What's Up, Postdoc? September Carnival...

Hi all,

Sorry for the slight delay in posting. Really enjoyed reading what everyone has posted - always informative and fun. In keeping with this month’s theme, maybe some of you can give me advice on how to be a great blogger while keeping up with life and lab.

On to the What's Up, Postdoc?">September Carnival...

Given the numerous professors (Chad at Uncertain Principles, Steve Hsu at Information Processing, Larry Moran at Sandwalk, T. Ryan Gregory at Genomicron, and PZ Myers at Pharyngula to cite a few) talking about the not so great academic job market for those in the sciences, this month’s theme of advice seems very appropriate especially as we try to stop being pawns of science. Schlupp at I postdoc, therefore I am, Alex at The Daily Transcript and I at the Ponderings of a Fool all talk about the market with the advice being know what you are getting into. Laura, The Geeky Mom, brings up another important point, do what you love.

That advice is reiterated to those joining labs this fall. Lou at A Scientist’s Life has 9 points for those new graduate students and post-docs. The Mad Hatter at A Mad Tea Party advises that you shouldn’t postdoc unless you are doing it for the right reasons. Want to know the wrong reasons? Read the post. The Propter Doc has a 4 points for picking the right project as well as advice for getting advice from a senior member in the lab. Jenny F. Scientist tells it straight to the new graduate students.

Of course once you are in a lab, advice is useful. Sunil on Balancing Life points us to what the recently departed Daniel Koshland had to say about scientific discovery, The Cha-Cha-Cha Theory. Sometimes the advice in lab is amusing as Jooyla, who is N@ked Under her Lab Coat, discovered.

Lab work eventually leads (or so we hope) to writing. Sometimes the writing just doesn’t happen. Brad at The Unbearable Lightness of Being a Postdoc advises how to overcome writer's block. The Incoherent Ponderer discusses what do when a co-author goes MIA jumping of from a post from Female Science Professor. Schlupp goes into writing from the sidelines.

Not all communication is to those in the sciences. Black Knight and Bayman delve into the need to explain sciences to the rest of the public.

Dr. Brazen Hussy asks and receives advice about applying for a dream job in which she also gives advice on finding jobs. Getting that job requires an application with a CV. Incoherent Ponder weighs in on whether to tweak or not. Ms. PhD gets varying advice on perfecting your CV.

The Incoherent Ponder cautions us all to think before we send that e-mail.

And a post by Day By Day reminds us to take that break from lab in the here and now.