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Developing a
Talent for Science
Wanttomakethemostofyourtalentforscience?Thispractical
guide for students, postdocs, and professors offers a unique
stepwise approach to help you develop your expertise and
becomeamoreproductivescientist.Coveringtopicsfromgiving
presentations and writing effectively to prioritizing your work-
load, it provides guidance to enhance your skills and combine
themwiththoseofotherstoyourmutualbenefit.Learnhowto
maintain your passion for science, inspire others to develop
their abilities and motivate yourself to plan effectively, focus
on your goals, and even optimize funding opportunities. With
numerous valuable tips, real-life stories, novel questionnaires,
and exercises for self-reflection, this must-read guide provides
everythingyouneedtotakeresponsibilityforyourownpersonal
and professional development.
RitsertC.JansenisProfessorofBioinformaticsandHeadofthe
Bioinformatics Centre at the University of Groningen. He has a
successful career in the sciences and extensive experience as
a trainer on career and personal development courses.
Developing
a Talent
for Science
Ritsert C. Jansen
University of Groningen
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
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Sa˜oPaulo,Delhi,Dubai,Tokyo,MexicoCity
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PublishedintheUnitedStatesofAmericaby
CambridgeUniversityPress,NewYork
www.cambridge.org
Informationonthistitle:www.cambridge.org/9780521193122
#R.C.Jansen2011
Thispublicationisincopyright.Subjecttostatutoryexception
andtotheprovisionsofrelevantcollectivelicensingagreements,
noreproductionofanypartmaytakeplacewithout
thewrittenpermissionofCambridgeUniversityPress.
Firstpublished2011
PrintedintheUnitedKingdomattheUniversityPress,Cambridge
AcatalogrecordforthispublicationisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
LibraryofCongressCataloging–in–PublicationData
Jansen,RitsertC.
Developingatalentforscience/RitsertC.Jansen.
p. cm.
ISBN978-0-521-19312-2(Hardback)—ISBN978-0-521-14961-7(Pbk.)
1. Scientists—Vocationalguidance. 2. Mentoringinscience. I. Title.
Q147.J362010
502.3—dc22 2010027378
ISBN978-0-521-19312-2Hardback
ISBN978-0-521-14961-7Paperback
Additionalresourcesforthispublicationatwww.cambridge.org/9780521193122
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Contents
Introduction 1
1 Develop your talent
8
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Web
1.3 Passion
1.4 Prioritize
1.5 Persevere
1.6 Speak
1.7 Write
1.8 Fund
1.9 Habits
2 Use other people’s talent
48
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Web
2.3 Read
2.4 Listen
2.5 Ask
2.6 Share
2.7 Collaborate
2.8 Move (on)
2.9 Habits
vi contents
3 Develop other people’s talent
86
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Web
3.3 Inspire
3.4 Educate
3.5 Unite
3.6 Support
3.7 Reward
3.8 Keep in touch
3.9 Habits
4 Make it happen
120
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Web
4.3 Dream
4.4 Count
4.5 Believe
4.6 Act
4.7 Care
4.8 Succeed
4.9 Habits
5 Use your webs
152
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Complete
Further reading
165
Acknowledgments
170
Index
172
Introduction
Who is this book for?
This book has been written for people serious about science:
students,postdocs,professors,trainers,andsupportandother
staff.Sowhat’sinitforyou?I’lloutlinethisbrieflyinthenext
threeparagraphs.Youcouldreadonlytheparagraphrelevant
to your involvement in science but why not read the other
paragraphs as well.
n You’reastudent.AsaBachelor,Master’s,orPhDstudentyou
take classes in science subjects. You are (for now) at the
bottom of your career ladder, but it’s good to know what’s
going on higher up the ladder, so that you can better under-
stand, appreciate, and communicate with your teachers and
supervisors in that special type of organization called a uni-
versity. It may also help you in deciphering whether a career
inscienceinauniversityorinacompanywouldbeattractive
ifit’snotyourvocation.Someofyouwillalreadybeinvolved
in research projects and indeed feel you want to become a
2 introduction
scientistatauniversity.Manyofyouwilllookforjobsoutside
the university and perform tasks in which you will nonethe-
less benefit greatly from having developed your talent for
science as much as possible. So if you are a student, starting
offontheroadtobecomingascientistorsomethingelse,you
will likely benefit both personally as well as professionally
from reading this book.
n You’re a postdoc or professor. As your talent for science
grows, you climb up the career ladder and may become a
postdoc or even an assistant, associate, or full professor at a
university. Alternatively, you may become a junior or senior
scientist at a research institute or in industry. You start
recruiting people with a talent for science, even top science,
to join you in your research. How can you recognize and
develop their talents, how can you retain these talented
people? I trust that this book triggers your thoughts just that
extra bit, that you will find it useful to fuel discussions with
studentsandcolleagues,andthatyouwillpaymoreattention
to developing your own talent and that of your students and
colleagues.
n You’resomeoneelseseriousaboutdevelopingtalent.Typic-
ally this category includes all researchers and heads of
research groups in industry, but also nonscientists in univer-
sities, industry, or government. As a responsible manager,
administrator,policymaker,ortrainer,youcanmakeallkinds
of plans, but top students and scientists may have strong
criticisms of your plans. Do you actually know what your
scientists do every day? Do you offer them the right facilities
andpossibilities?Issuccesscelebratedsothateveryoneknows
what the real goals are? Is the support and training you offer
adequate? If you read this book, you will better understand
the essentials of science and use your staff’s powers to create
the right conditions for making top quality science happen.
