Perhaps I should have finished that sentence. I meant "If you do your work well, you will get more ........ work”
Yes, ideal: "If you trust me (director/uni/government/grant provider ...whoever gives the funds) give me space, money AND infrastructure, i.e. good admin! including, for 5 or 10 years ..." Fineprint - assuming nobody asks for reports, further applications, silly record tables, appraisal documents, in that period .. Back to real world. Jan On Fri, Jan 22, 2021 at 11:49 AM Pearce, N.M. (Nick) <n.m.pea...@uu.nl> wrote: > "If you do your work well, you will get more ..” Is a nice ideal, but I > don’t think it factors in the real-life factors such as administrative > burden (i.e. wasted time), mental-health effects and frankly, random > chance. Does anyone enjoy applying for grants/jobs? Does it > improve their lives/productivity? Does it improve the science? I suspect > (more accurately, I’m damned sure that) I would have been much more > productive over the last couple of years if I hadn’t been constantly > worried about missing the next hurdle (ironically making it all the more > likely that I _would_ miss the hurdle!). On top of that, I could have > enjoyed such lofty ambitions as “thinking about buying a house and starting > a family” which is difficult when you don’t have career stability over > longer than 1-2 years. > > I would also consider amending the statement to "If you do your work well, > you _might_ get more ..”. > > It seems to me a lot of time and energy could be saved by skipping the > biennial/triennial re-employment ritual/lottery, and if I am lucky enough > to ever make it to the point where I am able to employ people, I hope I > remember how thoroughly miserable the experience of this purgatory has made > me, and make the effort to employ my staff on reasonable contract lengths > (i.e. for as long as possible), and petition to funding bodies to change > their policies. For instance, if the Wellcome Trust now leaves it up to > the project leader to decide such things, as Eleanor has stated, they > should absolutely be applauded for that. > > After all, as Frank said, we do this for the science, and it shouldn’t > need to include personal sacrifice. > > Nick > > On 22 Jan 2021, at 11:18, Pearce, N.M. (Nick) <n.m.pea...@uu.nl> wrote: > > Meant to write “perpetual impending unemployment”. > > Thanks, > Nick > > On 22 Jan 2021, at 11:02, Jan Dohnalek <dohnalek...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > On Fri, Jan 22, 2021 at 10:54 AM Pearce, N.M. (Nick) <n.m.pea...@uu.nl> > wrote: > >> Academia, one of the only careers where _success_ is rewarded with >> perpetual impending employment every two+ years. >> >> Which translates "If you do your work well, you will get more .." > > Jan > > > > > > >> Nick >> >> On 22 Jan 2021, at 08:25, Eleanor Dodson < >> 0000176a9d5ebad7-dmarc-requ...@jiscmail.ac.uk> wrote: >> >> It is a long time since I had any practical concerns with this issue, but >> some funding bodies are more flexible than others. Welcome gives project >> grants then leaves it up to the recipient to hire and plan. And I guess the >> big research institutes like the crick and lmb have similar systems. It is >> obvious that this approach is much more productive than the shorter term >> grants - is there any mileage in someone doing a survey of >> “outcomes”(horrible word) and pointing out that productivity increases with >> more security? >> And as for the national scandal of milking money fir visas from those who >> come here from abroad - already saving us from the cost of their education >> - I don’t know what to say! >> Eleanor >> >> On Fri, 22 Jan 2021 at 07:11, Frank von Delft < >> frank.vonde...@cmd.ox.ac.uk> wrote: >> >>> For me as hiring PI, what's repeatedly dismaying is that it's our >>> funders and universities that set the terms, and only with extreme >>> creativity can one shift the dial, and only on indidual recruitments, >>> certainly not the high politics of the system as a whole. >>> >>> No, I don't know what will break this - it exploits our fundamental >>> weakness, that we go into science because we *want* to do it, and are >>> already investiging all our energy at convincing a system that something >>> else is worth doing (getting our mad science funded at all) -- so things >>> like collective striking or unionising don't really come naturally. >>> >>> I do hope the next wave of scientists (am I that old already?) have some >>> aggressively constructive thoughts, because mine and the one before mine >>> sure don't. >>> >>> >>> Frank >>> >>> >>> >>> On 20/01/2021 23:38, Navdeep Sidhu wrote: >>> >>> Dear Gerlind, Markus, All: >>> >>> Well, sometimes the (written) promise of a 2-year contract also ends up >>> boiling down systematically (for some PIs) to only a 6-month contract >>> after all.