Jen Heemstra
@jenheemstra
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Professor and Chair of @WashUChem, proud member of @HeemstraLab. I'm a researcher, but I'm a #MentorFirst. Author of Labwork to Leadership.
Joined July 2014
We are researchers and we are mentors, and it matters which we put first. Join us in pledging to be a #MentorFirst and encourage others to do the same. Together, we can improve mentoring in academia to benefit the next generation of researchers! .
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By 35, you should know that the Oxford comma is essential for clear, correct, and accurate writing.
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At the end of my career, I will not care at all what my h-index is or how many papers I published. However, I will care tremendously whether I was a good mentor and had a positive impact on the lives of others. I want to live those values every day from now until then.
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Sure, we need scientists in academia. But, let’s not forget that:. We need scientists in industry.We need scientists in government .We need scientists in journalism .We need scientists in law.We need scientists in policy. and so much more!. There is a world beyond academia.
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No, I will not “take it as a compliment” when someone asks me if I’m a grad student. I’m 42 years old. I’ve worked hard to be where I am. I’ve overcome discrimination. I’ve overcome harassment. I don’t want to be praised for my appearance. I want to be respected for my expertise.
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This morning, I received an email from my PhD advisor that was so encouraging and kind, it made me tear up a bit. I finished my PhD almost 14 years ago. Great mentors are mentors for life. If you’re just starting out, choose your PhD advisor wisely. You deserve a great mentor.
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You are not your publications. You are not your awards. You are not your grants. You are not your CV. You are a human being.
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I just found out that my department voted unanimously for my promotion to full professor!!!. This is just the first step in the process but it’s an important one, and the last time I was in this situation it went very differently. A thread.
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In academia, people need to stop calling something an “opportunity” when what they really mean is “unpaid labor.”.
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What it's like to be a woman on social media:. me: posts a thread about clinical diagnostics aimed at non-scientists.some guy: You're not quite correct. If you want, I can explain it to you at a molecular level.me: Uh. I have a PhD in chemistry. The "molecular level" is my life.
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One of the biggest mysteries of Covid-19 has been why some people become very ill, while a large number of people who are infected show no symptoms at all. It turns out that this protection may be linked to the most mundane of illnesses…the common cold. A thread.
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If you're choosing your PhD advisor, remember that the research you will do for the next 5 years is important, but even more important is finding the person who will be your mentor and champion throughout your career. You will never regret choosing a great mentor. #PhDchat.
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I’m realizing that I’ve been trying to recover from mental exhaustion with physical rest, and it unfortunately doesn’t work that way.
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The impact (good or bad) that you have on people through your teaching and mentoring will likely be greater than the impact of your research on society.
What unpopular academia opinion would get you in this situation?
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Grad students, you deserve a research advisor who:.-cares about your health and well-being.-is genuinely rooting for your success.-fully supports you in whatever career path you choose. Faculty, this is part of our job, and we owe it to our students to recognize that. #PhDchat.
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Academia is filled with failure, rejection, and all sorts of other nonsense. One of the most important pieces of advice I've received is to build a network of people who are ambitious but authentic, celebrate together in your successes, and support each other in your struggles.
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I’ve been a researcher for over 20 years and a professor for over 10 years, and I still frequently answer questions with “I’m not sure, but I can look into that.”. It’s okay to not have all of the answers. Nobody has all of the answers.
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A PhD is a certification that you have gained the knowledge and skill set needed to be successful in one of many sets of career options. It is not a status symbol. It does not make you better than anyone else.
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Publishing papers is great, but they don't determine your value. Getting grants can be important, but they don't set your self-worth. Receiving awards is fun, but they don't replace family and friends. It's okay to enjoy academic achievements, but remember we are people first.
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If you review academic papers, remember that many of the authors are likely going to be students and postdocs, and the tone of your review sends a big message (good or bad) about the culture of your research community.
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When choosing a thesis advisor, it’s natural to envision your best days, but important to think about your worst days. Whose office do you want to walk into when your experiment failed, your manuscript is rejected, or you’re dealing with a family emergency? . Choose that person.
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Anyone else see a problem with journals charging $$$ to publish open access *while* paying reviewers $0 *and* saying they need to recruit more reviewers from underrepresented groups?.
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Thrilled to receive news today from @EmoryUniversity that my promotion to full prof has been approved by the Trustees! Huge credit to the amazing people in @HeemstraLab who have brought our research to where it is and are casting the vision of what it will be in the future!.
