Social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, Linkedin, and Hyves are quite popular. For scientists social networking sites are slowly starting. Most of them appear to be available in the medizal field. Here a few scientifically oriented social networking sites are listed.

The Graduate Junction

The social networking site was established by Daniel Colegate and Esther Dingley, graduate  students in respectively Chemistry and Education at the University of Durham, in the United Kingdom. They set up The Graduate Junction because they were - in their own words - frustrated by a feeling of isolation in their own research projects and wanted to know who, if anyone, was doing similar research. I have had a quick look at it and it looks good and has the potential to be a valuable tool for graduate students. Much of its success obviously depends on the number of participants it will attract. If I still were a student I would definitely sign up and become member of groups like this.

Nature Networks http://network.nature.com/

Nature Network is the professional networking website for scientists around the world. Think of it as the online meeting place where you and your fellow scientists can gather, share and discuss ideas, and keep in touch. Scientists can also benefit from interactions at the local level. That's why you'll see an increasing number of local city hubs on Nature Network, starting with Boston and London.

Research Gate

Targets a larger community. It is meant as a networking tool for all academics and researchers. It is set up by three students from Germany (one of them now being at Harvard). Two of them in Medicine, one in Computer Science. The concept is backed by a world wide network of experts and advisers. Researchgate has big aspirations. Next to a networking tool, it sees itself as the start of a more profound change where researchers take more and more control over their publications and research findings.

Within3  https://thoughtleaders.within3.com/

Within3 is the private professional networking site exclusively for health and life science practitioners to find, connect and collaborate with the right colleague, right now.

More info:

Rothman, D. (2007) More social networks for clinicians. http://davidrothman.net/2007/05/07/more-social-networks-for-clinicians/

Dempsey, L. (2008) Social networks and citation tools for scientists. http://orweblog.oclc.org/archives/001823.html

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