This blog post was prompted by a
long twitter conversation on science careers, number vs quality of
publications, and the inevitable inclusion of the term ‘glam mags’. Although
twitter is great for an immediate exchange of ideas, it isn’t good for nuance.
Here are some of my thoughts on a career in academia.
First, if you want to be an
academic in the long-term, you probably can be. It may not be the academic
career you dreamt of, or at the university you wanted to be at. You may not be
teaching exactly what you want. You may not have much time for research at all.
However, if you decide to be an academic, you work hard, and you aren’t
precious about your definition of ‘success’, then it’s a career like any other.
There are plenty of people out there without glittering CVs who are grafting
and getting by, but ultimately are fully fledged academics who do amazing jobs
day-after-day for little praise or reward.
Much of the conversation on
twitter relates to academic ‘success’ rather than simply what it takes to be an
academic long-term. People obviously have high expectations, and want to be
successful. I get that. I want to do amazing science with clever supportive colleagues,
teach happy engaged students, and have a vibrant well-funded lab. Where I think
there might be an issue is the expectation that this is what it means to be an ‘academic’.
To me, this is what it means to be a high-flying successful academic. None of
us have a right to expect such a career. I am grateful that I have a good solid
job in a university I like. If I have success over-and-above this, it is a
massive bonus. I will of course be under pressure from those above me to be
that high-flying academic, and I will work towards that as best as I can, but I
can’t expect it and it certainly isn’t a right.
So what is my advice to those
more junior than myself? During your PhD, do the best possible science you can
and try to ensure you publish at least one good solid paper. This is clear
evidence that you can push a project from start to finish, and that you have
developed a set of experimental/methodological skills. If you feel you have
time, apply for fellowships that might propel your career into the
stratosphere, but don’t bank on it. Concentrate on finding a postdoc in a lab
where you feel you would fit in, you can further your skills set, and you can
do good science. Join twitter and read conversations about careers, glam mags,
etc. but don’t let it get under your skin. Understand the system you are trying
to navigate, but appreciate that there is a huge amount of inherent noise such
that there is no one-size-fits-all recipe for career success. Most importantly,
enjoy yourself as much as possible. If you do commit to academia and don’t get
that dream job, you will probably look back on your PhD and postdoc positions
rather fondly. If you do stay in academia though, well done you. Regardless of
what your CV looks like, you’re a success.