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Mentoring is not: let me tell you what I did so that you can replicate my exact path. Mentoring is: let me ask questions and empower you so that you can carve your own path.
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I had a joke about being a woman in meetings, but a guy already told it for me.
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Mentoring is: .Asking - where do you want to go and how can I help you get there?. Mentoring is not:.Telling - here’s what I did and how you can do the same thing.
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When impostor syndrome tells me “you don’t belong here” I’m learning to reply with “so what? I *am* here and I’m going to make the most of it.”.
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Is it *actually* impostor syndrome, or am I just struggling to live up to metrics of success in academia that were set by white men with stay at home wives in the mid-1900s.
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Yesterday, I was offered an exciting opportunity and when I emailed my PhD mentor to let him know, he said congratulations and then asked:. What will you take off your plate so they get the best you?. Wow. Great mentors ask the tough questions that you need to hear.
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Waking up to my mentions filled with hate and threats, I started to craft a reply. Then the question hit me - why am I on twitter? I'm here to talk with people who care about:. -academic culture.-cool science.-diversity and inclusion.-mental health. I'm not here for the trolls.
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To everyone out there who has been told that you are "too enthusiastic" and that it's "unprofessional" or that "people won't take you seriously" - please don't listen to the haters and please don't change. Your positive energy is a gift.
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The purpose of a PhD should not be training for *one* specific job. The purpose of a PhD should be to develop problem solving, critical thinking, and leadership skills as preparation for *any* job. #PhDchat.
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There’s a big difference between being busy and being productive:.Being busy = doing lots of things.Being productive = doing the most important things in the best possible way. Being busy is exhausting. Being productive is energizing.
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At this point, you’ve probably heard a ton about chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine and how they may be effective in treating COVID-19. I wanted to tell you about a different molecule that’s getting less attention but may have good potential – Remdesivir.
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Earning a PhD and then leaving academia does not make you a failure. As faculty, we need to consider whether we are the ones who are failing if all we do is self-replicate. Shouldn’t we consider it a success when people earn their PhD and use it to have impact beyond academia?.
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No matter how long I’m in academia:.-the rejections still sting.-giving a talk still makes me nervous.-getting everything done still feels overwhelming. The challenges don’t go away with time, but over time I can keep getting better at managing them.
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The fact that there are “women in science” awards is not an excuse to not give women the “science” awards.
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No job is worth giving up your mental health. I once stayed at a super toxic place for almost 2 years because I thought I had no choice. When I finally quit, all I could think was “I should have done that long ago.”. It took another 2 years to mend my shattered confidence.
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If we want to diversify academia, then we need to diversify the reward structure. If we want academia to look differently than it did 50 years ago, then we need to define success differently than we did 50 years ago.
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As a PI, my top priority is to support the students and postdocs in my group. As a female PI, the fact that biases in publishing could hurt their opportunities just kills me. Seeing a paper published recommending that the answer is they should work for men instead is. no words😡.
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In research, failure is usually more an indicator of courage than of competency.
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I am not a “difficult” woman. I just refuse to accept the toxic, misogynistic culture that pervades so much of academic STEM.
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Any faculty member who views students and postdocs as subordinate or “less than” instead of respecting them as colleagues and coworkers is missing out on what is probably the best part of academia - a lifetime of amazing relationships.
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A PhD is about learning how to learn. The research you want to be doing 20 years from now probably doesn’t even exist yet, so what you really need to gain in grad school is the ability to dive into a new area, learn, and develop mastery.#PhDchat.
To anyone about to start a PhD: you’re not expected to know everything about your project before you start. PhD projects are niche and will cover stuff that you haven’t been taught before. #phdchat #phdlife @AcademicChatter.
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My writing process. This is horrible. This is horrible. This is horrible. I might be brilliant. This is horrible. This is horrible. This is horrible. Yup, this is good enough.
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You might have heard about the new test that can detect #COVID19 in 5 min. And, you’ve almost definitely heard about the test that took days to run and that we don’t have enough of. Wondering what makes the difference? Read on.
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Let’s stop asking what is wrong with people who want to leave academia and start asking what is wrong with academia that people don’t want to stay.
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There is almost zero correlation between GPA and success in research.
I sometimes hear PIs say "I only take students with top GPA's because they'll be the best at research." . I think that needlessly bars experiential learners from opportunities where they could excel, and reinforces that students' worth are keyed to their grades. #AcademicChatter.
