Skills and Advice

Preparing graduate students and postdocs for diverse careers Changes in the workforce are challenging academia to prepare scientists to be adaptable and adept at communicating across boundaries. To meet these demands, the Plant Science Research Network (PSRN, plantae.org/PSRN) is shifting the focus…

Earlier this year I gave a Plantae seminar on "Images for Impact" - simple, free tips about how to source and create images to use in your science writing and communicating. Here is the text of the handout I created to accompany the seminar. You can get this as a PDF here. You can download the…

Another excellent entry in PLOS Computational Biology's "Ten Simple Rules" series. Read "Ten simple rules for writing a response to reviewers" here. Short version: Rule 1: Provide an overview, then quote the full set of reviews Rule 2: Be polite and respectful of all reviewers Rule 3: Accept…

Words of Wisdom from Those Who Publish (and Do Not Perish) By Helen Sword A PhD student approached me after a writing workshop to recount his tale of woe. “I write these messy, incoherent first drafts,” he lamented. “They’re absolutely awful! Then I have to work on them for hours and hours…

Looking back on his 40-year career gives author Stephen Campana the opportunity to distill very useful career advice. Very briefly, here are his 12 steps, but we recommend you real all of this interesting and useful article, found here, from the ICES Journal of Marine Science. Read, read, read …

Rebecca Mosher is an Associate Professor in the School of Plant Sciences at the University of Arizona who studies small RNAs and epigenetics. You can reach her at @rm0sher . Have you ever felt like you don’t belong in academic science? Do you think that you aren’t as smart as the people across…

A 2011 editorial from the journal Molecular Biology of the Cell (MBoC). Any jackass can trash a manuscript, but it takes good scholarship to create one (how MBoC promotes civil and constructive peer review) http://www.molbiolcell.org/content/22/5/525.long Key points: Review a manuscript only…

Published on Apr 28, 2016 How do you juggle a toddler in a research lab? Very carefully. This talk looks at issues facing women (or any caregiver) in scientific careers, along with examples from women who have found ways to be successful as parents and as scientists. As a member of the Biology…

An NPR interview with Alan Alda about his efforts to help scientists learn to communicate. "People are dying because we can't communicate in ways that allow us to understand one another," he writes. "It sounds like an exaggeration, but I don't think it is. When patients can't relate to their doctors…

By Beronda L. Montgomery, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA From SAGE Open, Vol 7, Issue 2, First published date: June-03-2017 http://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/izCuY6fGpyIi7B5JREqZ/full Abstract This article presents a proactive, individual-centered mentoring model which meets…

Author Katherine Wu highlights some of the challenges that interfere with scientists communicating. She says, "Both scientists and non-scientists must commit to not only communication, but also a drastic reassessment of how we communicate with each other. I believe mending the rift starts with…

By Steven Burgess, posted on Medium "As I am coming to the end of my time as postdoc I have been thinking a lot about what I have learnt and perhaps wish I knew when I started out. Inspired by the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke’s ‘Letters To A Young Poet’, I am noting down some thoughts which…

Abstract Scientific integrity is at the forefront of the scientific research enterprise. This paper provides an overview of key existing efforts on scientific integrity by federal agencies, foundations, nonprofit organizations, professional societies, and academia from 1989 to April 2016. It serves…

Volume 95 Issue 20 | p. 30 Issue Date: May 15, 2017 | Web Date: May 9, 2017 By Chemjobber The best science happens when all hypotheses are considered and all voices are heard. Not only that: If important safety information isn’t communicated among all lab members, someone could get hurt. How…

PLOS Computational Biology has a series of "Ten Simple Rules" articles. Here is one for undergraduate researchers, "Ten simple rules to make the most out of your undergraduate research career" by Megan Yu and Yu-Min Kuo Here are the rules, read the article for elaboration Rule 1:…

Guest post by Erin Sparks, Guillaume Lobet, Larry York and Frédéric Bouché It is midnight on a cold winter evening and you are scheduled to give a seminar at 8 am the next morning. All you are missing to complete your presentation is one last graphic to illustrate your conclusions. You wearily…

The editorial team at eLIFE has shared some of their tips for writing about your research in an accessible way. In addition to reporting on the outcomes of their plain-language summaries (eLIFE Digests), they provide an excellent set of guidelines to help you write your own plain-language summary. All…

Communicating about science (or anything) on social media sites can expose you to rudeness and worse. In this column by Amber Dance from Nature Careers, several high-profile scientists and science communicators share how they avoid and cope with conflicts. Read more here.  

