What at first looks like a setback may be an opportunity in disguise, says Flavia Scialpi

I keep my business cards in the top drawer of my desk at work. They are in two bulky boxes and take up a lot of space, but I like them there because I can see them every time I pull out a pen. They are a memento of how very often you can’t foresee where an opportunity lies – and therefore to seize each and every one of them.

I have been in academia for almost half my life, and I am now engaged in my first position in industry at Synpromics, a biotech company. It is the first time in my professional career that I hold a position that requires and provides business cards.

Scialpi’s new Accomodation at Roslin Innovation Centre

A few years ago I thought I wouldn’t have any chance to land a job in industry. Nor was I very interested in it, to be honest; I was content with academic research, greatly enjoying the highs and bitterly venting about the lows. I went for a well-trodden path; I got my PhD in Italy, where I’m from, and then ventured abroad for a postdoc. I felt the world was my oyster and I found a second home in beautiful Scotland. Continue reading →