Let your art leave your mark

Posted on 29 April 2026 by kharris

Unleash your creative side

The Radcliffe Science Library (RSL) Wellbeing Programme has long been a champion of encouraging our readers to show us their creative side. From our Lego Lunches, through monthly Craft & Chat to the one off events like the recent Painting for beginners class or Jewellery making, we have seen our readers produce really great work on a regular basis.

Now we would like to take this to the next level and make some of your pieces part of the fabric of the RSL by inviting you to submit work to be displayed in the Wellbeing Room and possibly other locations around the library. Let your art leave your mark on the RSL, creating something that might still be around the library long after you yourself have moved on.

The corner sofa in the Wellbeing room is surrounded by plain white walls. The amended image contains the words 'Your art here - or maybe here? - or here?' positioned in various blank spaces to illustrate where student work could appear — Your blank canvases

A poster from our recent Wellbeing Week event series. Some of these images show the other side of the Wellbeing Room where various prints already hang — Your blank canvases

What can I submit?

We would like you to submit a photograph or digital art work on the theme of reflect and recharge, but the photograph could be a reproduction of a painting or sketch, or a photo of a scuplture, crochet piece, etc. We may be able to help create the photographic reproduction depending on the project. There are no constraints in terms of the type of pieces from painting to printing, photography to collage – as long as we are able to receive a copy of sufficient resolution (300 ppi) to make the high quality prints on boards. Use whatever medium you want to express yourself and create something beautiful and lasting.

Is there a particular theme?

The principal location of the selected piece (s) will be in the RSL Wellbeing Room so themes need to be reflective of a calming environment to support readers taking time away from their work to relax and recharge.

Does it have to be a new piece?

Absolutely not, if you have already created something that you think would be a great fit then send us some images – we’d be delighted to receive them.

Any do’s & don’ts?

Just basic awareness that the successful piece(s) will be displayed in public spaces and that would need to be borne in mind in terms of subject matter. You would also need to ensure there is no infringement on any existing copyrighted material. Any pieces created solely using AI would not be considered.

How will my work be displayed?

To some extent this will be governed by the submissions that we receive. If we receive a number of suitable pieces than we will look at our options and may create a showcase display piece that brings a number of readers works together highlighting the varied talent.

Final Decision

The libraries decision is final and any and all works selected will be chosen for how well they suit the Wellbeing Room, the Bodleian Libraries and the themes of reflect and recharge.

How do I submit my work?

It couldn’t be easier, just complete the submission form and attach the images for consideration. The form includes information on a Creative Commons licence, which you will need to agree to, this will entitle us to reproduce and display your work. Your work will always be fully credited to you and labelled as such on any display in the RSL.

The deadline for submissions is Friday 19th June 2026.

If you have any questions please contact rachel.scanlon@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

Photograph of hand made woollen toys on a shelf. There is a turtle and a bee - both have been knitted or crocheted

A photograph of a cuddly dragon toy who appears to be attempting to scale a bean bag

Talk About Your Thesis 2026

Posted on 15 April 2026 by kharris

On 20 March 2026, the Radcliffe Science Library hosted Talk About Your Thesis, a new event developed in response to graduate student feedback. The aim was to give graduate students the opportunity to practise presenting their research in a friendly environment, while also meeting fellow students from across departments.

The session brought together just under 30 students from across MPLS, MSD and beyond for seven short talks followed by an informal lunch. With speakers presenting on a wide range of topics, attendees had the chance to hear about research far beyond their own specialism, while speakers gained valuable experience of presenting to a broader audience.

The RSL thanks Rueben College for use of their Lecture theatre to support the event.

The speakers sit in the front row of the lecture theatre waiting for the event to get underway — Talk about your Thesis 2026 is about to begin

Why we ran the event

Postgraduate students need to present their research at different stages of their careers, from conferences to transfer workshops to public engagement, but many have said there are limited opportunities to practise outside their own research groups or departments. Students also expressed interest in connecting with other graduate researchers across the University.

