How do you draw the line between volunteer work and unpaid labour?
But questions remain about the plan’s actual intent and its potential impact on US universities’ current and future policies around existing faculty members. Read more
Fewer women lead top universities
Just 34 of leading universities named in this year’s annual Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings have female presidents, down 1% from the 36 that were led by women in 2017. Read more
Depression and anxiety are common among graduate students
More than 40% of respondents to the voluntary survey had anxiety scores in the moderate to severe range, and nearly 40% of respondents showed signs of moderate to severe depression. Both rates were more than six times greater than those found in the general public using the same standardized questionnaires. Read more
A culture of kindness: overcoming bullying
No-one could fail to be moved by the video shared this week of a schoolboy crying over bullying. As adults we hope that we’ve moved away from school bullies. But in academia it seems that bullying is a persistent problem, with up to 42% of academics reporting some form of workplace bullying. In adult life, bullies rarely steal our lunch money or gum our hair. But they do steal our self-confidence, make us feel inadequate and question our work. My own experience with bullying has taught me how to recognise it, and what to do to overcome it in the workplace. Read more
Finding mentorship
Naturejobs journalism competition winner Eileen Parkes … Read more
Mentoring: A powerful tool
Rana Dajani, a molecular biologist based at Hashemite University in Zarqa, Jordan, developed the toolkit to inspire female researchers to build the networks they need to support, collaborate and advise one another as they move forward in their careers. Read more
Ten tips for finding an effective mentor
The meandering path to a career in science offers challenges that can be difficult to confront alone. Finding an effective mentor who offers advice and inspiration can help you navigate the maze successfully, say Andrew Gaudet and Laura Fonken. Read more
The Art of Supervision in the Arab and Gulf Region
The majority of the Arab world gained independence from western colonization during the second half of the 20th century. While Western states were building their research base then, most Arab states were focused on education. Now, the Arab world is trying to catch up. The two main challenges we face today are improving scientific training, and engaging more women in science. Read more
The precious, precious networking platinum that is Lindau
Lindau is a special conference. Here, under the banner of Educate-Inspire-Connect, and above cobblestone streets, next to a city hall dating back to the 1400s, networking is very much encouraged, supported, facilitated and emphasised. And the networking here is precious, precious platinum. Read more
The faculty series: What does it take to be a mentor?
Guest contributor Nirmala Hariharan … Read more