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Social Media for Scientists Part 6: The Wiki

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


I just returned from a wonderful week in Washington DC, where I gave workshops on social networking to scientists at the Fourth Biennial National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE). I was delightfully surprised that so many of the scientists there came to my workshop not only to learn, but to support the use of social networking in science - what a good sign!

Anyhow, as a part of the workshop, I created a wiki jam-packed with just every resource I could find on social networking for researchers and educators. I shared it with the NISBRE folks, and now I want to share it with you.

The wiki is broken down into sub-categories, with pages for each of the major networks as well as general resources on the topic. I hope it will become not only a resource, but a place of discussion - somewhere scientists from all backgrounds share their experiences and discuss how to use Web 2.0 tools effectively.


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But, like any wiki, it needs input. What links have I missed? What other specific topics should I include? Whether you're a scientist who is contemplating jumping into the social media world, or an online guru with advice for beginners, your opinions are valued and desired. So head over to the wiki, become a member, and add your thoughts/links!

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Christie Wilcox is a postdoctoral researcher in cellular and molecular biology at the University of Hawaii, where she studies venom. She is also a science blogger and communicator.

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