Talk About Your Thesis was created to support both of these aims: building confidence in presenting and creating opportunities for conversation and connection.

A broad and engaging programme

One of the strengths of the event was the variety of subjects represented. Rather than focusing on a single theme, speakers were invited to talk about their DPhil research in a style suitable for a general audience. This created a programme that was varied, accessible and engaging.

The talks covered topics including social media and social anxiety, ocean mixing caused by icebergs, battery design, atomic structure modelling, HIV-1 molecular epidemiology, irradiation damage in fusion reactors and smartwatch training. The diversity of topics helped make the event lively and gave everyone the chance to learn something new and the speakers did an excellent job making the topics understandable.

Nora stands at the lectern besides a large screen where a cartoon man is depicted weighed down by a globe full of social media commentary — Nora presents on Social Media & Social Anxiety

The opening slide of Oscar's presentation displayed on the big screen. It shows a graphic of ice breaking off into the sea and the caption reads "Modelling ocean mixing by capsizing icebergs in Greenlandic fjords" — Nora presents on Social Media & Social Anxiety

A welcoming atmosphere

Feedback from both speakers and attendees was very positive. Students appreciated the chance to practise their speaking skills in a supportive setting and valued the opportunity to meet researchers from outside their own departments.

“It is a great opportunity to practice presenting skills in a friendly environment”

“It’s a great event to practice speaking in an informal manner”

“This crowd was so friendly and engaged it was a really positive environment to practice in”

That welcoming atmosphere came through strongly in the feedback.

“Everyone was really friendly! It was great and I hope the library considers doing it again :)”

“Doing a DPhil can be very isolating, this is a great opportunity to meet other DPhil students”

One attendee reflected on both aspects of the event:

“I most enjoyed meeting people over lunch, but the whole event was great! The broad range of subject areas was good for learning about topics outside my specialism and for meeting interesting people who I might not otherwise have met. Everyone was very friendly, especially the library staff”

Looking ahead

The event was very well received, and feedback showed that there is interest in a similar event in the future. We are looking into possibilities of running a comparable event next year, which would incorporate feedback such as including a short Q&A after the talks.

Overall, Talk About Your Thesis offered exactly what many graduate students had been asking for: a chance to share research, practise speaking and connect with others in a welcoming environment.

Speakers and guests enjoy their pizza lunch. 9 Post grads eat at a round table in the RSL Social Study area — Discussing presentations over lunch

Table full of pizza. A sign marks the food as being suitable for vegetarians — Discussing presentations over lunch

The full list of speakers from Talk About Your Thesis 2026

Nora Skjerdingstad (Experimental Psychology) – Social media and social anxiety: Reconceptualising cognitive and behavioural processes

Oscar Tovey Garcia (Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics) – Ocean mixing by capsizing icebergs may enhance glacier melt rates

Neave Taylor (Chemistry) – Designing better batteries through watching interphases grow

Yuxuan presenting at the Talk About Your Thesis event

Zhang Yuxuan (Materials Science) – Simplified model to resolve three-dimensional atomic structure from 4D-STEM data

Ayisha Khalid (Nuffield Department of Population Health)- Global molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 during 1990-2024

Benoit presents from the lectern and draws our attention to something on the screen

Benoit Jaudun (Physics) – Understanding Irradiation damage in superconducting magnet for fusion reactors

Firas Darwish (Statistics) – How to Train a Smartwatch Without Living 10,000 Lives

RSL Wellbeing Week 2026

Posted on 25 February 2026 by kharris

Banish the 5th Week Blues

We hear all the time that the fifth week of Hilary Term (16-20th February) is a tough one. This year the Radcliffe Science Library scheduled our Wellbeing Week in the hope of providing a boost for our students at the point you say you need it most.

Wellbeing Week Events

Overall almost 300 people attended the events, an increase of around 15% from Wellbeing Week 2025.

