Alaina G. Levine is a noted science careers consultant, speaker, and science writer. She is President of Quantum Success Solutions, a leadership training enterprise with a focus on advancing the professional development expertise of scientists and engineers, and she has been advising emerging and established scientists and engineers about their careers for over a decade. The author of over 100 articles pertaining to science, science careers and business in such publications as Science, Nature, Scientific American Online and New Scientist, Levine also pens the Profiles in Versatility career column for the American Physical Society's publication, APS News.
The largest conference in your field is right around the corner. You might have the prettiest poster and the most tantalising talk, but unless you fully recognise and seize the vast and critical opportunities presented there, your conference experience will be a bust and your career will be negatively affected. Read more [...]
Nuclear energy is at the forefront of many scientific minds these days. The Fukushima crisis shined a spotlight on possible dangers associated with the locations of nuclear plants, as well as the logistical and human health nightmares that can occur with meltdowns. But these aren’t the only concerns about nuclear power on which scientists are focusing. Nuclear waste management is also actively perplexing engineers, policy-leaders, and decision-makers, as the concern over how to best dispose of High Level Waste (HLW) continues to grow. Read more [...]
It was a dark and stormy night. Annette was bored with Angry Birds and was dreaming of a way she could expand her horizons, advance her skills and learn more about a particular subject. She was especially interested in working with a certain genius in her field and wondered to herself if there was a fellowship or grant available for which she could apply to aid her in attaining her goal. She did some online research, but lo, there was no grant to be found. Read more [...]
Recently, a newly minted science doctorate asked me for some help finding a job. He had applied for hundreds of advertised openings, both postdoc and non-academic positions, but to no avail. So I asked him about his networking strategy. “What networking strategy?” he replied, clueless to what I was referring. I spent the next hour emphasising the importance of networking in finding hidden job opportunities and communicating your value to decision-makers. I outlined for him a customised networking plan which would enable him to meet and interact with professionals who have the power to hire him for the jobs he so desperately wanted. When our meeting concluded, I asked for feedback on the career consulting session – “Did you find our discussion helpful?” I inquired, thinking I was up for a major pat on the back. “No,” he said instantly. “You didn’t tell me where I can apply for a job or places where there are more advertisements for jobs.” Read more [...]
Do you know your value? Do you know what special talents you have, what kinds of problems you solve, what expertise you bring to an organisation? Most people, even scientists, just don’t know this about themselves. We may think we know, but ask someone to encapsulate their true value within a 30 second self-commercial, and their mind melts to mush. Read more [...]
She received two Nobel Prizes, has served as an inspirational figure to countless women (and men) in science, and has a Continent-wide fellowship program named after her to promote the brightest scientific minds and innovations. The Marie Curie Fellowships, administered by the EU, are so prestigious that recipients regularly gush about its virtue as a career game-changer. Only 8% of applicants receive fellowships each year, but this low rate of acceptance does not deter scholars; on the contrary, says Jordi Curell Gotor, who oversees the Marie Curie Fellowships as Director Lifelong learning, higher education and international affairs, DG Education and Culture, European Commission. The number of applications continues to rise annually. So far, 50,000 researchers from 120 nations have received these prestigious grants since the program’s inception in 1996. Read more [...]
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