Lovvvviiiinnnnggg this new chapter of your life for you! Academia is quite lonely and it's easy to lose your identity because of being unable to distinguish between work and life outside of work!
I didn’t do my PhD but did do my masters, now I work in R&D for a private company that has a global impact. I get to interface with academia, we can go to conferences, we have the resources to partner with academic institutions for specialized trials, and we can secure funding/progress in our projects at a speed that seems a rarity in academia. I’ve considered going back for a PhD, working in the field of research I see the advantages, but at the same time I enjoy the rapid pace, the big impact, and the small, curated team of colleagues who are good at what they do and all carry their weight. I was never satisfied during grad school, I felt lonely and uninvolved. I didn’t even know my current job or type of role existed. Comparatively, I am busier now (sometimes I do work into the night! But I have a boss who defends my time and boundaries so I get equivalent time when I do put in the extra work) but I feel more impactful and involved every day. And that’s fulfilling for me.
I love that scarf your sister made for you to wear Dr Lucy Kissick. Combine that with your gloriously curly hair and your big and extremely expressive blue eyes it feels like you are channelling my favourite incarnation of Doctor Who!
It was great to hear that you're so happy! Definitely something that's already on my mind as a first year PhD student. Definitely don't have the answers right now. Definitely want to move to the middle of nowhere and raise chickens if you ask me right now. Definitely glad to hear there's other opportunities. Definitely thankful I don't have to make that decision now
This has been my experience working in a national laboratory as well! I myself was guilty turning the jobs available after grad school into either academia or industry. At least in the US, most of us aren’t even aware that national labs are a viable career option. And the flexible work hours are absolutely a plus!
omg you are a WHOLE inspiration for me, the video the atmosphere, your voice and expressions and the fact that i think exactly the same as you do makes this video perfect for me
What you're doing sounds like my dream! I'm in my first year of PhD Social Anthropology and I'd love to end up working in some kind of policy research role - that sweet spot just outside of academia (so I don't live the rest of my life on the cusp of burnout) but still researching and contributing in meaningful ways! I'm so happy for you
Ahhhh, why did I have to discover this video right as I should go to sleep! You are such an inspiration, I'm about a year away from graduating with my PhD and feel like I've been trapped in academia for so long. There is so much about academia I think is toxic and you hit all the major reasons for why I'm seriously considering industry. I too hope to work in a national lab. I love the serious life/career talk while exploring out in nature. Can't wait to watch more of your videos :)
Thank you for sharing your insights. I am glad you are feeling happier in your post PhD life. I finished my PhD 1.5 year ago in Japan. I took an important role in a relevant project here. However, it's been as isolating as before. The only difference is that my supervisor cannot mail me after 7 p.m. on week days or on weekends. It recently became a sort of power harassment at my university. I do not know whether my problem is my work place or I simply do not fit this academic system.
I think you also describe the part of academia which is the part we should be striving to change. Weekends, evenings, hobbies, holidays and not always working do also exist in academia for instance in many nordic countries. I have only worked weekends or evenings if my experiments or applications have required them - not all the time nor is anyone asking me to. I also taken the time off from somewhere else. Yes, there is probably someone out there complaining "oh but how do you keep up and in the running for academic things", and for that I only want to say, that no one benefits from burnt out 25-ish academic, the least the person themselves. Work smarter, be selfish and figure out what are the things you want to achieve. For me being a researcher and supervising while being a teacher in 1-2 courses per year is a wonderful thing. Yes, you will feel like you're doing both not enough, but at the same time you can actually do both and stay in the academia. Win-win.
I think you just convinced me. Thanks. Edit: Come to think of it, you are incredibly inspirational. I watched just two of your videos, and it has already had a profound impact on my thinking. It is not like I was not already unsure about continuing on the academic path (that's how I ended up here, of course), but the mere fact that your words in these two videos can have such a strong influence speaks volumes. Use it with caution! Best of luck to you (and me 😊)
What an amazing video! I also found that there are jobs between industry and academia. I now work for the ECMWF after my PhD and I get to do applied research. It's honestly a dream.
Yes, Super happy for you that everything is going better for you now; You're able to relax, have some hobbies, do some fun stuff instead of always working as academia forces one to do. Really happy for you that you're much happier these days in your current position & away from being in academia.
