Worldwide scientific cooperations, international meetings, internet-based literature. In today’s world we are deeply interconnected and the leading expert on that obscure method or topic you need to make your proposal truly interdisciplinary is just one email away. After all, global problems require global efforts (and lots of cheap labor bright and motivated young minds). Fen …[Read More]
Whilst in constant debate with himself on how to address his own insecurities, Harry dabbles in the secret art of interdisciplinary studies. Specifically, mechano-thermo-chemical modeling with the input from experimental studies. Trying to move forward, he struggles: How can we combine all the uncertainties on experimental rock studies with modelling studies? Dear Harry, We can …[Read More]
Writing a paper can be challenging. While it can be satisfactory to see your science coming together in a consistent story, writing a nice paper requires you to prepare appealing figures, a bullett-proof text and, potentially, dealing with co-autors. Mirja asks: How do I finish a paper? Dear Mirja, Interesting question: over (more than a) …[Read More]
Mare needs to secure some funding. Trotting through previous successful applications, she finds a common denominator. As a purebred scientist, she bellows: How important is interdisciplinary research for a research proposal? Dear Mare, Very important. Realistically, you’ll not get funded in case you’re a one-trick pony. Who will hand over their pouch of gold nuggets …[Read More]
Postdoc appointments: the forgotten terrace of Purgatory. Where researchers are sentenced to linger till either a position opens in the Heaven of permanent contracts, or they realise that, after all, they are not interested anymore. This terrace is composed of different levels of various length. Nobody knows how many levels there are and how long …[Read More]
Diane is on top of her research. Not only that, her education is unparalleled and with this background she is therefore in a perfect position to adjudicate the works of others: A scientist I know published a paper drawing the wrong conclusions from their own research. How should I let them know? Dear Diane, As …[Read More]
We all want our five minutes in the spotlight. It could be the long-awaited moment you finally get to give an oral presentation at EGU, in front of an audience eager to absorb every single word that comes out of your mouth and every single slide like they are solving all open issues in all …[Read More]
Sylvester is continuously ogling new readers for his scientific communications. Pawing at several social media, he purrs: Do you need Twitter to spread your science? Dear Sylvester, Yes. Next question, please. I mean, it’s quite popular. Isn’t it? If you throw in a couple of tags to institutions, active members of the scientific social media …[Read More]
Picture yourself in the office. You are finally cracking on that paper you have been meaning to read for a long time. Here comes that one paragraph upon which the understanding of the whole paper hinges. You are almost grasping it, when the smell of soup hits your nostrils, warning you that it is lunch …[Read More]
Jay likes to put in a couple of continuous hours on his project. No distractions. No students. No nothing. Nothing, but focus and progress. And then his supervisor wants to talk. Again. He grumbles: How often should you meet with your supervisor as a PhD student? Dear Jay, Unfortunately there is no one-fits-all answer to …[Read More]
