About
I’m a tenured full science professor at a university in the U.S. I have fancy accomplishments on paper, but what almost no one knows is that I nearly didn’t complete my PhD. Or my postdoc. And my first years on the tenure track were painful.
I’m not here to endorse or normalize that kind of suffering. As a matter of fact, I think it’s mostly unnecessary and dumb. (I write with full awareness of how utterly annoying it is to read accounts by people oblivious to survivorship bias. I promise I am not oblivious.)
My goal is to share experiences and tips with others to help them make better decisions in academia. I want to help people decide if a PhD is right for them and pick a research program that will help them become excellent researchers, and not leave them posting 1000-word vents about toxic advisors by their third year. I want PhD students to understand how they can work around their advisors’ human flaws by managing up and be happier when things get tough, as they always do in research. I want PhD students to think strategically about a postdoc, and for postdocs to prepare themselves well for the academic job market or decide quickly where to go next. I want to help assistant professors recognize the tradeoffs in managing their research groups and follow a plan that’s right for them and fair to others.
Academia will never be as equitable or supportive as it should be, and science won’t move as quickly as it ought to, as long as people like me keep this kind of advice restricted to a small group in their physical orbit. That’s why I’m sharing here. (Also, I dislike repeating myself, and I fantasize that I can save time in the long run if this knowledge is more widespread.)
Please forgive the anonymity. It enables me to be frank about how things really work, and without the perceived conflicts of interest.
Some facts about me:
I’m a full professor at a top private U.S. research university that accepts <10% of undergraduate applicants. I was promoted to associate and full professor early.
I’ve served as an academic editor for several high-profile, multidisciplinary journals that you probably know.
I’ve reviewed hundreds of PhD applications for highly competitive doctoral programs in the biological and physical sciences and interviewed scores of students.
My research has been very well funded by government agencies and large foundations for over a decade.
I have published repeatedly in “glamor” journals as first and senior author. I also hate glamor journals.
I have negotiated offers for tenure track positions (and retention) at all career stages.
My trainees have gone on to senior positions inside and outside academia. Some have left academia entirely.
I’ve given multiple plenaries/keynotes at international conferences.
I want to make academia more efficient, inclusive, and supportive.
I’m regularly asked by others to mentor graduate students, postdocs, and junior faculty beyond what’s customary for my position.
I’m still trying to figure out exactly what my job is and how to do it well.
I’m probably younger than you think.
Why should you trust me?
Because like any good scientist, I’ll disclose the limits of my knowledge.
I have ample data on what excellence in scientific research looks like at all stages. My research is interdisciplinary and collaborative, and I can speak to norms across fields and schools. I have longstanding international collaborations that provide some insight into differences by country too. For the most part, I’ll be talking about the U.S. experience and indicate as much.
I’ve mentored enough people to understand the diversity of challenges they face.
I’m not trying to make a living or quick buck off of this. My main focus is professional research.
I’ll be sharing more about my experience on social media. If you have any questions about my qualifications, feel free to reach out to me at stemphdmentor@gmail.com.