Career Paths

Tony
Fox

Fear Is Funny

Fear is funny because it makes people do strange things.  It is strange to not pursue one’s ultimate goal in life.  It is odd to spend one’s time performing a job that yields no satisfaction.  Only a funny thing such as fear could result in such absurdity.  The most ironic as...


Randall
Ribaudo

Careers in Industry - It's really NOT the “Dark Side”

I'm struck by some of the postings in the blogosphere in which postdocs rail against peers who choose to pursue non-academic careers.  The reasoning typically goes something like “if you're not going to pursue research, then you shouldn't get a PhD.  You shouldn't take up that slot....


Wenny
Lin

Have no fear: Grant writing is here too

I once heard from a professor that post-docs at the NIH have no opportunities to write grants, and therefore, they don’t have a competitive edge in the academic market. However, as a current post-doc at the NIH, not only have I just written a grant to compete for research funding, I even took ...


Lisa
Sproul Hoverman

Volunteer Researchers Needed and Appreciated!

“Wherever a man turns he can find someone who needs him.”  ~Albert Schweitzer With a great background in biology or biomedical research, you landed a great job in consulting, advising, teaching, writing, or advocating!  However, you have to admit, in the evenings and on the weeken...


Todd
Pihl

Communications is more than just talk

“The flight will be delayed while several of the seats on the plane are replaced. Believe me, we REALLY want this to happen.” It is highly likely that this is about the last thing you want to hear when you are waiting to board a plane. Of course you also might think this is about the last thi...


Christie
Canaria

What does a scientist look like?

Today is my birthday! It's really just another day. I don't feel older than I did yesterday. I don't look older than I did yesterday. Sometimes, though, I wonder how work would feel if I visibly aged - just a little - overnight. For the most part, I consider myself lucky in the aging process....


Marielena
Mata

The juggling act of work/life balance

This week I found a great article on work/life balance that actually aligns very well with my philosophy in this area (The 10 secrets of one Unflappable mother).  Most people will tell you that to have balance, you must set clear limits between your work and your personal life, yet I belie...


Clement
Weinberger

So you want to go freelance?

My first step toward freelancing was moonlighting. Actually, it was the unintended result of interviewing for a staff job as a medical writer but being offered a consultant contract instead of a full-time position. Not knowing if it would work out, I kept my “day job” while I completed my fir...


Lisa
Sproul Hoverman

Reinvention

“I am still making order out of chaos by reinvention”. - John Le Carre, MI6 Spy-turned-Novelist How does the topic of reinvention apply to one’s life?  Reinvention is a term that comes to mind when one thinks about taking on a new position, switching careers, or leaving a tradition...


Ex Lab
Junkie

How to Sabotage Your Promotion in Ten Easy Steps

After two-and-a-half years in my current government position, I have been offered and accepted higher-level acting positions, filled in temporary departmental gaps, and received the accompanying higher-level pay. Others at work, with similar or more job experience, have not been given the same...