Data sharing: Fewer experiments, more knowledge

Posted on 21 Oct 2015 by Julie Gould

Data sharing will reduce the experiments needed in the lab and will increase the speed of knowledge generation by decreasing the time spent on the generation of equivalent datasets.

Guest contributor Ana Sofia Figueiredo

I’m a postdoctoral scientist in systems biology at the University of Magdeburg, Germany. There, I build mathematical models to understand the mechanisms behind certain biological processes, such as the process of energy production by cells under extreme conditions. These mathematical models are representations of reality and some of them can be useful, although all of them are wrong. When well parameterized with data, these models give a quantitative representation and better understanding of such biological processes. Using a systems biology approach, I can do experiments in silico that are very difficult or technically impossible to do in vitro or in vivo. However, a model is only as good as the data it incorporates.

When I have access to publicly available experimental datasets, I can plug the data into my models and, from the synergy of combining mathematical models with experimental data, learn more about the biological system I have at hands.

Sharing data, models and experimental protocols can push forward the generation of knowledge in science. Continue reading →

The 2015 Nature Careers Graduate Student Survey

Posted on 16 Oct 2015 by Julie Gould

See how current graduate students around the world feel about their future career paths in next week’s issue of Nature as the results from the 2015 Nature Careers Graduate Student Survey are published.

One challenge that many graduate students face when deciding on future career paths is finding information on what the options are, and how other graduates got there. Although some information is collated by universities and by the Survey of Doctoral Recipients, run by National Science Foundation in the United States, for example, it’s not enough for students to make an informed decision.

“Graduate students would make better decisions [about their future careers] if they had better data,” says Paula Stephan, a labour economist at Georgia State University. So, to do their bit and help young graduate students arm themselves, Nature Careers runs a bi-annual, global survey of graduate students.

Many say that mentors should have an active role to play in preparing students for their future careers, but in 2011 the graduate student survey run by Nature Careers demonstrated that as the years went by, graduate students were less and less satisfied with the support they received.

Other surveys have shown that this decrease in support could in part be due to the growing lack of interest in academic careers as the students move through their PhD programmes.

In 2013, the Nature Careers graduate student survey also explored the issue of debt, and how students were increasingly worried about how the financial burden of grad school would affect their future careers.

Whether these trends have continued, the Nature Careers team is trying to find out. This year, the survey looks to answer questions that many graduate students will have on their mind: What do science graduate students around the world expect to pursue for their career? What do they really think about industry – or academia? How do they decide on a career path? Are they getting useful advice from their adviser or from their institution? And how do they feel about their graduate programme?

Find all this out and more in Nature Careers on 21 October 2015, when we publish the results of our 2015 survey. We had almost 3,500 respondents from all corners of the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe and Central, North and South America.

Career paths: Into the laboratory wild

Posted on 17 Sep 2015 by Julie Gould

Time away in a different environment can give young researchers new perspectives and challenges that could help them develop as scientists and people, says Lauren Emily Wright.

Guest contributor Lauren Emily Wright

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‘Where there are experts there will be no lack of learners.’ -Swahili Proverb

Scientists know that any time away from academic data gathering and preparing the next publication is another nail in the coffin for a research career. The struggle for balance is a source of constant mental turmoil. Losing focus just a bit could mean losing the race for a faculty position.

I don’t want to believe that.

At the end of this year I will finish my first postdoc and embark on a project to counteract brain-drain in Ethiopia. I’m taking time away from the bench to work with a non-profit organisation called TReND (Teaching and Research in Natural Sciences for Development) in Africa. Continue reading →

Career paths: Planning your route

Posted on 15 Sep 2015 by Julie Gould

Mixed impressions about your ‘dream job’ should not let you down when they do not match your initial expectations, says Gaia Donati.

Guest contributor Gaia Donati.

Dream jobs might not always be what you expect.

Planning a career path is a bit like committing to a relationship – you go through phases. First comes the infatuation, leading you to enthusiastically catch any opportunity to establish contacts and gain experience in your chosen sector. As you discover previously unsuspected facets of your ‘dream job’, a few doubts arise: you may find out that the competition is fiercer than you expected, that permanent positions are scarce or that it will take years for you to earn a decent salary. All of a sudden you question your choice altogether, and you are left with a menacingly dark cloud over your head.

Having defended my PhD thesis in experimental quantum optics at the end of July, the idea of my ‘dream career path’ must now become real – it’s time to find that job. I decided I would look into a career in science publishing and journalism, but as I moved the first steps in this direction I found myself surrounded by doubts and unknowns: do I wish to leave academia? What if I keep hopping from one internship to another?