I'm very happy for you! You deserve this shift in your life. Thank you for documenting all of your experiences. It's helped me through my own endeavors.
I recently realised that a career in academia is not for me, mostly for the lack of balance between work and life, and because my personal life means I cannot be mobile enough to pursue the positions that fit me best. This video was sent to me by a friend and is incredibly timely, encouraging me to leave Academia. All this is great but can you do a video on your hair care routine? Do you follow the curly girl method? I wanna know all about it xD Thanks for making this video, it really helps to know that there's a world out there :) Cheers!
Loving that scarf! Sounds like you've found the sweet spot honestly. I've worked in both, and well; In industry I felt like a very very small cog in a huge machine but the money was miles better, and now I'm in academia less pay but tons of perks and flexibility, plus I feel a lot less expendable - though, I admit, this might be only how I perceive it and not reality.
It sure is good to hear such words, my pessimistic views of the world, and the fact that I live in brasil, make me believe that this could not happen to me. But, you give hope.
Just finished my neurobiology PhD after 2 previous master degrees… I’m quitting academia… nervous (still unemployed) but I’m feeling good. Academia is poison, I just lament that it took me so long time to realize the truth it’s a toxic pyramid scheme. My prediction is that academia has its days counted.
The point of being in academia is that your hobby IS your profession. I'm an economic theorist by day and an economic theorist by night. That's the whole point. Also, I have worked in the corporate world for 5 years before starting my PhD. The moment you have "teams"... is the moment you have interpersonal issues. Nobody that works with other people is free from that. Succeed in isolation + fail in isolation = another big reason I love academia.
Lovvvviiiinnnnggg this new chapter of your life for you! Academia is quite lonely and it's easy to lose your identity because of being unable to distinguish between work and life outside of work!
I didn’t do my PhD but did do my masters, now I work in R&D for a private company that has a global impact. I get to interface with academia, we can go to conferences, we have the resources to partner with academic institutions for specialized trials, and we can secure funding/progress in our projects at a speed that seems a rarity in academia. I’ve considered going back for a PhD, working in the field of research I see the advantages, but at the same time I enjoy the rapid pace, the big impact, and the small, curated team of colleagues who are good at what they do and all carry their weight. I was never satisfied during grad school, I felt lonely and uninvolved. I didn’t even know my current job or type of role existed. Comparatively, I am busier now (sometimes I do work into the night! But I have a boss who defends my time and boundaries so I get equivalent time when I do put in the extra work) but I feel more impactful and involved every day. And that’s fulfilling for me.
I love that scarf your sister made for you to wear Dr Lucy Kissick. Combine that with your gloriously curly hair and your big and extremely expressive blue eyes it feels like you are channelling my favourite incarnation of Doctor Who!
It was great to hear that you're so happy! Definitely something that's already on my mind as a first year PhD student. Definitely don't have the answers right now. Definitely want to move to the middle of nowhere and raise chickens if you ask me right now. Definitely glad to hear there's other opportunities. Definitely thankful I don't have to make that decision now
How strange! I had the same urge to raise chickens when doing my PhD. I guess it's a coping mechanism :D
This has been my experience working in a national laboratory as well! I myself was guilty turning the jobs available after grad school into either academia or industry. At least in the US, most of us aren’t even aware that national labs are a viable career option. And the flexible work hours are absolutely a plus!
omg you are a WHOLE inspiration for me, the video the atmosphere, your voice and expressions and the fact that i think exactly the same as you do makes this video perfect for me
You inspire me so much! Such a positive and beautiful person! Wish you all the best in life!
What you're doing sounds like my dream! I'm in my first year of PhD Social Anthropology and I'd love to end up working in some kind of policy research role - that sweet spot just outside of academia (so I don't live the rest of my life on the cusp of burnout) but still researching and contributing in meaningful ways! I'm so happy for you
Ahhhh, why did I have to discover this video right as I should go to sleep! You are such an inspiration, I'm about a year away from graduating with my PhD and feel like I've been trapped in academia for so long. There is so much about academia I think is toxic and you hit all the major reasons for why I'm seriously considering industry. I too hope to work in a national lab. I love the serious life/career talk while exploring out in nature. Can't wait to watch more of your videos :)
Thank you for sharing your insights. I am glad you are feeling happier in your post PhD life.