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As a female academic, I often find myself talking about how fortunate I am to have a supportive spouse. It hit me today: how often do male academics talk about how important it is for them to have a supportive spouse? . Answer is: very rarely, because it’s pretty much implied.
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Bragging about huge numbers of hours worked each week misses two important truths:.-time at work doesn’t necessarily equal productivity.-there is no prize for suffering the most.
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Being a professional at something doesn’t mean that you have it all figured out. It means that:.-you know what you know.-you know what you don’t know.-you know how to seek out and utilize help and advice.
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Waking up and realizing I have two new job titles:.-professor at an online university.-1st and 6th grade homeschool teacher. Is this stressful? .Definitely. Will I make mistakes? .Likely. Will I grow through this? .Probably. Am I going to give it my best? .Absolutely.
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If you’ve spent the last week focused on work, recognize just how much privilege you have.
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Researchers posting about their latest paper right now may seem out of touch, but we have to remember what that paper means to the students and postdocs who did the work. It’s months or years of effort and overcoming failure. They deserve to have that recognized even in a crisis.
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It’s very common to look at everyone else’s research and think it’s cooler than our own. This is partly because the more you know about a research area, the less impressive one project may seem. Remember that many people are feeling that way and your research is probably awesome.
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Failed experiments in lab do not mean that you are a failure. Failed experiments in lab mean that you are a researcher. Successful researchers aren't those who never face failure, but rather those who ask for advice, troubleshoot problems, and keep trying new things.
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Mentoring is about helping people achieve their goals, not mimic your goals.
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For women in STEM, our choice of partner (or choosing no partner) can end up being one of the most important career decisions that we make. If you’re going to be with someone, you deserve to be with someone who supports you and your career goals.
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Whether it’s your PhD or a new hobby, the longer you work at something, the more chances you have to make mistakes. We often think of mistakes as a sign of failure, when in reality they’re usually a sign of effort. I’m working to remember this as both a learner and a leader.
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I still make posters in PowerPoint. It’s what I had free access to as a grad student, and what most of my students have free access to now. The last thing science needs is more gatekeeping.
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There’s a difference between being critical of your work and being critical of yourself. Being critical of your work lets you find weaknesses before others do and fix them. Being critical of yourself destroys your confidence. Stay critical of your work and be kind to yourself.
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Academic culture can tell us that we have to choose between being ambitious and being kind, but that is a lie. Ambition and kindness are not exclusive. We absolutely should run at big goals and be our best. The difference is bringing others with us instead of pushing them down.
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Some people say that because I talk about mentoring so much, I must not care about research. Wrong. People do matter more than data. But also, people do their best research in supportive environments with great mentoring. Great mentoring and great research go together.
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We’re moving! @HeemstraLab will be joining @WUSTL this summer, and I’m honored to serve as the next Dept Chair for @WashUChem. Beyond excited to lead and partner with amazing people to support and empower the next generation of science leaders!.
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The 12 year old just asked what “cc” stands for in email and I started explaining carbon copies to him and he just stared at me in disbelief.
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Vaccines usually take over 10 years to develop, test, and mass produce. But, scientists predict we could have an effective vaccine for Covid-19 by early 2021. How is this possible? They’re betting on a new vaccine strategy. If successful, it could be transformative. A thread.
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In academia, no matter how much you work, there will always be more that you can do:.-another paper to read.-more edits to the manuscript.-a new committee to serve on. The key is to recognize that *nobody* can do all they want to. Do what you can and know you're doing your best.
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What impostor syndrome says to me: You don’t deserve to be here. What I’ve learned to say back: Do any of us really deserve to be here? Probably not. I’m thankful for the opportunity and I’m choosing to make the most of it. So there.
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Academia may get to decide what metrics they use to define success in my job. But, I get to decide what metrics I use to define success in my life.
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Academics, please let’s stop bragging about poor self-care. It’s not good for us, and toxic to those we work with. Let’s instead be proud of the things we do to find joy, improve relationships, and maintain a healthy perspective on life.
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I failed twice to get an NSF GRFP. But, I’ve now been PI on 7 NSF grants. I will continue to fail. Often. Sometimes I’ll succeed. So will you. #PhDchat.
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As a faculty member, there are still times that I:.-fear failure.-make mistakes.-feel unmotivated .-am not sure what I’m doing.-wonder what I’ll be when I grow up. Becoming a faculty member doesn’t mean we stop being human.
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Grad students, as you work to become an "independent researcher," an important distinction is: . Independent does not mean alone. Independent means you take ownership, gather knowledge, formulate ideas, then bring all of that into dialogue with others who can help. #PhDchat.