During the week, the RSL ran both pre-booked and drop in events, mixing the regular staples of our Wellbeing Calendar like Lego Lunch (every Wednesday) with a selection of first time offerings such as ‘Carnivorous Plants’.

This year’s programme of events was put together based on your feedback. We thought the suggestions we received from students were great and saw us introduce ‘Jewellery Making’, which proved a real hit and was one of our best attended events, ‘Painting for Beginners’ and a ‘Boardgames Evening’.

A wide show of a table during the jewellery making session. Five women focus on their pieces and the table is littered with an array of thread and beads as they work — Jewellery making in full swing during Wellbeing Week

A wide shot of the Wellbeing Room showing four tables full of painters. The course instructor is at a table in the far corner offering help and guidance. In total ten painters appear in shot with the tables full of paints, brushes and water pots — Jewellery making in full swing during Wellbeing Week

A wider Wellbeing audience

Although many of our events were student focused, we were delighted to open others up to all members of the University and it was great to see staff joining students in taking a Blind Date with a Book and learning about Carnivorous Plants, from Dr Lauren Baker of the Oxford Botanic Gardens. We’re pleased to report that all participants safely survived this encounter and reports about exactly how high members of RSL staff jumped when the Venus flytrap snapped shut have been greatly exaggerated!

Three female students test out the reactions of the carnivorous plants by gently stimulating them with a stirring stick — Students test the reactions of the carnivorous plants

Set up from the start of the Blind Date with a book event. 11 books are arranged on a circular table, each on wrapped in paper with a descriptive note stuck on the front. Most descriptions cannot be read in the image save one on the book at the front, which says: 'I journal by candlelight and fall in love with inconvenient people. Pick me for crumbling castles, sharp wit, and the kid of slow-burning longing that feels like summer in the English countryside' — Students test the reactions of the carnivorous plants

Thanks for coming

A big thank you to each and every one who joined in this Wellbeing Week. With over 75% of the pre-booked events (including all the new activities) going to waiting lists, we were also grateful to those who cancelled places when their circumstances changed. This allowed those who would otherwise have missed out to fill their spaces and was much appreciated.

Fantastic Feedback

As one student put it as she tucked into her hot chocolate, explained how much she had enjoyed the painting and was looking forward to jewellery making “I am going to be SOOOO well by the end of this week”

We are all different and to help us gauge the overall success of the Wellbeing Week we asked a selection of attendees to carry out subjective assessments of their own wellbeing and to look at how the activities they had chosen impacted how they felt. Across the respondents there was an overwhelming view that taking time out to relax and recharge had a positive impact on their Wellbeing with an average increase of 17% after the event they took part in.

Blind Date with a Book: “Great way to connect with people, especially at this busy time of year” “Super grateful to everyone who organised this… loved the wrapping paper….thank you”

Hot Chocolate: “It’s such a busy week so this is great as a break” “…..this is my reward”

Jewellery Making: “Loved it…” “Thank you, that was so fun” “This was so good. Can we do it again?”

Boardgame night: “Brilliant” “It would be great if you could do this again”

Overall: “I just wanted to say that a group of us physicists have started a friend group just from studying in and using the the Wellbeing Room, so thanks for that!” “I’m feeling very well this week, thanks to this”

Smiling lady shows her completed painting. She has painted a bird on a tree branch with foliage and blossom — Another great Wellbeing Week painting

Two students show off the jewellery pieces that they have just completed. Both have made bracelets with many pieces in a variety of colours — Another great Wellbeing Week painting

Beyond Wellbeing Week

We have further wellbeing activities this term including regular items like our Lego Lunch and DPhil Crafty Connections! Check out our Wellbeing Calendar to see more RSL events or the Bodleian Libraries Wellbeing page. If you’d like to collaborate with the Radcliffe Science Library on a Wellbeing event then please get in touch rsl-wellbeing@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

A smiling student shows off the bracelet that she has made — Here’s one I made earlier

Smiling man shows off his completed painting of a bird on a blossoming tree — Here’s one I made earlier

The Michaelmas Wrap

Posted on 20 January 2026 by kharris

The first chapter of the 25/26 academic year has been written and a new one is underway here at the Radcliffe Science Library. We thought that it would be a nice opportunity to revisit some of the highlights of the Michaelmas term and to give you a heads up on some things to keep an eye out for during Hilary.

