[Note: the title of this post is to be read in the style of a classic 1980s science fiction movie]
[warning - this post contains self-indulgent reflection...]
I started a new job yesterday (as my handful of Twitter followers will recall) - here are a few thoughts.
I spent nine mostly successful and hugely fulfilling years as a research scientist in a world-class academic institute, completing a PhD and a programme of post-doctoral research in a laboratory whose focus is on developing gene therapy for disorders that cause blindness.
When my funding came to an end towards the end of last year, I joined the legions of scientists who face a difficult choice at similar stages in their careers: as fellowships are hard to come by, we can either scrabble around for the few positions that are available on short-term contracts, or we can leave the world of scientific research for pastures new.
I chose the latter, with regret and not a little trepidation, in the hope that a break from lab life (and from the daily commute) would help me decide how to put my experience and what little knowledge I have to good use. I also wanted to take the opportunity to pursue other interests of mine for a while, not least in policy and politics.
Shortly (very shortly, in fact!) after I left, however, an opportunity arose for me to return to my old group but in a very different capacity.
I will be responsible for public engagement - which means everything from ensuring our website is full of helpful and interesting content about the lab's research, to delivering patient engagement days, patient newsletters and a more rounded online communication strategy through various social media. In other words...
I AM SCIENCE COMMUNICATOR...
[more details in due course - for now I have to tell my 'new employees' which year I was born in, which is apparently not a straightforward task...]
[warning - this post contains self-indulgent reflection...]
I started a new job yesterday (as my handful of Twitter followers will recall) - here are a few thoughts.
I spent nine mostly successful and hugely fulfilling years as a research scientist in a world-class academic institute, completing a PhD and a programme of post-doctoral research in a laboratory whose focus is on developing gene therapy for disorders that cause blindness.
When my funding came to an end towards the end of last year, I joined the legions of scientists who face a difficult choice at similar stages in their careers: as fellowships are hard to come by, we can either scrabble around for the few positions that are available on short-term contracts, or we can leave the world of scientific research for pastures new.
I chose the latter, with regret and not a little trepidation, in the hope that a break from lab life (and from the daily commute) would help me decide how to put my experience and what little knowledge I have to good use. I also wanted to take the opportunity to pursue other interests of mine for a while, not least in policy and politics.
Shortly (very shortly, in fact!) after I left, however, an opportunity arose for me to return to my old group but in a very different capacity.
I will be responsible for public engagement - which means everything from ensuring our website is full of helpful and interesting content about the lab's research, to delivering patient engagement days, patient newsletters and a more rounded online communication strategy through various social media. In other words...
I AM SCIENCE COMMUNICATOR...
[more details in due course - for now I have to tell my 'new employees' which year I was born in, which is apparently not a straightforward task...]
3 comments:
Fantastic - we definitely need more scientists communicating science properly! All the best.
Congratulations - sounds like a great opportunity.
oh!! It was wonderful and awesome news to heard about teekblog is now a science communicator,i really like this, Hope this will great oppurtunity to grow up.
bc laser hair removal
Post a Comment