Academic Research Careers

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Academic Research Careers Gareth Evans
UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
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PLAN
Do you have what it takes? Career structure How I
got here From PhD to Postdoc Funding opportunities
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LOVE Science Getting good results Thinking/hypoth
esising Putting the hours in, often alone
(although effort ?success) Travel to exotic
locations Being a geek Getting paid to do my
hobby
Technician variety of techniques Planning/organi
sation Controls know why it hasnt
worked Troubleshooting Not necessarily well
published
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Academic research career path
MSc
BSc
PhD
University /institution
Research council /charity funding
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What I did
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What I do
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(No Transcript)
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Being a postdoc
NO MORE THESIS! respect sort of potentially a
lot less stressful more cash but only marginally
more secure (eg. 4 yr rule) publication
orientated research develop independence write
papers/reviews supervise Honours/PhD
students invited to speak at conferences/Universit
ies
Optional experience teach a few
lectures/tutorials host invited speakers sit on
committees sit in on interviews
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What Im going to do
Lecturer
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Post-doc options
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Top tips
Postdoc-ing is nice, but for your career its do
or die publications success Try to get
fellowship funding ASAP 1 year before end of
contract Travelling is good for the
CV Schmooz/network at meetings Get involved
with extra duties (teaching, supervision
etc.) Try to do question based research rather
than technique driven research