Here's a short video that uses a metaphor to explain what microagressions are. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDd3bzA7450  

In this Open Access article, Wullum Nielsen et al. explore the "innovation dividend" that comes from greater diversity. They point out that "maximizing gender diversity’s benefits requires careful management." As examples, "motivating managers to voluntarily engage in the recruitment and training of…

Bethany Huot, founder and director of The COM (Community of Minds) / @ThePubClub, writes about the six steps to managing your digital identity. What do prospective employers see when they search for you online (and yes, they do...). Maybe its time to refresh your online profile. http://thecomonline.net/is-your-professional-portrait-a-picasso-or-a-da-vinci/

Lesley McCollum writes about why scientist need to establish their profession identity online, including a description of popular sites (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn) and how to use them. In addition to following her advice, we'd recommend you set up and maintain your Google Scholar site and register for…

This article was originally published on Women in STEMM Australia. Read the original article The Value of Mentoring Posted on May 31, 2015 by Women in STEMM Australia Trainees in science often express the need for ‘a mentor’. What does this mean and what should mentees and mentors expect? What…

Kara Perrow (nee Vine), University of Wollongong; Amy Wyatt, University of Wollongong, and Martina Sanderson-Smith, University of Wollongong As children we are encouraged to dream big, and many young people – including young women and girls – aspire to a career in science. While there are role…

  Digging Deeper: Developing a Model for Collaborative Teacher/Scientist Professional Development Are you passionate about science education? Would you like to build connections with high school biology teachers and their students? Are you excited about an opportunity to share what's so exciting…

Frédéric Bouché, a postdoctoral research with Richard Amasino at the University of Wisconsin, recently caught our attention when he published a set of impressive visual abstracts to support his latest research papers. We invited him to share how and why he makes these images. -Editors When you…

One of the professional skills needed for a career in science (or any career) is how to promote and sustain a workplace that is supportive to everyone. Not everyone is trained in this skill though. Here is a list of articles that can help you to master the whys and hows of workplace diversity. View…

Today, women earn significantly more master’s degrees than men, and in a diversity of fields. Nonetheless, women continue to face challenges to higher education, and remain under-represented in a number of industries. Thankfully, many schools and organizations recognize these trends and are taking…

The Feb 2016 issue of ASBMB Today focuses on the importance of diversity and inclusion in biochemistry and molecular biology. To accompany the issue, we put together a timeline highlighting some important achievements in the life sciences made by black scientists. View resource

In 2014, Hannah Valantine became the first chief officer for scientific workforce diversity at the National Institutes of Health. Her charge is to diversify the biomedical research workforce “by developing a vision and comprehensive strategy to expand recruitment and retention and promote inclusiveness…

"Poet and activist Audre Lorde said, “In our work and in our living, we must recognize that difference is a reason for celebration and growth.” She also said, “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept and celebrate those differences.”" "Although scientists…

An excellent list of suggestions that anyone can follow to support diversity. View resource

First-person accounts by several UK academics on how they try to manage the ever-increasing demands of the academic workload. You'll share their pain and maybe learn a few tricks. View resource

Just in time for Mother's Day (UK): Nature Jobs has collected a set of posts with advice on how to achieve work-life balance with children. View resource

Many early career scientists wonder about the possibility of balancing children and their careers. This juggling act starts even before the child is born. One postdoc shares the story of how her pregnancy has affected her work and choices in the weeks leading up to birth. It's a useful first-person account…

PSALSE resource inventory 2015 The Professional Societies Alliance for Life Science Education (PSALSE) offers an inventory that distills how PSALSE affiliates organize their program categories and activities. The spreadsheet provides specific links (URLS or emails, where available) for more information…

At the present time, US funding is frequently below 10% for a given grant program. Today, more than ever, we need all the help we can get in writing successful grant proposals. We hope you find these rules useful in reaching your research career goals. View resource

