Building skills through a gig

Some researchers are providing short-term services such as writing science news articles and consulting on industry products to bolster their skills outside the lab. These side gigs can be valuable for career development, says Josh Henkin. (See related story here.)

GettyImages-95692019-smaller

{credit}Noel Hendrickson/Getty{/credit}

Continue reading

The hidden costs of a career in scientific research

Does a career in science select against those unable to afford frequent relocation, unpaid work and short-term contracts?

Nick Riddiford

That a career in science is demanding is unsurprising. But alongside long hours spent in the lab grappling with abstract concepts, the number of years of education it takes to enter the professional ranks and the increasingly unstable nature of such employment, exists a further demand: money. It’s no secret that science costs money — building the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and sequencing the human genome cost around €3 billion each — but what is less obvious is that entry to a career in science often requires considerable personal financial sacrifice.

save-money-1362382_1920 Continue reading