Science is meant to be a marketplace of ideas where the best ones carry the day, regardless of where they come from. Or at least that is how it is advertised. As I recall, the Cosmos TV series had a pub sequence extolling this virtue, the idea that anybody could sit down and contribute to the conversation. Lovely idea, right? And many have contributed, from all over the world. And there are stories like Srinivasa Ramanujan's; he was a remarkably prolific Indian mathematician with little formal training. Still, the … [Read more...] about Science Corner: The Idea of Marketplaces
alternative science career
I Found a Postdoc in the Sciences: Now What? (Pt 2)
The most popular Emerging Scholars blog post is "Finding a Postdoc in the Sciences: Nailing the Interview." It's part of a larger series on finding a postdoc which is also frequently visited. We figured it was time for a follow-up on what to do once you've found the postdoc you were looking for. … [Read more...] about I Found a Postdoc in the Sciences: Now What? (Pt 2)
I Found a Postdoc in the Sciences: Now What? (Pt 1)
Let's be honest: postdocs occupy a weird, liminal space in the path of the scholar. Is it a job? Are postdocs students? I was once told that my department considered postdocs students when it meant they didn't have to provide faculty benefits, and it considered them special faculty when it meant they could withhold student benefits. We never even really bothered to give postdoctoral fellowships a real name; we basically just call them "that thing you do after you finish your doctorate but before you get a real job." … [Read more...] about I Found a Postdoc in the Sciences: Now What? (Pt 1)
Science Reader Question: And You Are… ?
I'd love to know more about your career journey. Are you working in academia or do you have what is currently called an alt-ac (alternative to academia) career? How did you get there? I touched on this briefly in my very first post 3 years ago, in a fairly obtuse way. I mentioned some more details while discussing the topic of private sector careers. But given how much I focus on esoteric science, and given how popular practical, career-oriented posts are on this blog, I think a more straightforward answer to this … [Read more...] about Science Reader Question: And You Are… ?
Jurassic July: The Three-Legged Stool of Science
For the rest of July, we will be taking a look at the Jurassic Park films, mainly Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. We will be discussing the films in detail, so spoilers are possible but will be kept to a minimum. When I was a microbiology graduate student, it was generally understood that there were three broad career options: continue on in academia, work for the government, or join the corporate world. Any discussion of one's future plans and goals typically started with a question about that threefold choice. … [Read more...] about Jurassic July: The Three-Legged Stool of Science