I finished my PhD 1.5 year ago in Japan. I took an important role in a relevant project here. However, it's been as isolating as before.
The only difference is that my supervisor cannot mail me after 7 p.m. on week days or on weekends. It recently became a sort of power harassment at my university.
I do not know whether my problem is my work place or I simply do not fit this academic system.
I think you also describe the part of academia which is the part we should be striving to change. Weekends, evenings, hobbies, holidays and not always working do also exist in academia for instance in many nordic countries. I have only worked weekends or evenings if my experiments or applications have required them - not all the time nor is anyone asking me to. I also taken the time off from somewhere else. Yes, there is probably someone out there complaining "oh but how do you keep up and in the running for academic things", and for that I only want to say, that no one benefits from burnt out 25-ish academic, the least the person themselves. Work smarter, be selfish and figure out what are the things you want to achieve. For me being a researcher and supervising while being a teacher in 1-2 courses per year is a wonderful thing. Yes, you will feel like you're doing both not enough, but at the same time you can actually do both and stay in the academia. Win-win.
I'm happy for you Lucy. Hopefully I find something like this once I make it to the other side of my PhD (this year!!)
I think you just convinced me.
Thanks.
Edit: Come to think of it, you are incredibly inspirational. I watched just two of your videos, and it has already had a profound impact on my thinking. It is not like I was not already unsure about continuing on the academic path (that's how I ended up here, of course), but the mere fact that your words in these two videos can have such a strong influence speaks volumes. Use it with caution!
Best of luck to you (and me 😊)
I have a job at a similar lab in the US. You've hit the nail on the head! Best of both worlds.
So happy that you made this video. I am so confused about my future right now.
Congratulations!!! Really happy for you
Congrats on being so happy! You've worked hard for it! You are beautiful!
this was an absolute BLISS! You're such a beautiful person!!
I love this video. The hike, the information, and the insights are wonderful. Thank you!
What an amazing video! I also found that there are jobs between industry and academia. I now work for the ECMWF after my PhD and I get to do applied research. It's honestly a dream.
Yes, Super happy for you that everything is going better for you now; You're able to relax, have some hobbies, do some fun stuff instead of always working as academia forces one to do. Really happy for you that you're much happier these days in your current position & away from being in academia.
I'm very happy for you! You deserve this shift in your life. Thank you for documenting all of your experiences. It's helped me through my own endeavors.
Ugh
Be careful out there! By yourself!
(You need a bodyguard)
I recently realised that a career in academia is not for me, mostly for the lack of balance between work and life, and because my personal life means I cannot be mobile enough to pursue the positions that fit me best. This video was sent to me by a friend and is incredibly timely, encouraging me to leave Academia.
All this is great but can you do a video on your hair care routine? Do you follow the curly girl method? I wanna know all about it xD
Thanks for making this video, it really helps to know that there's a world out there :) Cheers!
Good to see you again doctor! Such an inspiration!
Loving that scarf! Sounds like you've found the sweet spot honestly. I've worked in both, and well; In industry I felt like a very very small cog in a huge machine but the money was miles better, and now I'm in academia less pay but tons of perks and flexibility, plus I feel a lot less expendable - though, I admit, this might be only how I perceive it and not reality.
It sure is good to hear such words, my pessimistic views of the world, and the fact that I live in brasil, make me believe that this could not happen to me. But, you give hope.
I want one. There’s no national lab in the place I want to live in though.
At 5:00 - I still think you are working on sending nuclear waste to Mars! ;-)
WOOW NICE
As if you went to Blengdale without me. Excited for finding that rope swing next time we go!
If jobs in academia are few, they're even less in national labs.
Just finished my neurobiology PhD after 2 previous master degrees… I’m quitting academia… nervous (still unemployed) but I’m feeling good. Academia is poison, I just lament that it took me so long time to realize the truth it’s a toxic pyramid scheme. My prediction is that academia has its days counted.
The point of being in academia is that your hobby IS your profession. I'm an economic theorist by day and an economic theorist by night. That's the whole point.
Also, I have worked in the corporate world for 5 years before starting my PhD. The moment you have "teams"... is the moment you have interpersonal issues. Nobody that works with other people is free from that. Succeed in isolation + fail in isolation = another big reason I love academia.
😣 Promo-SM!