UCL’s Sophia magazine publishes second issue

'Sophia' has just published its second issue, featuring articles on subjects as diverse as deep-space chemistry, fibromyalgia in 'The Princess and the Pea' and the measurement of global happiness, as well as images produced in the course of research. The new issue also includes an article by Professor Donald Gillies (UCL Science & Technology Studies) on how peer-review based assessment exercises such as the RAE 'risk ending the careers of truly talented researchers yet to be recognised by the academic community at large'. 'Sophia' is a UCL magazine of academic journalism established in 2008, whose mission is to showcase talent in research, writing and art from current staff and graduate students. The magazine can be accessed at www.sophiamagazine.co.uk (or use the link at the top of this page), and print copies are available in common rooms in various locations around UCL, including Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, English, French, German, Hebrew Studies, Maths, Medicine, Psychology, Scandinavian Studies, and Science & Technology Studies. Its aim is to give readers an insight into the breadth of research taking place at UCL by publishing academic content written for a non-specialist audience, and to encourage discussion of both academic and current affairs. According to its editor, Ed Long (UCL CoMPLEX), 'we are increasingly convinced that the success of research and the flow of ideas relies almost as much on the informal storytelling as the rigorous arguments spelled out in journals and conference papers'.