RSL in 2025

Throughout 2025, we continued to ask for your feedback on how we could enhance your experience and in Michaelmas term we continued to add to our offering. Based on your comments, we once again increased the number of monitors available in the library. New product lines were added to the ‘items we lend’ with the noise cancelling headphones proving particularly popular.

Alongside these physical items, we have introduced new programmes including the Pomodoro based working groups. These have seen the Subject Librarians chair timed sessions where attendees commit to focused work and regular short breaks during the two or three hour slots. With refreshments available, they have provided a number of our Postgrads with both a highly effective working environment and a peer networking opportunity. 100% of those who attended a session in 2025 stated that they would join future dates when they become available.

The Subject Librarians have introduced new resources and collections to the RSL’s offering including the Global Health archive, the Science of Synthesis and a World Scientific Quantum Technologies Collection.

They have provided direct support (either through leading/contributing to workshops or holding one to one sessions) to over 2500 attendees during the Michaelmas term across our undergraduate, Postgrad and Postdoc reader community.

Inside one of the reading rooms. Close image of a desk featuring four monitors and the cabling that readers can plug in to — Reading room

Combined image of the four RSL subject librarians. Clockwise from the top left Rachel Scanlon, Karine Barker, Alessandra Vetrugno & Oliver Bridle all pictured in situ in the library — Reading room

Michaelmas Wellbeing at the RSL

Michaelmas term saw the Wellbeing Room in constant use, either in its capacity as a drop in space to provide a relaxing change of scene, or as the host venue for a series of events encouraging readers to schedule a break.

Guaranteeing that the space is available every day from 2pm-5pm on weekdays ensures that all readers have the opportunity to use the room. If you haven’t had the chance yet then come explore and enjoy this unique environment and its facilities.

Our weekly Lego Lunch (every Wednesday) and the monthly Craft & Chat afternoon (1st Tuesday each month) continue to draw regular guests but we have plenty of capacity for more of you to join us. Lego Lunch is a drop in event although we do ask you to sign up for the crafting sessions to help us manage the materials that we need.

Michaelmas saw a number of special events including a Mindfulness session to help us with the skills that build resilience into our working lives. There were two lovely ‘Hug in a mug’ Hot Chocolate days where the RSL team served up free drinks with marshmallow trimmings and no one who attended will forget the happiness that the Therapy Dogs bring as they stopped by for lunch in December. We hosted Post Docs for Pizza and DPhils crafted at Christmas as we laid on networking events for different members of our reader community.

We revisited a favourite from previous terms as we collected (and then shredded!) our readers worries. A cathartic event to end the year saw many of you drop in to share a cuppa and a bit of cake as we consigned our concerns to the past and sent them off to enjoy a new life (as part of the fertiliser used to grow some of the beautiful flowers in the University gardens).

Supporting reader wellbeing across the whole library, we have continued to offer weekly free hot drinks every Wednesday between 10am and noon. This self-service facility is set out by the Reader Services team in the vending area and provided over 275 teas, coffees and hot chocolates last term. Running each week during term time, your first date for a free cuppa is this Wednesday, the 21st January.

Student smiling with her craft surrounded by crafting material

Male student smiles with one of the therapy dogs at his feet

What’s Hilary got in store?

Keep your eyes on the posters and screens around the library as we will be continuing to highlight a series of newly added resources throughout the Hilary term. Each month either an all new resource or a selection of new, subject specific, items will be promoted throughout the library.

In addition to this, we will continue to highlight the opportunities presented by existing resources as the Subject Librarians take it in turn to recommend titles, databases or collections from their field of expertise that can aid you in your work.

