European science conversations
by the community, for the community
When employers were asked about the type of skills they thought researchers would have only about a quarter of respondents said they thought researchers would have high levels of commercial awareness. This compared to closer to 100% who thought researchers had a high level of skill in data analysis (phew!). So why should this matter? Well, because employers in many sectors of industry value commercial awareness.
Do you love science but are unhappy with the culture in academia?
As a PhD student, postdoc or lab leader (PI), do you feel like your mental health may be suffering because of problems in the system?
Do you think your lab could be managed more efficiently?
Dr. Brian Cahill, Programme Manager of the TRAIN@Ed MSCA COFUND project at the Institute for Academic Development of University of Edinburgh and member of EuroScience board, explains the reason why it is paramount for young researchers to broaden their skills and horizons, but also to contribute to the policy making process that influences their future.
In a scientific world where there are too many candidates for the scarce positions and funds, recruitment became extremely demanding. With the needed ambition to publish more impactful stories, scientists often choose not to publish smaller projects. But is that really important? And, if so, can we foresee some solutions? These are some the questions we discuss in the present article.
To publish a number of articles at a very early stage cannot be a direct way to measure one’s ability and interest to do research later in time.
The truth about the scientific field is it’s segregated, disjointed and impersonal. We spend years in higher education to end up widely on our own to figure out our career path. We can cold call or blindly send emails in hopes of connecting to someone Read more […]
In the words of one of the 2017 PhD European Young Researcher Award winners, a scientist’s life often means “no fixed working hours, being switched on always, and yet getting paid only when you have a grant or a scholarship.” This opinion piece by Satyajit Rout from Editage, a science communication services company that supports researchers and institutions drive real-world scientific impact, delves into the challenges facing young scientists and suggests what could be done to change the status quo.
Recently, there has been an increasing amount of attention paid to the mental health of researchers. Research is an activity that aims to confront the boundaries of human knowledge: it demands excellence from all researchers, who aim to publish in peer-reviewed publications, submit grant applications, achieve tenure or defend a PhD thesis. Researchers identify with and are dedicated to their work to a very great extent. A recent report noted that researchers simultaneously demonstrate high levels of job satisfaction and high levels of stress and depression. Nevertheless, hard work does not have to lead to suffering.
March for Science Greece didn’t happen and here is the paradox in the land where science was born. An article by Vasiliki Michopoulou.
Many scientists are looking to advocate for science/scientists by marching for science,, contacting elected representatives or attending town halls.
EuroScientist celebrates International Women’s Day 2017 by covering a study giving food for thought on the issue of work/life balance for career scientists. Germany has traditionally looked down on mothers pursuing their career in the immediate few years after their children were born. However, a new survey by the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW) shows that there are several key factors influencing researchers to stay in academia. These include the ability to self-determine their working hours, a flexible workplace and the existence of a long-term professional perspective. Clearly, respondents to the survey from both genders appear to strive for a better work/life balance. But it may take another generation for old habits to die.
Brexit keeps resounding in the many aspects that its implications may have for European research. In this opinion piece, Thomas König, Austrian social scientist, who was previously scientific advisor to former ERC president Helga Nowotny, examines the consequences of the predicted fall of influence of British scientists on the future of European science. He believes the consequences of Brexit are likely to be felt, not only in UK science itself, but also at the level of pan-European research endeavours, such as ERC-backed activities. This shows that scientists are not sheltered from the vagaries of politics when policies emanating from the popular vote forces them to defend their interests.
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