How useful are your publications?
A recent Universities UK report found that 37% of UK-authored articles are freely available immediately, compared with 25% globally, and most UK articles can be accessed 12 months after publication through open access green and gold schemes. Around half of research articles searched for online are open access, and many funders now require research to be published in an open access journal. Read more
Be mindful of your safety in the lab
There are lot of horrible stories of lab accidents on the internet: researcher dies when handling tert-butyl lithium, researcher is severely injured when synthesizing energetic materials, researcher loses arm when combining hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen gases from high-pressure cylinders. The list goes on. Read more
Motivation: know thyself
Some scientists say that lab work can be really boring (even if boredom is interesting), and, when facing deadlines and lots of work with not enough time, motivation can be in short supply for scientists — especially as we all retreat from once-fresh new year resolutions. Read more
#ScientistAtWork: Snakes, bats and biodiversity attacks
Ecologist Augusto Gomes is willing to wait for the right shot. This picture was taken underground in an ironstone cave, at Espinhaço mountain range, in a northern region of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The entire area is a hotspot for biological diversity. Getting there involved 14 hours of travel. Taking the right photograph took another four hours. It was sent to Naturejobs as part of the #ScientistAtWork 2018 competition, which is open for entries until 31 March. You can find out more here. Read more
Coming to the US for a postdoc? – If I had known, part II
Like many other European researchers, I moved to the US for my postdoc. While some stay in the US, and others return to Europe after their postdocs, I’m almost certain that anyone who has followed this path will have encountered a few shocks along the way. Choosing the right fit for your postdoctoral training is just as important to choosing the right lab for your PhD. Based on my experiences, here is a list of the things that I think are worth checking in advance to avoid thinking “I wish I had known” too often. Read more
Looking for a lab to do your PhD? – If I had known, part I
When I was looking for a PhD lab I had a pretty clear idea of the techniques I wanted to learn and master, and, essentially, I thought that was everything I needed to worry about. But the right PhD training is crucial to establish a good foundation for what comes next – either a job in industry, a postdoc in academia, or something away from the bench. Choosing the right lab is important, and there are considerations beyond gaining specific technical skills that need to be mulled over before making a decision. If I were to start another PhD, this is what I would look for: … Read more
A year in the life: from the lab bench to the writing desk
After spending nearly ten years of training in academia, I realized a year into my postdoc that this career path was no longer an option for me — I no longer wanted to be part of the vicious cycle of publications, grant money and experiment-bending to fit a bottom line. Read more
The extra bits of a grant application: a cheat sheet
These guidelines provide some generic tips for the extra bits that go with a grant application. These are not about the science, but about managing the process and dealing with the bits that are about the applicant personally. Read more
Como Se Dice “DNA”?
Young scientists are sometimes asked to explain their science to the public as if they were talking to a grandparent. For me, that meant boiling down my studies in DNA structure to reach my grandmother, who has a 4th-grade education and Spanish as her first language. The challenge of demystifying my science was daunting. Read more