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As an academic, I work at an "institute of higher education" not an "institute of higher publication.". Research and publications are important. But, even more important is teaching students and mentoring researchers. We need a reward structure that reflects those priorities.
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If you currently use "he/she" and "his/her" in your writing, please consider switching to "they" and "their" because:.-it's far less awkward to read.-it eliminates gender biases associated with these pronouns.-it's more inclusive of all individuals across the gender spectrum.
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Thinking about the millions of girls out there whose career aspirations will be shaped by three words: Vice President Harris.
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When choosing a research advisor, it's tempting to think about the best day of your career but more important to think about the worst day of your life. When your experiments fail, a paper is rejected, and you have a family emergency, who do you want as your advisor on that day?.
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When we see a speaker who is relaxed and spontaneous, we think that must come naturally to them. The reality is that they probably practice and prepare more than anyone. It's easiest to be successful at going off script when you have the script mastered.
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If we’re going to talk about faculty salaries, let’s also talk about football coach salaries.
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Recently had a reviewer call us out for not citing our own work in our manuscript. They highlighted that men tend to overuse self-citation whereas women tend to underuse it. Whomever you are, thank you Reviewer 2!.
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The priority in a PhD should be building the student's CV, not the research advisor's. Faculty, it is up to us to make this happen.
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I love getting grants and publishing papers as much as anyone, but I hope I never forget:. People are more important than productivity.
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What media often portrays as a good scientist:.-genius. What it actually takes to be a good scientist:.-curiosity.-perseverance .-teamwork.-resilience.-leadership.
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Whatever you do, please do not:.-inject bleach.-inhale Lysol.-expose yourself to intense UV light. These things destroy viruses, but they also destroy the cells and organs that you might need in order to live, breathe, and not get cancer.
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Grad students, when you hear that you should be “independent” you might think that means you can’t ask for help. Quite the opposite. Independent does not mean alone. Independent means taking ownership to think critically, recognize when you need help, and seek it out. #PhDchat.
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Crying in frustration at a failed experiment is not being “too emotional.”. Jumping up and down with excitement at a successful experiment is not being “unprofessional.”. Science is done by human beings, and our human responses are part of being a scientist.
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Imagine if all of our academic institutions placed as much value on kindness, inclusivity, and integrity as they do on grants, papers, and awards. The culture will change when the reward system changes.
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There’s a big difference between diversity and inclusion. Diversity is getting everyone in the room. Inclusion is making sure each person has equal voice and opportunities. Inclusion without diversity is unfair. Diversity without inclusion is cruel. We desperately need both.
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If you’re in a position of power, stop saying “that’s just how things are” and start asking “how do we actually want things to be?” Then, work to make that happen.
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Being a great researcher does not automatically make you a great mentor.
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Me: I desperately want a career in academia, but I look at what you do, and I just can’t do that. PhD advisor: Of course you can’t…. What followed was so impactful and empowered me to start dismantling my biggest career barrier. Maybe it can help you too:.
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Whether you are giving a talk, writing a manuscript, or crafting a proposal, remember that your audience wants to feel smart. Rather than trying to include every possible detail, focus on creating a cohesive story that helps your audience learn something new.
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"scientists who persevered. after their initial failure outperformed their counterparts who had succeeded first time". Failure creates two paths forward: give up or try again. Those who try again are ultimately more successful than those who never failed.
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The more obvious the point you’re trying to make, the longer it takes to find a reference for it.
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Before you talk yourself out of applying for that job, award, or fellowship because you think you’re not qualified - remember that we tend to undervalue the areas of our strengths and overvalue the areas of our weaknesses. Stand out by owning and promoting what makes you unique.
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I’m often asked how I have time to do my job and exercise. Honestly, I couldn’t do my job if I didn’t exercise. That’s when I think through problems, generate new ideas, and burn off stress. If you don’t think you have time to have a hobby, maybe you don’t have time not to.
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Grad students, this time of year can mean extra intense comparison to friends or family your age who took jobs right out of college. Remember that their path is not your path. Stay focused on your long-term goals and the things that you are proud of having accomplished. #PhDchat.
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Normalize accomplishments not being tied to age. Every person travels their own path at their own pace.
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A thesis defense should be a celebration of someone’s accomplishments, not a test of their will.
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Never underestimate the impact of offering words of appreciation or support. An email or text that takes a few minutes to write can change someone’s entire day.
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