Susan Higham's Home Page

Work

I was appointed to the department of HPS at HIST in 2197, and I work as a lecturer. My research is in sociology of science, specifically on differences in styles of scientific research and their impact on scientific communication and consensus. I did some research on this subject on Earth, and came to Poseidon on an Incorporate Fellowship to do field research here, looking for differences in colonial research.

My research is made somewhat difficult by the reluctance of many Incorporate States to allow me access to their laboratories, but I feel that I am making some useful progress. I hope to put some of my results on CommCore in the near future.

Personal

I was born in Texas, in the United States of America on Earth. My undergraduate studies took place at the University of Texas at Austin, and I gained my doctorate at Stanford, in California. I spent four years in research, and published Organising and Incorporating: Styles of Doing Science in 2195. The following year, I was awarded an Incorporate Fellowship, and I came to Poseidon in 2197. My next book, Fluid Boundaries: Scientific Styles on Poseidon, should be published in the next year.

Dr Susan Higham

Susan is a child of Earth, and a fairly recent arrival on Poseidon. Her parents were wealthy, and she had access to good schools which guaranteed her progression to university, despite her average intelligence. She chose to study the sociology of science because it interested her, and she proved to be surprisingly good at it.

However, the number of posts for dedicated scholars is somewhat limited in the late 22nd century, and Susan found herself, after her book was published, looking at the imminent end of a contract, with no sign of a renewal.

A new administrator in GenDiver Incorporate Intelligence read her book, and saw great potential. It wasn't so much that she was a great scholar, as that she had been allowed into laboratories that some of GenDiver's operatives had been unsuccessfully trying to infiltrate for years. True, there was no useful information in the book, but there was potential. Susan was a genuine academic, with no obvious ties to GenDiver, so people were willing to trust her. He formed a plan.

The Incorporate Fellowships at HIST were still relatively new, and GenDiver had enough clout with the the committee to ensure that their candidate got the post, as long as their candidate seemed sensible. They could also do this subtly, as the committee had no direct links to the Incorporate.

Susan soon received an offer from GenDiver: work for us, and you will get an Incorporate Fellowship on Poseidon. Since the Fellowships are, effectively, tenured positions, Susan leapt at the chance. GenDiver made reasonable requests: simply report back on general lines of study, and any unusual tools that they are using. Definitely tell us anything they ask you not to publish. Otherwise, just do your research as normal.

For the last couple of years, Susan has done as she was told, getting something of a thrill out of thinking of herself as a corporate agent. GenDiver is getting a little impatient with the results, however, and is trying to think of ways to increase her usefulness without blowing her cover. They are hoping to encourage her to study Biogene for her next book, and see whether that produces any more useful information.

Susan still thinks of herself as an academic, rather than a spy, and GenDiver want to keep it that way. The risk, of course, is that she will cease to supply information if her academic scruples come into play. Accordingly, GenDiver encourage her to see the free flow of information as important.

Susan is 34 years old, and very good looking, with long dark hair and striking green eyes. Most people with knowledge of the subject tag her as a transhuman fairly quickly. She currently has no close ties, and most of her friends are connected to her work: the lack of distinction drawn between "work" and "personal" above is indicative of her attitude.

Species: Human, Genetic Redesign (Transhuman)
Profile:
Origin -- Earth (Urban)
Background -- Wealthy
Education -- Graduate University
Goal -- Accomplishment
Motivation -- Professionalism
Attitude -- Energetic
Profession: Scholar

Mental Attributes: Awareness 40, Charisma 60, Education 90, Experience , Initiative 50, Intellect 50, Will 40

Physical Attributes: Agility 50, Appearance 70, Constitution 70, Dexterity 50, Endurance 60, Speed 50, Strength 50

Skill Groups: Communications 60, Culture 20 (Colonial 40, Earth 70, Incorporate 50), Fine Arts 20 (Photography 40), Human Sciences 40 (Anthropology 80), Life Sciences 20 (Genetics 30), Physical Sciences 20 (Chemistry 30), Psychology 20, Scientific Method 20

Skills: Bureaucracy 80, Computer Operation 40, Economics 10, Fast Talk 10, Language (Spanish) 10, Negotiation 30, Persuasion 20, Driving 30

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