In the scientific community, the big question is not whether action on climate change is required, but what form it should take — and the part that scientists should play, says the recent Nature Outlook on Climate Change. Three early-career researchers share their thoughts on the current state on climate action worldwide and the place of science in society. Read more
I’ve always been fascinated with medical research, which brought me from Ahmedabad, India, to Frankfurt (via Aachen, Düsseldorf and Göttingen) to pursue a Masters and a PhD in neuroscience. Germany boasts an excellent research ecosystem across the private and public sectors, with strong collaboration between each. Consequently, there are attractive career opportunities for local and international researchers, especially in a world where two of the west’s other major research hubs – the UK and the US – appear to be trending against science, evidence, and intellectualism. Having spent seven years here, this is what you need to know about research in Germany. Read more
Robin McGregor worked as a Research Fellow at the University of Auckland in New Zealand on a portfolio of projects related to nutrition and healthy ageing. “I set up clinical trials in middle-aged men to assess post-prandial changes in muscle protein synthesis in response to different dairy formulations,” he says. But being in a small country with only eight universities means that options are limited. Although he had a fixed term contract and had plans to stay, “there was no opportunity to move to a permanent university position. So if I wanted to persue a career in research I’d have to look elsewhere.” So he did. Read more
Whether you’re a PhD student or an established professor, being able to communicate your research is an important part of your career development. You will, at some point, have to persuade that funding body to give you some money, or that supervisory committee to grant you that PhD. Other times, you might have to work with politicians and the media to help them access your research. All these conversations, whether oral or in writing, require good communication skills. Read more
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