After a few years in the laboratory and a stint at cutting-edge research for my PhD project, I ruled out the postdoc option. My future occupation should combine my love for science with my passion for communicating scientific advances to wider audiences; as a journalist, Continue reading →

Career paths: There’s no set route for scientists

Posted on 11 Sep 2015 by Julie Gould

A scientist’s career path is often the result of a series of chance meetings, unexpected events and changes in personal circumstances. You shouldn’t be afraid to follow your own unique route, says Zoe Self.

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Guest contributor Zoe Self

Have you ever been striding down the road only to realise that you are heading in completely the wrong direction? If you turn around on the spot, you’ll likely get some funny looks from those around you. You could look at your phone, pretend you’ve been called away to attend some kind of crisis and go back in the other direction with a new (if not false) sense of purpose. Or, you could look at your watch and pretend to realise that, actually, you need to be somewhere else. But what if this was your career path?

When I finished my biomechanics PhD in 2012, I wasn’t sure I wanted to stay in research. More than anything, I was exhausted by the end of my PhD and felt like the approach of ‘a change is as good as a rest’ applied. I really wanted a job in science communication, as I had loved the outreach and engagement work I’d taken part in throughout my PhD, but had been made aware, by those working in that area, that jobs were hard to come by. I eventually decided a lecturing role would suit as it required many of the same aspects. Engaging students in my discipline sounded equally fulfilling, but it wasn’t long before I felt like I was heading the wrong way. I no longer felt like I was learning and achieving (important at an early-career stage); to my surprise I missed research (a break had changed my outlook), and I still wanted a shot at a career in science communication. Continue reading →

Networking for introverts

Posted on 08 Sep 2015 by Julie Gould

Being prepared can help introverts start conversations at big conferences, says Paul Brack.

Guest contributor Paul Brack

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In the last few years, introverts have become the new geeks. In the past we were painted as miserable wallflowers. Now, thanks in large part to Susan Cain’s book Quiet and her accompanying TED talk in 2012, we’re often portrayed as the conscientious, thoughtful people who are going to quietly invent the technology needed to save the world.

Whilst the reality has of course always lain somewhere between these two extremes, there’s one thing that is true for introverts: we generally struggle with networking. Introverts find over-stimulating environments, like large groups at conferences, difficult to navigate. But that shouldn’t put an introverted scientist off from adapting their networking tools to suit their character.

At its heart, networking is about forming relationships. Some psychologists have suggested that introverted people take longer to make connections than extroverted people, as they find it more tiring. This is based on the description formulated by Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers (building on the work of Carl Jung), the developers of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ‘personality test’, that whereas extroverts are energised by meeting new people, introverts are drained. Continue reading →

Science communication: Lessons from improvisation

Posted on 04 Sep 2015 by Julie Gould

Improvisation techniques can help scientists hone their key messages when addressing peers at conferences, says Catherine Seed.

Guest contributor Catherine Seed

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You’ve spent weeks in the lab collecting, processing and analysing your data, and you’ve filed for publication. All this work took a lot of effort, time, organisation and collaboration (and coffee). Finally, you are now free to show the data to the world at the next conference (or most probably to your research group).

This step might seem like the easiest part. Once you know the results, you can share them. Talk about them until the cows come home. After all, you’ve just spent years working on them. You know them better than anyone else. Yet it seems impossible to cram all you know – the intricacies of your study, the broader context, the unexpected results, the side-projects, how the variables link together – into a 15 minute talk at a conference! Which points should you make, and with what detail? And how? How is a presentation structured again? Continue reading →

Science communication: A foot in the door

Posted on 02 Sep 2015 by Julie Gould

Payal Bhatia shares how she became interested in science communication, and how she has started carving out a career for herself in the field.

Guest contributor Payal Bhatia

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If I was ever going to leave the lab, it would be to become a full-time science communicator. My first formal piece of science writing was a book chapter I wrote as a PhD. I enjoyed this experience so much that I ended up taking courses at the University of Zurich to improve my writing. This overlapped with a chance meeting Isabel Arnold, editor of the EMBO Journal at the time, who introduced me to the field of science journalism. With my science background, exposure to scientific editing and my passion for writing, I quickly learned that science writing was the career I would love. However, I knew I did not have enough experience to start right away. Employers were looking for candidates with a few years of experience in writing and communication, and when looking at job descriptions, I realized that I was missing a few skills. This gave me an indication on where I could develop and get a foot in the door.

I did some self-reflection and made a plan— a simple outline of what I enjoy writing about, what skills I already have, what resources I can use to gain additional skills and most importantly, if I know someone in the field. 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

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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

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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 →

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