How to Succeed as a Scientist: From Postdoc to Professor by Gabrys, Barbara J.

ISBN: 9780521186834

Cambridge University Press, 30 December 2011

Paperback 226 pages

This unique, practical guide for postdoctoral researchers and graduate students explains how to build and perfect the necessary research tools and working skills to build a career in academia and beyond. It is based on successful training workshops run by the authors: first, it describes the tools needed for independent research, from writing papers to applying for academic jobs; it then introduces skills to thrive in a new job, including managing and interacting with others, designing a taught course and giving a good lecture; and it concludes with a section on managing your career, from how to manage stress to understanding the higher education system. Packed with helpful features encouraging readers to apply the theory to their individual situation, the book is also illustrated throughout with real-world case studies to enable readers to learn from others' experience. It is a vital handbook for everyone seeking to make a successful scientific career.

Editorial Reviews

Review
"This handbook should be useful to many of those students who are not clear which path to follow, or if they have made a choice, what practical steps they can take to improve their chances of success. The book is designed as a concise and easy-to-use reference, covering all the main aspects of developing and maintaining an academic career. The book is exceptionally well organized... the writing is clear and to the point, making frequent use of checklists for later reference. In summary, this is an excellent book which should be useful to its target audience."
William R. Green, North Vancouver, Canada for The Leading Edge

"The authors explicitly target early-career scientists, although I think this book is of use to a wider academic audience... I found the chapters of Part I to be a useful reminder and the clear treatment of complex personal interactions of Part II to be particularly enlightening. At the other end of the career spectrum, this guide will be an excellent aid to academic advisors, especially those willing to organize workshops for early-career scientists."
Spencer Koury, Stony Brook University for The Quarterly Review of Biology

"... provides thoughtful guidelines for anyone who is starting a career as an independent researcher or guiding postdocs through the transition. This book would be an excellent resource for a faculty member planning to give similar seminars for postdoctoral researchers at his or her institution."
Michelle Dolinski, Drexel University for CWSP & COM Gazette

Book Description
A practical guide to the research tools and working skills necessary for a scientific career, for postdoctoral researchers and graduate students.

About the Author
Barbara Gabrys is an experimental physicist with expertise in the structure and dynamics of soft matter. She has substantial experience in exploring different science disciplines through research, teaching and learning activities. Dr Gabrys was appointed Academic Advisor for the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division at the University of Oxford in 2007. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Jane Langdale is a plant biologist with over 25 years' research experience in both UK and US universities. Her main research focuses on understanding the genetic basis of plant developmental processes and elucidating how those processes evolved. Professor Langdale was appointed as a University academic in 1994 and most recently has been Head of the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Oxford. She was elected a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) in 2007.