They will continue to provide support to both the Bodleian Libraries wide iSkills workshop programme as well as other courses offered by specific Divisions and Departments and you can contact them to request one to one support for specific queries such as purchasing a book that we do not currently hold or help using particular resources as the need arises.

The Subject Librarians will also be leading new Focus & Finish sessions for Hilary, built on the success of last year’s work and using the Pomodoro study technique. We will manage the timings to ensure focused work is followed by short breaks to help maintain concentration and support you with the right environment to get that outstanding task done. Spaces on the first two sessions are available now.

Hilary Term will see a number of additional events added to the Wellbeing Calendar, including details of our Wellbeing Week, which will be released shortly, so keep a look out for more information here and across Bodleian libraries to make sure you don’t miss the chance to time your breaks to coincide with some enjoyable and restorative activities.

We would very much encourage you to continue to give us your feedback, both the positive and any constructive criticism, that you think will enable us to develop and enhance your reading experience. You can do so using the whiteboards situated throughout the library, the comments book located outside the main reading room or by speaking to the Reader Services team in person, on live chat or by e-mailing enquiries.rsl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

Thank you for continuing to use the Radcliffe Science Library, we wish you every success in your work during the Hilary term and beyond.

A whiteboard requesting feedback covered in a variety of comments

Two smiling female readers with their free hot chocolate

Focus & Finish

Posted on 16 January 2026 by rachelscanlon

Is time never on your side? Can’t seem to make headway with creating a conference poster or writing your thesis? Then the Radcliffe Science Library’s Focus & Finish sessions might be just the thing!

How does Focus & Finish Work?

The session is dedicated time to focus on your work based on the Pomodoro technique. We’ll set a timer for 25 minutes for you to get your head down and do some work. Then you’ll take a 5 minute break and repeat the process. The sessions are designed to provide a short break just when your concentration will be flagging.

Photograph of young woman staring at a laptop with library books in the background

What are the benefits?

You can have protected time in your diary to get your work finished.
Library staff are responsible for all the timing, so you don’t have to worry about scheduling, timing or breaks.
Snacks and drinks will be provided. That’s one less thing to worry about.
At the breaks you can network with other postgrads and get support.

Four women on sofa smiling and holfding paper cups

Quotes from attendees

Previously these sessions ran under the name Pomodoro and attendees had some fantastic feedback.

The only thing is the session ended and I wished it had been longer as it was great, I came away with a good amount of work done and feeling focused and motivated.

I really really enjoyed it and can’t wait to attend more. I wish I were always this focused during work hours!

This was my first session, and I found it incredibly useful! I would like to attend more (even weekly)…

Book your place

Focus & Finish sessions run during the first week of each month from February. Booking opens 6 weeks before the date of each session. If the sessions become more popular, we may offer more dates.

Book your place.

What are you going to get finished?

Talk About Your Thesis

Posted on 6 January 2026 by kharris

Talk About Your Thesis: Share Your Research, Build your Confidence

Are you a science or medicine postgraduate looking to develop your presentation skills and share your research with a wider audience? The Radcliffe Science Library invites you to take part in Talk About Your Thesis — an engaging lunchtime event where postgraduates present their work in concise 5–7 minute talks to an interdisciplinary audience.

Whether you’re preparing for your DPhil transfer workshop, a Masters student thinking about doing a DPhil or gearing up for future conferences, this is a valuable opportunity to practise presenting your research clearly, confidently, and in an accessible way. You’ll gain experience speaking to listeners from different fields — a skill essential for both academic and professional success.

Talk About Your Thesis also offers the chance to meet and network with fellow researchers from across science and medicine, exchange ideas, and build connections within Oxford’s postgraduate community.

Deadline for applications: Noon. 11th February 2026

Speaker Selection Criteria

Eligibility

All postgraduates from the University of Oxford whose proposed topics align with the event’s theme and standards are considered eligible.

