The Agenda

© David Goodsell

FRAMING TALK >> Matthew Nisbet opens up a discussion on how researchers should frame science for the public. To hear more from Nisbet, attend one of his talks this month in Seattle, October 5th; Washington DC, October 18th; or New York City, October 24th. For a full list of Nisbet's talks, visit his blog at www.scienceblogs.com/framing-science/.

COURSE IN BIAS >> In an opinion, Frank Douglas tells how discrimination prompted him to resign from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Beginning this month, Harvard Medical School is offering a course to faculty on reducing bias in their medical students, including examining how class, race, and sexual identity influence medicine. For more, visit http://hms.harvard.edu/pme/academy.asp

PANAMANIA >> Staff writer Andrea Gawrylewski traveled to Panama to meet up with scientists who are studying the ecological impacts of expanding the canal. You can read her feature, and if you want to see it for yourself, take along the National Geographic Traveler: Panama, a guidebook coming out this month (see http://tinyurl.com/ywcak3).

MESSING MICRORNAS >>Melissa Phillips details naturally occurring microRNAs here. Learn more about the role of microRNAs in human disease during the RNA Interference and Human Disease session at the American Society of Human Genetics meeting October 23-27 in San Diego, California. View the schedule at www.ashg.org.