Getting started
To get an overview of how Nature Network works, watch this short video.
The Basics
- Sign up and login
- To join Nature Network, you'll need a nature.com account. Your nature.com account is entirely free and will work across all Nature sites. Create an account and log in to Nature Network.
- Profile
- When you login for the first time, we offer you the chance to fill in your profile. The more information you put in your profile, the more likely people are to find and engage with you, and the more connected you'll be to the online community of scientists.
- Your network snapshot
- This page can be accessed from the blue menu box in the top left of every Nature Network page. It gives you a personalized view of all activity on Nature Network. It should be your first port of call to see what is happening on Nature Network that's of direct interest to you: replies to your comments, new entries from your favourite bloggers, comments by your colleagues etc.
- Local versus Global
- Nature Network works on two levels. On our Global pages, you can interact with scientists all over the world, browse and join Groups, participate in Forums and read about international science in the Blogs. We also have a number of local hubs - Boston, New York, and London - where you can meet local scientists, find events listings, seek jobs and catch up on local news.
Features
- Groups
- Please form and join groups - be it with members of your workplace, lab, society or any other organization. Within each group, members can converse on a discussion board. Groups let you easily share information and ideas with your colleagues. Groups can be publicly visible to attract new members, or can be set as private, allowing only members to view and post comments.
- Forums
- Anyone can participate in discussions in the Nature Network forums. These are usually themed by scientific discipline, but there are also many cross-disciplinary forums, as well as forums for a particular nationality, geographic location, or for more general interests. Join any forum, ask a question, and you're likely to get a useful answer from another Nature Network member. You may even find potential collaborators.
- Blogs
- A Blog is a means of sharing your scientific experiences and insight with the wider world. Perhaps you're doing a PhD or postdoc and want a place to chronicle the highs and lows. Maybe you're a museum curator with plenty to say on your daily role. If you're interested in blogging, please email us at network at nature.com. Have fun reading and commenting on our insightful collection of daily blog posts.
- People
- Use the People section of Nature Network to look for likeminded scientists, find the latest active users, and see who your contacts are linking up with.
- Messaging
- On your profile page, you'll find an option to allow other people to contact you through Nature Network via email (without requiring you to reveal your email address). You can send an email to anyone who has opted into being contacted through Nature Network.
- Local blogs and forums
- On the main page of each local hub, you'll find a local blog and forum with updates about local news, events and other items of interest. Feel free to get involved by posting in the forum, and contact the editors if you're interested in blogging about local science.
- Events
- We aim to list all scientific events taking place in the local areas, ranging from public lectures to conferences and society meetings, right through to scientific films and theatre. There should be something to suit every interest or discipline.
- Jobs
- For the featured cities, we bring you the latest scientific jobs through collaboration with Naturejobs.
- Tags
- Most items on the site are given keywords or 'tags', which link together similar information across the website. Add tags to your personal profile, forum topics, blog posts and events, and you'll receive a richer experience on Nature Network.
Using the site
- Your Network
- This is your collection of friends, contacts or just people you find interesting on Nature Network. Think of your network as the people you want to talk to and whose writing you want to read. You can add anyone to your network, and then Your Network Snapshot will keep you up-to-date on their Nature Network activity. Likewise, anyone who lists you in their network can easily follow your contributions. Members of your network can be named as 'contacts' or 'friends’ (attributions that only you will be able to see).
- Commenting
- We want to hear your voice on Nature Network too, so please join Groups, participate in the Forums, and post comments on the Blogs and News stories. Any Nature Network member can join the conversation.
Finally...
...just have fun hanging out with other scientists! There is a fierce debate to be had about the future of science, so make new contacts and develop your vision of the future on Nature Network.