Topic Diversity

Priority will be given to ensuring that selected speakers represent a wide range of topics, perspectives, and areas of expertise.

Random Selection

Once topic diversity has been maximized, final speaker selection will be made at random from the eligible pool.

Event Details

📅Friday 20th March 2026

⏰Talks 12.00 – 13.00. Lunch 13.00-14.00

📍Radcliffe Science Library

A complimentary pizza lunch will follow the presentations — an ideal setting for informal discussion and networking.

If you’re interested in becoming a speaker, please complete the speaker interest form to register

Wellbeing at the Radcliffe Science Library

Posted on 8 October 2025 by kharris

As we start a new term, we wanted to take the opportunity to let both new undergraduates and returning readers know about the facilities and events here at the library to support your personal wellbeing. Making the time to take a break will allow you to be more rested, energised, and prepared for your everyday challenges.

RSL Wellbeing Room

The Wellbeing Room is located on the lower ground floor of the library and can be accessed using your library card. The room is spacious, calm and full of diversions to help clear the mind of ever growing to-do lists. From jigsaws and board games to bean bags and soft toys, there’s something for pretty much everyone who just wants to enjoy that bit of quiet time. We have a selection of wellbeing books, which are available to borrow, and the room itself can be booked by e-mailing rsl-wellbeing@bodleian.ox.ac.uk. The Wellbeing Room is kept free for drop in visitors every weekday from 2-5pm so you can be sure that, in the event of a stressful morning, there is always some respite available in the sanctuary of this space.

Photograph. A wide shot of the interior of the Wellbeing Room. It shows shelving full of books and games with a large screen in the centre. There are comfy armchairs and potted plants in the foreground

Photograph of a colouring book and a set of coloured pencils on a table top. One page of the book is completed and coloured in, the other just the unused outline

The regular building blocks of wellbeing…

As well as the daily drop in slot, the library offers a series of regular events to get your creative juices flowing and help sooth body and mind. Every Wednesday we host a double header, starting with free tea & coffee available from 10am-12 noon in the vending area. After a caffeine hit, remind yourself that everything is awesome with Lego Lunch from 1-2pm in the Wellbeing Room. There are various sets to choose from – will you follow instructions or simply freeform your way to master builder status? No bookings are required for either of these weekly sessions.

Need to slow the pace and chill with like minded others? On the 1st Tuesday of every month the Wellbeing Room hosts ‘Craft & Chat’ where you can wax lyrical about wool or let off some steam with a good old chunter as you crochet. You can book these sessions through our Wellbeing calendar here.

Things get on top of all of us from time to time and we are here to help you shed those nagging woes as the Wellbeing Room houses the RSL Worry Box. Pour in your concerns, big or small, throughout the course of term and we’ll get together for an extremely cathartic shredding event at year end.

Photograph of a Peacock made out of Lego. The colourful Lego feathers are on full display

Image features a desk top post box. Red in colour featuring the words 'Worry Box' above the letter slot. A female had is posing a piece of paper into the box

Can we interest you in one of our specials?

Keep a regular eye on the Wellbeing calendar as additional events are added throughout the year. Highlights this term include a warming winter treat where we’ll be dishing out free Hot Chocolate and a Mindfulness session with Susan Hargreaves (helping us with the tools to gather scattered thoughts and train our attention). Registration for these special events will open a few weeks prior to the date of the activity.

Stylised image of a blue and white mug in the snow. Steam is coming off the brown liquid and a caption reads 'Get a warm hug in a mug'

Suggestions

What’s missing? The current offering in the Wellbeing Room was developed through the feedback of library users and it will be you that helps us with the next steps. There is a whiteboard in the Wellbeing Room where you can jot down anything that occurs to you or use the rsl-wellbeing e-mail to share your thoughts on the facilities themselves or any ideas for potential new events.

Wider wellbeing

The commitment to supporting you and your wellbeing extends beyond the RSL, throughout the Bodleian libraries estate and across the wider University. Find details of what the Bodleian has to offer and explore the University of Oxford student Welfare & Wellbeing hub.

