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Mastering Your Ph.D.: Giving a Great Presentation |
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Ask most people what their greatest fear is, and chances are they'll say that speaking in public makes their knees knock and their hands sweat. Lots of people, maybe even you, quake at the thought of talking in front of a roomful of strangers. Now that you're in graduate school, there is no avoiding the inevitable. Link (Science Careers, 10/2006) |
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Mastering Your Ph.D.: Preparing for Your Post-Ph.D. Career |
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Among the most difficult decisions during your Ph.D. is what to do when you're finished. You're probably familiar with the "typical" career track: Ph.D., postdoc, then a climb through the academic ranks of assistant, associate, and full professorship. Link (Science Careers, 02/2008) |
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Ph.Dollars: Does Grad School Make Financial Sense? |
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When Laurie Earls started graduate school at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2001, a Ph.D. looked like a pretty good deal from a financial point of view: no tuition and she'd even receive a stipend. Link (Science Careers, 2008) |
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Science Careers Poll Results: A Realistic Readership |
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Our respondents were mostly graduate students and postdocs--a nearly even split--with a remaining few percent split among undergraduates, faculty members, and research associates. In response to the question, "How do you feel about your long-term professional prospects?" more than half--54.6%, to be precise--described themselves as "Somewhat hopeful." A large minority, though--30.2%--chose the "Not very hopeful" option, which carried the explanatory note, "It seems unlikely that I'll have the career I've been hoping for." Link (Science Careers, 10/2008) |
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Mastering Your Ph.D.: Starting Off on the Right Foot |
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Fall is a time of new beginnings, in academia at least. The long, languid days of summer are gone, and the change in weather marks the beginning of a new term and, hopefully, a period of renewed energy and ambition. Link (Science Careers, 10/2007) |
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Mastering Your Ph.D.: Group Dynamics |
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If you haven't chosen a research group yet, it can be helpful to consider which type of group you're likely to be most comfortable in. Sure, you need to choose a group that does the science you want to do--hopefully you've given that a lot of thought already--but factors such as the size and chemistry of the group are also important. Link (Science Careers, 01/2007) |
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Mastering Your Ph.D.: Getting the Most Out of Progress Reviews |
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You will meet with your supervisor from time to time to present data, exchange ideas, and discuss failures and possible solutions for moving forward with your thesis research. Link (Science Careers, 09/2007) |
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A fresh outlook for German science |
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Recent initiatives demonstrate Germany's commitment to integrating its proud academic traditions with international standards of research. In 2006, nearly a quarter of a million foreign students were enrolled in Germany's higher-education system, making it the third most popular destination worldwide behind the US and the UK. Link (New Scientist, 06/2008) |
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Mastering Your Ph.D.: Mentors, Leadership, and Community |
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One of the best things you can do at the start of your scientific career is find a mentor. A wise and caring mentor can mean the difference between wandering around aimlessly and striding purposefully down the path of academic life and beyond. Link (Science Careers, 08/2007) |
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Mastering Your Ph.D.: Exploring Nonprofit Organizations |
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Perhaps you've decided not to pursue a career in academia, but you're not sure about jumping into an industry job, either. Have you considered the nonprofit sector? Link (Science Careers, 05/2008) |
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A question of supply and demand |
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Simply having a PhD may not be enough — you need to marry scientific expertise with the right skills. During the past few decades, the demand in the labour market for scientists and engineers educated to doctoral level has been a matter of considerable uncertainty and debate. Some say that the number of trainees being produced is too low to keep pace with demand, whereas others believe there are too few opportunities for jobseekers once they have completed their training. Link (Nature Jobs, 01/2007) |
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Mastering Your Ph.D.: Running in Place |
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After a strong start and the ups and downs that are inevitable during your first few months in the lab, you’ve found your feet as a Ph.D. student and have gotten your project up to speed. You’ve been working long hours in the lab and sacrificing evenings and weekends to get ahead. Some time ago you sketched out, with your adviser, your research objectives for the coming year. They seemed reasonable on paper, and the planning looked realistic. You’re ready to make a real contribution to your field. Link (Science Careers, 10/2006) |
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Evaluating PhD progress both highlights accomplishments and suggests daunting challenges ahead. Link (Nature Jobs, 2006) |
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Structuring Academic Careers in Europe |
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Each country has its own academic job titles and--often unwritten--career paths, making an international job search thorny and opaque. "If we had a unified career structure, that would revolutionize European science. It would just start to draw everybody in." Link (Science Careers, 05/2008) |
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Mastering Your Ph.D.: Goodbye to All That |
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Let's say you've mapped out your potential career options, explored various opportunities, and have decided that a career as a researcher, either within or outside academia, isn't for you. Leaving the lab may not be easy, but when you've decided to say goodbye to the bench, rest assured that plenty of opportunities await. Link (Science Careers, 03/2008) |
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