Dear FlyGirl,
I’ve noticed the trend of bright color in magazines. How do I wear it without feeling like a clown?
-Laura
Is There Really Science in the Twitterverse?
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Hello BenchFly readers! It’s been quite awhile since my last edition, and I apologize for my absence. The life of a scientist… you know? But enough of that- down to my latest instalment. I was all set to give you an instructive, fun article on signal transduction, but events over the past few weeks have inspired me to deviate from the standard Enzyme Corner recipe to bring you something different. Without further ado, through the magic of social media I am here to talk to you about… the magic of social media… or is it the myth? In particular, I’m curious about the place of science within the Twitterverse.
How to Leave a Postdoc Quickly with Your Reputation Intact
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Hi Dora,
I started my postdoc in November. As much as I would like to say that it is going great, that is not the case. I have tried to work it out so far but I am thinking of changing the lab to find another postdoc or more ideally, a job in an industry. I will be quite obviously asked the reason of having such a short time in my postdoc. I am wondering what is the exact way of saying that without sounding like someone who is difficult to work with. I do not wish to personally attack my mentor. Also, does having a postdoc usually impact the process of getting a new job? My Ph.D. advisors and committee members can give a great recommendation for me but that will not be the case with my current advisor. Please help! and thank you!
Darya, Postdoc
All the Better to See Sperm Whales With, My Dear.
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The colossal squid has the largest eyes on the planet, but it remains a mystery as to why. These soccer ball-sized eyes are almost three times the size of the second largest animal eyes (those of the sperm whale reach 109mm in diameter), and up until now they were thought to have a diameter of 250 to 400mm. However studying them has proved challenging, as these underwater giants are extremely elusive.
The Ideal Postdoc Duration: Get Out Before You Get Old
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Here’s a good rule of thumb: if you can use the word “Decade” to describe your current graduate school or postdoctoral experience, it’s time to move on. In fact, our recent poll on optimizing graduate school found the ideal length to be significantly shorter than the dreaded D-word. However, grad school and postdoctoral experiences are not the same. In one situation, there are exams, committees and departments that (should) track your progress and keep you moving through the system. However, in the other situation there are far fewer administrative and departmental pressures to move on. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a postdoc to settle into a comfortable routine in which the days and weeks blend into months and years seemingly unnoticed. (Another rule of thumb: if you use the words “comfortable” and “routine” to describe your postdoc, you probably won’t be using the words “exciting new job” anytime soon.) At what point is staying in the postdoc doing more harm than good?
You’re a Scientist. You’ve Got Ideas. Now You’ve Got a Notepad.
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Having trouble keeping track of the potentially-brilliant, possibly-bonkers, ideas bouncing around in your head? Tired of those around you not appreciating the genius that lives in your head? As Bob Dylan would say, if he could still articulate, “the times, they are a changin'” for you, my friend.
Optimizing Graduate School: How Long is Too Long?
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They say a few of the defining characteristics of a “person” are the high-level thought processes of rationality, wisdom, and self-awareness. As scientists, we should be willing to turn the microscope on ourselves and our own career path to see if a rational person would deem it wise to enter a graduate school process that can take up to a decade for some folks. Are our current educational and career development pathways truly optimized for students’ benefit, or have we let other factors slowly pull our profession out of balance?
Saw VII: The Revenge of the Sawfish
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This is a sawfish. I’m pretty sure it’s named for its large, chainsaw like, nose (I know, it’s not really its nose, but I’ll get to that in a second), but I could be wrong. And until recently, what the sawfish does with its saw has been a bit of a mystery.
Sawfish are a species of ray, and live in both salty and fresh water in the sub-tropics. What I incorrectly referred to as its nose is actually called a rostrum, and is an extension of the fish’s cranium. It is made of cartilage, save for the boney teeth that stud the periphery. But unfortunately this rostrum, due to its propensity to get tangled in fishing nets and lines, has resulted in a dramatic decline in the number of these fish, and they are now considered critically endangered.
Stuck with a Bad Project (or Just a Bad Attitude)?
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Long before the Lady Gaga parody, graduate students and postdocs everywhere were painfully familiar with the term “bad project.” When we were sold the project everything sounded great- a huge impact in a hot field, and best of all it was only a couple of “straightforward” experiments away. We all know how this story ends.
How to Establish and Enforce the Chain of Command in Lab
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Dear Dora,
I recently completed my postdoc (finally!) and took a job at a small company, who shall remain nameless. I am generally a very respectful person, both of people’s position within the company and their tenure there. However, there seems to be one employee who is technically lower than me by title, but who has been at the company for 6 years and they treat me like I’m their personal technician. I don’t want to be a jerk, but how can I make it clear that they’re supposed to do what I say, not the other way around?
Newby, Scientist I
