Most read on Naturejobs: August 2015

Posted on 31 Aug 2015 by Julie Gould

Drug hunters, social media, assessing PhDs and more!

With the run up to the Naturejobs Career Expo in London on September 18th 2015, we’ve been busy sharing the articles from the journalism competition we ran earlier this year! On top of that, we’ve also launched a new writing competition for the #SciData15 event in October (today’s your last chance to send in your applications – so get on it!). Lot’s of opportunities for you to contribute to the blog, as many have done this month.

Here we’ve collected your favourite reads of the month from the blog and from Nature Careers.

1. As the biotherapeutics industry is burgeoning, it needs scientists with specialized disease knowledge and technical savvy to join in the drug-discovery efforts, according to Jeffrey M. Perkel in his piece Biomedical research: Drug hunters wanted.

2. The key to a strong grant application is a well-considered and detailed outline of expenses, says grant director Ingrid Eisenstadter in The dream budget. Continue reading →

Academic research: Getting into a lab

Posted on 28 Aug 2015 by Julie Gould

Three chemistry Nobel laureates share how they select the PhD students and faculty members that join their labs and departments.

For many young researchers entering graduate school for a PhD, a career in academic research is the end goal. Yet the pyramidal career structure doesn’t make this easy for everyone to reach. So, when it comes to finding out how you can get your foot in the door, who better to ask than three of the most successful academic research scientists?

One of my best trips this year was to the 65th Lindau Nobel Meeting. It was set on Lindau Island, a beautiful, picturesque little place in Lake Constance in Germany. And whilst I was there enjoying the sights, I also had the opportunity to speak to some very interesting people. The meeting was an opportunity for hundreds of early-career researchers to meet Nobel Prize winners from across the sciences. They networked, presented and had informal conversations about the scientific life.

This month’s podcast is a collection of conversations and thoughts I had at that meeting with three Chemistry Nobel Laureates: the 2008 Laureate Martin Chalfie from the University of Columbia; Venki Ramakrishnan from the Laboratory of Molecular biology, Cambridge, UK, who won the prize in 2009; and Arieh Warshel from the University of Southern California, the 2013 prize winner.

Amongst other things, we discussed what each of them looks for in PhD students that they take on into their laboratories and faculty members that they hire into their departments. The main message from all laureates I spoke to, not just these three, was that without visible, tangible passion and enthusiasm for the science, it’s going to be difficult for you to get a position in a laboratory.

This lead us nicely onto a discussion about how you communicate this in an interview. And so, in the last part of this podcast, Warshel and Ramakrishnan, share their concerns for young scientists in this endeavour: They understand the importance of being a good communicator, but scientists need to know the limits to this. It’s no good over-selling your work if it means neglecting it, or even fabricating it.

Finding job satisfaction in venture philanthropy

Posted on 26 Aug 2015 by Julie Gould

Multiple informational interviews can bring great insights into possible careers, says Arie Meir.

After earning his degree in biophysics at Berkeley, Arie Meir took an engineering internship at Google. But he didn’t want to stay on that path. Here, he explains how informational interviewing led him to an intriguing position and helped him ace interviews.

Click here to read how Meir gained skills and career exposure in graduate school.

Tell me about your job.

I work for the philanthropic arm of Google; I help evaluate grant proposals from a technology standpoint. Our work is at the nexus of technology and impact. I work with social entrepreneurs and academic faculty to understand the state of the research in a field, like 3D printing for affordable prosthetics. I review funding opportunities and think ‘How is this game-changing and scalable?’ and ‘What are the risks?’ and ‘How would the world be different in five years if we fund this?’ Continue reading →

Networking: Talking the talk

Posted on 25 Aug 2015 by Julie Gould

Being able to use connections is vital in getting access to opportunities that may otherwise slip by unnoticed, says Rachel Harris.

Guest contributor Rachel Harris

Getting the conversation started is half the battle{credit}iStockphoto/Thinkstock{/credit}

As a science undergraduate I always assumed networking was for other people in different careers. Scientists spend a lot of time working independently, so I wondered why we would need business cards and contacts. I, like many others before me, was naïve. Now as a PhD student, I know it’s about who you know, not (entirely) what you know. Being able to use connections is vital in getting access to opportunities that may otherwise slip by unnoticed.

Though a little slow on the uptake I have completely woken up to the power of building a network. This all happened when I attended the British Neuroscience Association 2015: Festival of Neuroscience, without knowing anyone else. After warming up and having a few conversations, I realised that I genuinely enjoy meeting new people and having a good talk. I spoke to several PhD students in my research area, editors and industry supervisors, and reconnected with researchers from my previous institutions. This made the conference a much more interesting and productive experience than if I had only attended the academic talks.

