Discussion questions

[STEMMinist]

Q1. "Spineless" discusses links between jellyfish numbers and climate change and the role of scientists in influencing media coverage and policy in this area. What responsibilities do you think scientists have in this area?

[STEMMinist]

Q2. Historically scientists treated jellyfish fairly brutally in their quest for understanding. Do we do a better job as a sector on research animal welfare today?

[STEMMinist]

Q3. "Spineless" touches on the idea that animals with “charisma” (unlike apparently jellyfish) are more likely to garner public support and attract research funding than others. Do you agree with this and/or have you witnessed this in your own area?

[STEMMinist]

Q4. Juli Berwald writes about the overlooked marine researchers Gustav Stiasny & Gerarda Wijnhoff but there is little record and public history of her achievements - any STEMMinists out there ready to make a new wiki entry for this pioneeering woman in stem?

[STEMMinist]

Q5. Woven within the chapters on jellyfish is the authors personal story of leaving science to become a textbook author and writer and her nostalgia (?) for the life of a scientist. If you have "left science" did this resonate with you?

[STEMMinist]

Q6. "Spineless" recounts the discovery of green fluorescent protein (GFP) by Shimomura - did you know the history of how this was discovered and/or use GFP now in your experiments?