Archive by tag | grant

Reshaping the research landscape

Posted by Karen Kaplan | Categories: , , , , , ,

Reshaping the research landscape

The proposal from the advisory body in Washington DC calls for more career counselling at the graduate and postdoctoral levels, better data on career outcomes at those levels, three-year caps on postdocs under principal investigators and new non-tenure track academic research positions, among other changes. To implement all the proposals would require a US$2 billion increase to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s budget, as well as subsequent budget raises to prevent future funding bottlenecks.  Read more

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Where are the female first and last authors?

Posted by Karen Kaplan | Categories: , , , , , , , , , ,

Where are the female first and last authors?

Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle gathered names of first and last authors from papers published from 2005-2017 in 15 major science and neuroscience journals, including Nature, Science, PNAS, Nature Neuroscience and Neuropsychology Review. Nearly 10% of the names were excluded because they were relatively gender neutral, but the rest told a clear story: In these journals, authorship is a male-dominated enterprise.  Read more

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The extra bits of a grant application: a cheat sheet

Posted by Rebecca Wild | Categories: , , , ,

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

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Abandon ship, or learn to swim: the gamble young scientists must make

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Abandon ship, or learn to swim: the gamble young scientists must make

Job stability and a career in research are rarely put together. Science is a windy, grueling, uphill climb that might end abruptly at the edge of a cliff. Halloween is a particularly scary time for Australian scientists, as it signals the release of #NHMRC project grant results. Right now, many laboratories are facing difficult decisions due to rejected funding for next year. It’s not a surprise — we see it everywhere — yet it’s a shock that affects the entire scientific community. For early career researchers across the globe, it’s a timely reminder to carefully consider and plan for the future.  Read more

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Human Pipettes: Scientific training and education in biomedical research

Posted by Jack Leeming | Categories: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Are junior scientists little more than human pipettes?

A recent cancer research symposium displayed a familiar asymmetry. 90% of the attendees were PhD students or postdocs sitting obsequiously in the rear and asking 10% of the questions. 10% of the attendees were front-sitting faculty providing 90% of the inquiries.  Read more

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ERC grants competition opens

Posted by Karen Kaplan | Categories: , , , , , , ,

ERC grants competition opens

Applications for two grant schemes open on 3 August, including ‘Starting’ grants of up to €1.5 million for up to 5 years for PIs who earned their PhD within 2-7 years ago; and a new collaborative programme, the ‘Synergy’ grant, which will fund 2-4 PIs in a cross-disciplinary project. The Synergy scheme, which awards up to €10 million for 6 years, was piloted in 2012 and 2013. The deadline is 17 October for Starting grant applications and 14 November for Synergy applications.  Read more

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Women in science: Fight the brain drain

Posted by Jack Leeming | Categories: , , , , , , ,

Women in science: Fight the brain drain

Last week, Julia Etulain was sitting in a lobby of a hotel in Paris, far from her hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina. She explained her research energetically, occasionally apologising for near-perfect, short-sentence, staccato English.  Read more

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On academic job insecurity and the ultimate tenure

Posted by Jack Leeming | Categories: , , , , , , ,

On academic job insecurity and the ultimate tenure

My latest mini-meltdown came after eight years in research employment, at the beginning of Contract No. 17. It came late. I’d lost a couple of thousand GBP from moving out hastily, lived for two months with my mum, moved far from the city of my university to use the affordable seaside lets in winter, and was about to live out of a suitcase in a youth hostel while my “permanent” accommodation became free. Three masters, PhD, top UK University and all. Most read paper of the month and a “will be delighted to hear about your ongoing work” letter from a senior parliamentary official in my inbox.  Read more

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Your best work might be just around the corner

Posted by Jack Leeming | Categories: , , , ,

Ever wonder when you’ll publish that big paper that’ll win you the Nobel Prize (or at least a new research grant)? Turns out, it could be your next.  Read more

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Bonding in Boston: The importance of networking in science

Posted by Jack Leeming | Categories: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bonding in Boston: The importance of networking in science

A long time ago in a land galaxy far far away, there was a great gathering where those weary of the well-trodden trail of tenureships and grants repaired themselves. The gathering in question was the Naturejobs career expo, a free one-day event organized for students and scientists alike. Featuring some truly inspiring speakers, it gave a much-needed boost to my hope for a career in science that can be both emotionally and financially (yes, $$$) satisfying.  Read more

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