Choosing the best postdoc position for your future career in science is essential. However, most young scientists have no plan for finding the position(s) that fit best and choosing with care. Several key questions will help you find the postdoc position that fits your needs, talents, and skills.
We all know the problem – you need a letter of recommendation – but you do not know whom to ask and how to ask. In many contexts, letters of recommendation are required, such as applications for scholarships, fellowships, grants, new positions, awards and honors, and professional development programs. In this article, you will find the open secrets of asking the right person to write you a great letter of recommendation – even if you do not know the person yet.
Are you confused about the roles of corresponding and senior authors? The difference between a corresponding author and a senior author is subtle yet crucial in understanding authorship types and hierarchies within academic publishing. The corresponding author is typically responsible for managing the manuscript submission process, while the senior author often holds an overarching responsibility for the entire research project.
Effective communication is one of the most valuable skills in both personal and professional life. In this article, I explore the best books on communication. These books cover the most important communication skills, including mastering body language, improving your listening skills, negotiating difficult conversations, understanding cross-cultural nuances, team building, and enhancing leadership communication.
What are the essential strengths and weaknesses of leaders in science? Strong scientific leadership is vital in driving scientific progress and innovation. The scientific community needs leaders who inspire others, make ethical decisions, and effectively communicate their findings to experts and the public.
There are many good reasons to go abroad. However, there are also a couple of unpleasant side effects of mobility that nobody dares to talk about.
Many PhD students and most postdocs want to pursue a career in academia. However, is it a good idea to admit that you want to become a professor? Would you appear overambitious or pretentious? Or does it ruin your career to hide your ambitions from potential mentors and decision-makers? What should you do?
Scientists are often excellent in their fields of expertise, but they may lack the leadership skills necessary to lead teams and manage projects. A leadership action plan is an efficient method to develop the necessary skills to become a group leader and pursue a successful career in science.
Becoming a long-term postdoc – isn’t this attractive? When discussing career paths in life sciences with postdocs, we hear on a regular basis the wish to escape from the “rat race of the professors” by accepting a kind of long-term senior postdoc position in academia. The idea is to obtain a permanent position (and thus a safe job in economic turbulent times), which encompasses at the same time an intellectually stimulating and creative profession with some (but not too many) responsibilities. Is this what you want?
For any scientist pursuing a career in academia, bibliographic metrics such as impact factors or citations are essential for measuring the impact and relevance of their research. But which bibliographic metrics are relevant, and which are misleading?