Making long-lasting connections with everyone you meet is going to be difficult, but by starting a conversation you’re not going to lose anything either. Coupled with the relative ease of keeping in contact, even after long periods, making new connections is simpler than ever. Based on my experience at the Festival of Neuroscience, and others I’ve had over the last few years, I thought it would be useful to share some networking tips I’ve collected along the way. Continue reading →

Science communication: Know your audience

Posted on 21 Aug 2015 by Julie Gould

Understanding your audience will enable you to more effectively communicate your message, says Naomi Penfold.

Guest contributor Naomi Penfold

{credit}iStock{/credit}

If you became a scientist to make the world a better place, you’re not alone. But to achieve this, you need to do more than just the science. Your findings need to reach the ears of decision makers, politicians, the media and funding bodies. One way to reach them is by communicating your science to the general public.

There are people who do this professionally, but it’s also down to the scientist to get the conversations going. Standing on a soapbox reciting an abstract that makes perfect sense to you might not lead to the response you’re after (often you’ll just get your echo in return). One of the most important factors in marketing and a tip oft-cited to communicators-in-training is to know your audience. Tailoring your message to the people you are trying to engage will make it easier for them to listen, absorb and act on your message. Continue reading →

What’s your most burning science-careers question?

Posted on 21 Aug 2015 by Julie Gould

We want to know what you want to know so that we can give you what you want to know!

At Nature Careers and Naturejobs, we want to make sure that we’re answering your questions and providing you with the information that you need to make informed decisions about your science careers.

To that end, we’re asking you what you would like us to ask the experts.

We’re looking for everything and anything from the mundane, ‘What do I do when my labmate keeps dropping test tubes on the floor?’ to the more philosophical, ‘Why am I pursuing a scientific career?’

We want to know what you’re thinking, wondering and hoping can be answered.

To this end, we’ve created an online survey where we can collect your questions! Please take just a couple of minutes to take part in our survey, and then share it far and wide, so we can help as many of you as possible!

Alternatively, you can leave your most burning question in the comments section below.

Thank you!

Naturejobs Career Guide: Asia-Pacific

Posted on 20 Aug 2015 by Julie Gould

Scientists looking for new experiences in research should explore options in the Asia-Pacific region as funding floods in.

For anyone considering a career in science, the Asia-Pacific region might offer some interesting careers. Opportunities for scientific jobseekers in Asia-Pacific abound, especially as research and development (R&D) spending as a proportion of gross domestic product (GDP) has risen in all six countries since 2000. But moving overseas is a big decision. This first Naturejobs Career Guide provides practical advice, first-hand accounts and useful facts and figures for those considering a change.

China‘s rise as a global powerhouse in science and technology is reason enough to think about a move to Asia. For example, the government has committed large sums to high-profile projects such as thorium-based nuclear power plants, as well as basic research spending, which has historically received less funding than in other developed countries. It has also launched a series of major R&D-based projects such as a space station and the China brain project, dedicated to research into artificial intelligence and neurological diseases.

A little to the east, South Korea is second only to Israel in the proportion of its GDP it spends on R&D, and Japan is not far behind. The country is focussed on recruiting overseas researchers and encouraging basic science, and is using research to drive development.

Singapore has built up its research and innovation capacities rapidly since the turn of the century by luring foreign talent with offers of large salaries. Between 2011 and 2015, 16.1 billion Singapore dollars (US $12billion) was invested in science and research by the island city-state, a 20% increase on the previous five-year period. A majority of this funding is ear-marked for collaborative projects between academic institutions and industry, hoping to drive innovation and translational science.

Australia and New Zealand are playing to their strengths by focusing limited resources on the fields in which they excel. New Zealand is renowned for its Earth science and agricultural research. It has a multi-cultural environment and is proud of its collaborativeness. The Australian government, on the other hand, is focussing it’s spending efforts on large physics and astronomy projects, as well as medical research.

For each of the six countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Naturejobs has collected first hand accounts of what it’s like to move, live and work there are a researcher.

Science communication: Life’s a pitch

Posted on 19 Aug 2015 by Julie Gould

Or: How to come out as a scientist to the public, your friends and family, when the latter paid for your degree and the former are paying for your current research, and all are slightly against the idea anyway because they were really hoping to get discounted wormers. Niche but translatable, like many PhDs!