Focus Fix: Pomodoro Sessions for Science Researchers

Posted on 16 June 2025 by rachelscanlon

Photograph of woman staring at a laptop looking stressed biting down on a pecil so that it is out either side of her mouth.

Do you find it hard to focus on your thesis writing without interruptions? Procrastinating over finishing a conference poster? Never enough time to read that new paper? If you’re having issues like these a library pomodoro session might be just the thing for you!

What is a pomodoro session?

A pomodoro session is a study technique that aims to create protected, distraction free time for you to work. Many people find maintaining focus on a task for more than 25 – 30 minutes at a time challenging. In a pomodoro session, work is broken into 25-minute chunks, separated by 5-minute breaks. These 5-minute breaks allow your concentration to ‘reset’ meaning you can be more focused and productive across the session. Pomodoro sessions usually last between 2 – 3 hours.

Why is it called ‘Pomodoro’?

Photograph of a tomato shaped timer — Il pomodoro by Francesco Cirillo via Wikicommons CC BY-SA 3.0

The original creator of the pomodoro technique was Francesco Cirillo. He used a mechanical, tomato shaped kitchen timer. ‘Pomodoro’ is the Italian word for ‘tomato’.

Why do a pomodoro session at the library?

Photograph of several students in the RSL reading room. — Photograph by John Cairns.

All you need for a pomodoro session on your own is a quiet space and a timer. However, when doing pomodoro on your own, you can be more susceptible to distractions or not following the timings. In a library pomodoro, you will be working in a quiet group study area with other people. A librarian will run the session and manage the timing. Working around other people may help you stay motivated and focused. At the end of the library session, there is an opportunity for you to socialise with colleagues over free tea and coffee.

Top tips for getting the most out of pomodoro

Set a goal – decide what you want to achieve at the session before you come. Make a to-do list if you have several tasks.
Kill distractions – no phones, no e-mail or social media notifications and switch devices to ‘Do not disturb’ and silent mode.
Review – at the end of the pomodoro take a few minutes to review what you’ve achieved and update your to-do list.

You’ll find further tips on our guides: Getting the most out of a pomodoro and a Pomodoro etiquette.

Getting_the_most_out_of_a_pomodoro_session Download

Pomodoro_Etiquette_Guide Download

Where can I find more information about the Pomodoro technique?

YouTube Video from the Open University on the Pomodoro technique
Background information with further literature links from Derby University
Book ‘Pomodoro Technique Illustrated’ / Francesco Cirillo

Can I come to a pomodoro session at the library?

We are offering Pomodoro sessions in the first week of each month from July to December. You can book online using the link below. Booking opens 6 weeks before the date of each session. We offer a choice of 2 or 3-hour sessions.

Book a pomodoro study session space

Anatomy Jargon Dissected

Posted on 30 April 2025 by catherinedockerty

On 8^th April 2025, the Radcliffe Science Library (RSL) and Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics together hosted a new event, “Anatomy Jargon Dissected”, which explored the linguistic and historical roots of anatomy.

The event featured three fascinating talks by experts in linguistics and anatomy:

Professor David Langslow took us on a linguistic journey of Greek and Latin words, suffixes and early misconceptions about the human body that influenced and evolved into the technical medical terminology used today.

Departmental Lecturer in Anatomy, Ms. Sharmila Rajendran, used a riddle-style game to demonstrate how anatomical terms were derived from the resemblance of familiar tools and objects that people use or see every day, and how early anatomists were influenced by them.

Professor Emeritus John Morris took us on a historical journey through errors and discoveries, from the earliest understanding of anatomy in Egypt to the 20^th century, highlighting the discovery of the pituitary gland and its function – a “stuttering progress in understanding human anatomy” as he calls it.

