Attending a scientific meeting can be very inspiring. It may broaden your network and help you to make yourself and your research visible to a broad audience. Nevertheless, it is also often time-consuming and expensive. How do you choose the right meetings to attend?
The world desperately needs experts. We live in a complex world, and knowledge is dramatically expanding. Nobody can comprehend anymore all the data which are produced on a daily basis.
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?
When young scientists start thinking about leading a research group, they feel overwhelmed by the number of transferable skills they have to learn for a career in science. It is crucial to understand which research leadership skills are essential and where to begin.
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.
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?
Many young parents in science have a strong feeling of guilt when they try to combine a successful scientific career with a healthy family life. However, there are many good examples of parents who succeeded. Integrate these 12 strategies into your life to enjoy your family and a career in science.
Young scientists often get contradictory advice about whether they need teaching expertise to become a professors. Every university will confirm that teaching is the core expertise of a professor; however, successful researchers may see teaching as a waste of time and unimportant in getting a position.
Knowing which types of academic positions are available in the academic market is helpful for making good career decisions. There are multiple types of professor jobs in many different disciplines, including tenure-track or tenured positions such as assistant professor, associate professor, and full-time professor. For a successful career in science, it is essential to understand what tenure and tenure track mean.