In the face of failed experiments, Frances Ashcroft turned to collaborations to get her work published.
At the 2015 London Naturejobs Career Expo, Frances Ashcroft, physiology professor at the University of Oxford, told the story of how, despite experimental disasters, she still managed to get her work published in Science and Nature. In this Q&A, as part of the Careers in Academia panel, Ashcroft shares how she managed to make this happen.
Top tips:
- Create collaborations with other scientists so that you can benefit from each other’s strengths and expertise.
- Find your own funding. This will bring a level of independence to your research, so you can move to and from labs if you don’t like the research being done there.
Further reading:
Writing for international journals: Tips and tricks
Careers in academia: The different options
Careers in academia: How to get a PhD position
Careers in academia: How to avoid getting pigeon-holed
Careers in academia: How to get a senior staff scientist position