My dog, Roxanne (Roxy for short), has been by my side for my entire graduate career. I adopted Roxy before starting a two-year Master’s program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She moved with me to the University of Maryland for my PhD program. Now in the second year of my PhD, I cannot …[Read More]
academia
The Sassy Scientist – The Web of Influence
Despite finishing his experiments and writing up his thesis during a pandemic, Markus wants to keep climbing the academic pyramid. Reflecting on some of his choices during his PhD, he now asks: I didn’t spend anytime building my network during my PhD. Can I get a postdoc? Dear Markus, Of course! Academia represents the pursuit …[Read More]
First time… publishing a paper
I can’t speak for anyone else, but finally getting a paper through comes with the great satisfaction of not having to deal with the project anymore. There’s a sense of relief, hope, and maybe excitement that the time that is now freed up can be used on other, new projects. Anyway, I am currently still …[Read More]
Should I… do a coding PhD when I don’t have much experience coding?
“The ideal applicant will have a strong background in coding.” I’m not sure if those were the exact words that advertised my PhD project, but a requirement of coding ability was certainly heavily implied. We’re used to hearing stories about job requirements in the professional world, but in my experience at least, we think much …[Read More]
Postdoc: Europe vs. United States
Being a postdoc provides you with an extended training period after receiving your PhD. It is the pathway towards becoming an independent scientist; therefore, it is important to undertake your postdoc in a place where career development is enhanced and supported. Let’s start with a basic yet crucial question: why should I move to another …[Read More]