Guest contributor Sophie Regnault

Sophie and a 3D model of a tuatara skeleton made from CT scans, that was one of the Wellcome Images 2015 winners.{credit}Alexander Stoll{/credit}

Having started my PhD in evolutionary biomechanics a couple of years ago after a brief stint as a vet, one of the biggest challenges I’ve found is people’s attitude to science – the teenage, kiss-your-teeth, you’re-not-my-real-dad attitude.

Inside the Ivory Tower (our lab is at ground level, so perhaps Ivory Bungalow) other post-grads accept that my work is (probably) worthwhile, or they are suffering enough imposter syndrome themselves not to care. On the outside, people sometimes think that what I do isn’t worth it at all. Questions like “How is that important?”, “Why aren’t you doing something that benefits society?”, “When are you going to stop being a perpetual student and start contributing?” are responses to my job description.

Encountering this public attitude (at pubs, weddings, children’s birthday parties) is often the first experience we get of communicating science, and it’s an ideal practice ground. Being able to communicate science well is a vital skill because good communication perpetuates the value of science in society, defends funding, awakens new generations, and ultimately keeps knowledge alive (plus makes people think my job is worthwhile!). Continue reading →

Social media: Handling casual sexism

Posted on 18 Aug 2015 by Julie Gould

Don’t let unwelcome comments muffle your voice, instead speak out about your experiences, says Virginia Schutte.

Guest contributor Virginia Schutte

Virginia Schutte studying fiddler crabs in Taiwan’s salt marshes {credit}Virginia Schutte{/credit}

As scientists increasingly use social media for outreach, they open themselves to interactions with anyone who has access to the internet. This contact isn’t always going to be positive and may get personal. I recently had to decide what to do after someone said some unsavory things on my science website.

What I experienced is “casual” or “everyday” sexism. Sometimes sexism is so blatant or is acted upon in such a way that it has big repercussions (#distractinglysexy, I’m looking at you). This wasn’t that – this was a thought just about me that wasn’t particularly vulgar. But this kind of passing thought is common, even for scientists. For example, the Field Museum’s Emily Graslie devotes an episode of The Brain Scoop to discussing the frustrating comments she deals with “on a daily basis”. Some people are shocked less by casual sexism itself and more by the fact that people may not even react to it because it is so pervasive.

This person made it clear why he was visiting my website: it had nothing to do with my science and everything to do with my appearance. But this comment revealed his focus without damaging mine, so it didn’t rile me like his next assertion did: “[It’s] good to feel sexy, but it’s bad to mask it behind other means”. He implied that the only reason I have a science website at all is to give myself a place on the internet to post sexy pictures of myself. As if my site’s real purpose is so ludicrous as to be unbelievable.

I’m a marine ecologist. I’ve worked with everything from whales to fiddler crabs, but I’m pursuing a career in science communication. I want to connect people with science. Engaging non-scientists with the right information is the key to helping them make informed decisions that limit environmental impacts, therefore increasing quality of life.

I regularly post about my research and science in general on my professional Facebook page, “Virginia talks science with you”. The page is an outlet for my passion for science education and is also a way for me to gain experience communicating science. His comments popped up on my Facebook page after a post about Discovery’s Shark Week, so I can only assume he was reacting to photos of me around the site wearing a wetsuit. I’ll skip discussing most of my initial emotional reactions and focus on those that have risen to the fore now that more time has passed. Continue reading →

Networking: Never too much

Posted on 17 Aug 2015 by Julie Gould

An ever growing network can help you get insights and experiences in a chosen industry, says Michelle Reeve.

Contributor Michelle A. Reeve

In the last six weeks I’ve attended two long conferences and I’m networked out. Putting names to faces, faces to names, shaking a seemingly endless number of hands and forcing smiles until your face aches. It’s exhausting. It’s invaluable. From these conferences, and other previous experiences, I’ve created an ever-growing network of science communication contacts that have benefited, and will continue to benefit, my professional career.

We all know it’s not about what you know, it’s who you know. Of course, that’s not entirely true – you can’t get relevant jobs if you know nothing about your chosen career. You have to know stuff to progress.

I recently spent three months doing a PhD internship at The Royal Institution (Ri), working on their prestigious CHRISTMAS LECTURES^®; this was a dream role for me. The only reason I got that position was through a chance meeting with a professor at my PhD interview over three years ago. Out of almost two hundred academics, I met with him, not knowing he’d presented the Lectures a few years previously. Continue reading →

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Monthly Archives: August 2015