How to Succeed as a Scientist
From Postdoc to Professor

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

Barbara J. Gabrys (Author), Jane A. Langdale (Author)

9780521186834, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 3 November 2011

226 pages, 15 b/w illus. 3 tables
24.4 x 17.3 x 1 cm, 0.46 kg

'… embraces the topics linked to psychological/sociological and managerial matters, which are not always treated with the same attention in the other books … the authors' style is nice, and their explanations are always clear. … Undoubtedly, the book by Gabrys and Langdale is enriching.' Zentralblatt fu?r Geologie und Pala?ontologie

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.

Preface
Part I. Becoming an Independent Researcher: 1. Managing your time
2. Giving a good research talk
3. Writing a quality research paper
4. Handling scientific criticism
5. Writing grant applications
6. Tools for managing research projects
7. Is there life beyond academia?
8. Applying for a job in academia
9. Applying for an independent research fellowship
Part II. Thriving in Your New Job: 10. Handling new roles
11. Learning from other people
12. Managing people
13. Building a research group 1: doctoral students
14. Building a research group 2: recruiting and supervising postdocs
15. Interacting with others
16. Designing a taught course
17. Giving a good lecture
18. Beyond lecturing
19. Mentoring
Part III. Managing Your Career: 20. Managing stress
21. Taking on new challenges
22. The higher education system
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Earth sciences, geography, environment, planning [R], Mathematics & science [P]