Preparation of a successful grant proposal generally requires the ability to communicate effectively with two entirely different audiences.  You want to come across as knowledgeable to the reviewers who are experts in your area, but you also need to be understandable to those members of the review committee…

Young, aspiring researchers often have to learn the hard way when it comes to writing a killer grant application. But a range of European initiatives aims to give them a helping hand. Karen Kreeger reports in NatureJobs. View resource

Unless specified in an NSF program solicitation, proposals submitted to NSF must be submitted electronically via use of either the NSF FastLane System or Grants.gov. Further information on each system is provided below. View resource

Some tips for writing a successful grant proposal from Vitae. View resource

Securing funding through grant proposals can be a long and difficult process. Experts share their advice on how to help your applications succeed. View resource

The following article was written for Research Fortnight by Dr Claire McNulty, Director Science and Research at the British Council, and provides advice on applying to funding schemes with particular relevance to the current call for workshop proposals under Researcher Links. The article first appeared…

A federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support authorized by Federal law. Grants are subject to statutory, regulatory, and policy-based requirements, depending on the particular program. Federal agencies, including the…

Information on all aspects of funding through the BBSRC research grants, including eligibility and application procedures. From the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). View resource

Writing a successful grant application is an art. Although the science is primarily being evaluated, presentation and respect for the requirements of the funding agency are key aspects that can make or break an application. In this article, Jack Kraicer, former Director of Research Grants at HFSP provides…

New York Times By CHARLES DUHIGG FEB. 25, 2016 Fascinating story of how Google approached the question of why some teams work better than others - by analyzing lots of data, they found evidence for whan many of us know intuitively, "What Project Aristotle has taught people within Google is that no…

Excellent article that explores the many different ways we all need mentoring - from sponsorship to emotional support. This article, derived form Earth Science Women's Network, explains the many kinds of mentor you need, their roles, and provides a worksheet so you can make sure you've got them all. View…

  Good article that explains why you need a mentor network and how to build one. "Stop looking for a guru. Sure, it’d be nice to have your own personal (Dr.) Yoda instructing you in the ways of the academic force. But the idea that one person can meet all your mentoring needs and guide…

When you are long gone, your scientific legacy is, in large part, the literature you left behind and the impact it represents. I hope these ten simple rules can help you leave behind something future generations of scientists will admire. View resource

Although scientists typically insist that their research is very exciting and adventurous when they talk to laymen and prospective students, the allure of this enthusiasm is too often lost in the predictable, stilted structure and language of their scientific publications. I present here, a top-10…

At every Thesis Bootcamp we have run, at least one student will achieve this goal, and many write many more words than they thought they would. In a previous post Peta Freestone and Liam Connell wrote about the ideas behind Thesis Bootcamp. In this post I want to reflect on Rachel Aaron’s threefold…

Getting your work published is about more than good science, it’s about good communication too, say Macmillan and Nature editors at the London Nature jobs Career Expo in September 2014. How to get published in high-impact journals: Big research and better writing

Step aside Neil deGrasse Tyson: Making videos related to science is no longer the purview of professionals. These days, any scientist can make and post videos online with little cost and much potentially to gain. View resource

This website is full of well curated ideas and tools for getting your research out to other scientists and the public. A must read for all researchers! View resource

In a shifting media landscape with a growing public interest in science, some researchers are doing their own PR. Includes an overview of what to write and also a useful list of places to send your research summaries. View resource

Thinking about moving your career in a new direction? Here is a list of ways to start to prepare yourself for a career in writing / editing. "There are number of different things you could be doing right now while you're completing your graduate or postdoctoral work to build a strong skill set that…

Proofreading can be a chore, but if you send out your work full of typos and grammatical errors you won't be judged by the good quality of your ideas.... View resource

Peer review, meaning a critical assessment by experts within a discipline, is both a privilege and the responsibility of all scientists who seek to publish their research and compete for funding. Peer review also contributes to professional development: Many institutions consider peer review activities…

"Don’t waste them trying to cram in eight more points or call out as many reminders as possible" One of a series of article by James Lang in the Chronicle of Higher Education on small changes that can make your teaching much better. The article includes links to his other columns. View resourc…