mission along with the results of other experiments.

Find out more about 3D Printing on our guide or by emailing rsl3dprinting@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

More loanable titles in the RSL

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We currently have 450 metres of books on the open shelves in the RSL collection in the VHL. That’s over 18,000 books. 93% of which are loanable.

Photograph of a room with floor to ceiling shelves full of booksYou asked for more loanable books and we did it. We recently converted 6000 books that were only for use in the library so that they can now be borrowed.

6000 books is a lot to get through so sone of them still have the old labels but our library team are working through them as quickly as they can. If you want to check if a book can be borrowed just chat to the staff at the front desk.

This is a pilot scheme so we’d appreciate your feedback on the scheme enquiries.rsl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

"Library Use Only" stickers being removed from books

iSkills for undergraduates

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Are you an undergraduate in MPLS or MSD? Do you have research assignments coming up? Then we have some great training sessions that help get you started. All the sessions are free so don’t forget to book your place.

Orange banner on top with white text saying "iSkills for Undergraduate Science" over a silhouette of heads looking at a person giving instruction

Easier Referencing with RefWorks

Get started with organising your referencise. Learn how to create references and add them correctly to your assignments. We’ll be using RefWorks software free to all University students.

Date: Monday 13 February 2023, 5.30-6.30pm
Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
Booking: www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0006

Explore Virtual Reality and 3D Printing

Learn how the 3D printing service in the RSL works and how to create 3D objects. We’ll also look at virtual reality and see what

Date: Thursday 16 February 2023, 5.30-6.30pm
Where: In Person at Social Sciences Library Information Skills Training Room
Booking: www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0001

Get up to speed with finding papers for your studies (MPLS)

Get your search skills up to speed by learning effective searching sstrategies for scientific journals and papers. We’ll go beyond searching with Google and show you how to use SOLO and scientific databases.

Date: Tuesday 14 February 2023, 5.30-6.30pm
Date: Monday 20 February 2023, 5.30-6.30pm
Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0004

Get up to speed with finding papers for your studies (MSD)

Get your search skills up to speed by learning effective searching strategies for medical journals and papers. We’ll go beyond searching with Google and show you how to use SOLO and medical databases.

Date: Tuesday 28 February 2023, 5.30-6.30pm
Date: Thursday 2 March 2023, 5.30-6.30pm
Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/MPLS0003

Sources for Science: Learning the craft of evaluating information and referencing academic sources online

Learn how to find academic sources for your research how to critically evaluate sources and understand how to reference sources correctly.
Date: Monday 27 February 2023, 7-8pm
Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
Booking: www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/course/ISKILL0071

Find out more about the Bodleian Libraries iSkills programme at www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ask/workshops#/