Surviving science

introduction the small things some of my experiences the big things some rules Content

introduction the small things some of my experiences the big things some rules Introduction ...

Goal Your only goal: to become a world-class scientist Your goal is not: to have a large numbers of papers to have a large number of citations to lead a larger and larger group to have a large office ...

Career choice totally planned (from when you are 18) totally determined by environment

In between

What is a scientific career? career for life group leader in an academic institute

Resist temptation Resist temptation to become dean institute director minister of education media celebrity All these jobs are very important, but let somebody else do it. Help them to get those jobs.

Scientific education a large fraction (80% ?) of people with a scientific education will not stay in science and that is very good MargarethThatcher has a degree in chemistry

Daily life of scientist: (1) In many academic environments scientists have to teach, and often their teaching load is heavy

Daily life of scientist: examples (2) institute writing proposals evaluation interview application interviews annual reports business meetings financial management getting hardware support getting software support

Daily life of scientist: examples (3) recommendation letters obligatory collaborations loads of reviewing jobs receiving somebody else’s visitors warm bodies needed attend talks by important applicants

Life is always hectic In a good lab there is (are) always chaos lack of office space lack of lab space many last-minute important tasks

Difficult difficult to get there competition politics family situation difficult to stay there community politics family situation

View from outside Politicians, civil servants, deans, administrators, supporting staff, etc, all think: Scientists are Sunday’s children Do not fight them. They always win. They make the rules. Fight another game.

Science is great Society requests a lot of justification It is nice job

introduction the small things some of my experiences the big things some rules Small things ...

Role “small” things grossly underestimated The big things are about your talents: much of that is given by Nature The small things are about your willpower. Discipline, patience, perseverance

Realize importance of colleagues Colleagues are readers of your papers form the audience of your talks are referees of your papers and proposals evaluate your progress in committees determine your tenureship invite you for conferences ...

Foresee bad habits of colleagues A few bad habits: lazy sloppy vain feel like unrecognized geniuses jealous

Make life extremely easy for your colleagues (including group members, coauthors) Spend a lot of time on the small things: make your papers reader friendly be an audience friendly presenter Hide your ego

Quick and dirty

Discipline before anything Quick and dirty is always a waste of time Large steps are always a waste of time If it will ever come to something it must be supported by detailed evidence and characterization and you have to do it all over again

Become a bookkeeper: file it (1) Every note, communication, progress report should be available as a file. As if it is a professional scientific report. Always in English. Any colleague should be able to read it. Do the same with every back-of-the-envelope calculation or lab-journal scribble

File it (2) Figures should always have labels, axes, and captions, however informal the report is. Any group member should be able the understand the figure Computer programs: Discipline, discipline, discipline Why do you (bad) guys never do this?

Get the information Crucial information for your career is out there. It is free. Get it. Nobody will bring it to you. Become part of the social structure of science. Magazines of learned societies tell you: where the field goes where your colleagues go where your boss will go

introduction the small things some of my experiences the big things some rules My experience ...

Personal slides I have removed a few slides that contained personal information not very suitable for public showing

I never doubted my career When I was about 30, I applied for the position “Health Inspector” in the Ministry of Health ... (driving license required) Turned down due to a “too scientific attitude”

introduction the small things some of my experiences the big things some rules Big things ...

Your talents Your talents for the big things: communicating originality experimental skills analytical skills

Always on your mind Be obsessed by finding a new field. Niches are for the losers Be prepared for an immediate answer to the following question: What would you do if you get 5 million euro’s to start research on your own?

Challenge them Impress and challenge privately in your group your group leader other group members a famous visitor publicly a famous speaker (prepare for his talk)

introduction the small things some of my experiences the big things some rules Some rules ...

Small things are no peanuts Small things 60% Big things 40%

My advice Do not work hard. But be always busy with your work. bike, elevator, shower, train, plane, cooking ... Optimize the small things be tough on your self, accept other people’s bad habits Find your own field

The End introduction the small things some of my experiences the big things some rules