In the afternoon a fabulous exhibition of medical treasures, curated by Sarah Wheale and Alan Coates, was held at the Weston Library. Participants enjoyed viewing foremost titles mentioned during the morning talks, such as:

Thomas Willis’ Cerebri Anatome (1664)
Jacques Fabien Gautier d’Agoty’s Suite de l’Essai d’Anatomie en Tableaux Imprimés (1745)
William Cheselden’s Osteographia or the Anatomy of the Bones (1733)

And other iconic books of medical anatomy, such as:

Henry Gray’s Anatomy (1858 first edition)
Andreas Vesalius’ De Humani Corporis Fabrica (1543)
Johann Remmelin’s Catoptrum Microcosmicum (1639) containing drawings with lift-up flaps revealing successive layers of anatomy, which sparked amazement among the participants.

If you missed the event or wanted to attend but couldn’t, there’s good news. Due to its success, the event will be repeated. Stay tuned for next year’s announcement!

Exhibition attendees looking at medical texts from the Bodleian Libraries collection in the Weston Library. The texts are laid out on a table and some are supported by grey foam book rests. — The exhibition at the Weston Library

Exhibition attendees looking at medical texts from the Bodleian Libraries collection in the Weston Library. Four texts are laid out on a table; three are open and one is closed. One is supported by a grey foam book rest. There are two bays of shelving full of books in the background. — The exhibition at the Weston Library

Feedback from Attendees

“Interactive and speakers very engaging. Opportunity to interact with people across the University and from very different fields”
“I like the exhibition of the anatomy books from hundreds of years ago and the explanation of this exhibition”
“I quite liked how accessible the event was for non-medics…it was lovely to learn the anatomy-adjacent stuff”
“The talks and activities morning session, really enjoy all the quiz questions.”
“The content of the different talks was really interesting and I learnt lots of new information.”
I enjoyed everything – the morning talks, the interesting and engaging word activity, the stories, and the show-and-tell opportunity to see the rare books and the stories behind them.

The making of PERIODically Podcast

Posted on 27 March 2025 by rachelscanlon

The Radcliffe Science Library (RSL) hosted a special conversation on women’s health and menstrual issues in the workplace on Thursday 6 March 2025. The event took place in the month marking Endometriosis Awareness Month and international women’s day. It was attended by students and staff of the University who enjoyed networking during the lunch provided by the library.

The conversation began with two of the creators of the podcast PERIODically, Josie Sams and Felicity Smith. Josie and Felicity are 4th year chemistry students. They won the Horizon in Education Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry for the podcast series. They shared insights into the making of PERIODically podcasts and explained the importance of breaking the stigma surrounding menstrual issues in the workplace and open discussions on topics such as endometriosis, PCOS, the menopause, miscarriage, and the motherhood penalty. Then, they directed a discussion with a guest panel of members of the university experienced on these issues: Dr Charlotte Hancox, Departmental Lecturer in Practical Chemistry, Dr. Amy Hinks, ED&I Data Analyst and Athena Swan Coordinator, and Pedro Melo, NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. During the event, they responded to questions on improving individual support, raising awareness of menstruation issues, and expanding local initiatives in the wider university.

Photograph showing a room full of seated people from behind, looking to the front of the room where to young women stand.

The discussion continued beyond the event itself, focussing on long-term improvements for students and staff. It included the desire for all university libraries and departments to follow the example of the Radcliffe Science Library, which provides complimentary period products in all its bathrooms.

Feedback from participants

“It was a great environment to discuss periods in the academic workplace; the podcast hosts made a great presentation and it was nice hearing from diverse perspectives from the panel. The lunch was yummy too!”

“I liked the introduction by the two podcasters and the panel discussion. It was a good mix of guests who were able to speak both from the medical and the EDI perspective on the issue. I also liked that we had time to get to know other women attending the event. Thank you for organising it.”

“I enjoyed the talk, panel, and lunch! It was all wonderful information and work and amazing to meet everyone.”

For more information about Josie, Felicity and their PERIODIcally podcast project, read their story.