--And that after you've spent half a year or more and multiple >>> trips to the country concerned trying to get a work visa and housing, >>> all at your own expense--particularly tough for migrants and their families: >>> >>> "Many come here with a promise of a two-year contract, which later turns >>> out to be a six month scholarship, which is renewed six months at a >>> time. Many feel that they have been fooled." >>> - From Palle Liljebaeck. "Postdoctoral fellows at KI must be given >>> better terms." Naturvetarna (Sweden), Nov. 7, >>> 2013<https://www.naturvetarna.se/vi-erbjuder/tidning-och-nyheter/2013/nr-4-2013/Postdoctoral-fellows-at-KI-must-be-given-better-terms/> >>> >>> <https://www.naturvetarna.se/vi-erbjuder/tidning-och-nyheter/2013/nr-4-2013/Postdoctoral-fellows-at-KI-must-be-given-better-terms/>. >>> >>> (By the way, work contracts often entail health, pension and other >>> benefits which may be limited or unavailable on a scholarship.) >>> >>> Fortunately, many PIs don't agree with such practices. But they do >>> occur, including unfortunately for jobs advertized on the CCP4 bulletin >>> board--and so perhaps the IUCr or other institutions can help set better >>> standards. >>> >>> Cheers, >>> Navdeep >>> >>> >>> --- >>> On 20.01.21 22:34, Gerlind Sulzenbacher wrote: >>> >>> Dear Markus, >>> >>> thank you for opening this discussion. >>> >>> I'd like to add that in some countries, like France, where I work, this >>> goes often along with with 12 months contracts. >>> Imagine moving continent, eventually with family (yes, PostDocs happen >>> to have a family) just for a 12 months contract, under the conditions >>> you mentioned. >>> Sad, as you said, ... and I am quite sure that it has not always been >>> like that. >>> I wish all members of the BB a good mood, >>> Best, >>> gerlind >>> >>> >>> On 20/01/2021 21:48, Markus Heckmann wrote: >>> >>> Dear PI s, and senior scientists' involved in recruitment, >>> >>> Why do so many (especially postdoc) positions these days indicate: >>> >>> >>> Readiness for high workload >>> able to work independently but also effectively and collaboratively >>> with other lab member >>> Candidates should have a documented publication record in >>> peer-reviewed journals, able to work both independently and as an >>> effective team member. >>> >>> Do the candidates need to subtly understand that they need to work on >>> weekends or holidays? And what does it mean by independently and >>> collaboratively at the same time. Or is this a template from HR >>> departments. >>> >>> Was it always like this in science world or we too need to work like >>> amazon warehouse workers (you can google it and see the pain)? >>> >>> Saddened... >>> >>> Mark >>> (not trying to point out any single PI/person but overall it is the >>> same words repeated...) >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> We are opening a new position for an upcoming European project. >>> >>> *We are looking for an expert in scientific programming with >>> experience in >>> scientific data processing for a European project focused on >>> Standards for >>> Data Archival and Exploitation. * >>> >>> Job description: >>> >>> We offer attractive work connected to development of data management >>> infrastructure for biophysical data in the frame of an international >>> project at the Institute of Biotechnology in the centre of excellence >>> Biocev. The main responsibility lies in definition of data standards and >>> models for biophysical data, development of algorithms, design of user >>> interface, and realization of a pilot database of biophysical data. The >>> person is expected to actively participate in multilateral international >>> negotiations, to drive the tasks fulfillment in collaboration with the >>> local international partners, and to present the results. >>> >>> >>> Dear all, >>> >>> Two postdoctoral positions are available in the laboratory of Dr. >>> Pengxiang >>> Huang, Assistant Professor and CPRIT scholar in cancer research in the >>> Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of >>> Medicine. >>> With the long-standing interest in sterol lipids, the Huang lab >>> investigates >>> the poorly understood mechanisms involved in Hedgehog (Hh) and Wnt >>> signal >>> transduction, two related pathways that play critical roles in >>> development, >>> regeneration and cancer. We utilize a combination of biochemistry, cell, >>> chemical and structural biology approaches, including both X-ray >>> crystallography and Cryo-EM. Our recent work identified cholesterol >>> as the >>> endogenous ligand for Smoothened, the key signal transduer and >>> oncoprotein >>> in the Hh pathway (Cell. 166:1176-87). We also characterized the >>> structural >>> and oncogenic basis of Smoothened activation, demonstrating for the >>> first >>> time the active conformation of a class F GPCR (Cell. 174:312-24). The >>> highly interdisciplinary and collaborative environment of our group will >>> thus provide unique career development opportunities for future >>> postdoctoral >>> trainees. >>> >>> We are seeking highly-motivated candidates with a Ph.D. in biomedical >>> sciences and significant experience in molecular biology, protein >>> biochemistry and/or cell biology. Prior knowledge in structural biology >>> (X-ray crystallography or Cryo-EM) is highly desirable, but not >>> required. >>> Candidates should have a documented publication record in peer-reviewed >>> journals, able to work both independently and as an effective team >>> member. >>> >>> To apply, please send your CV, a short summary of research >>> experience, and >>> three reference letters to cnssolve[at]gmail.com. >>> >>> >>> collaborative research environment focused on structural/molecular >>> mechanism >>> of broadly neutralizing antibodies specific to MPER segment of the gp41 >>> subunit in membrane environments, its implication to immunogen design >>> and >>> immunogenicity. The laboratory provides a rich training environment and >>> access to cutting-edge techniques. >>> >>> Highly-motivated candidates with a recent PhD or MD/PhD in biomedical >>> sciences and significant experience in molecular biology and >>> biochemistry >>> are encouraged to apply. Skills in molecular biology, biochemistry and >>> extensive biomolecular NMR experience are essential. Candidates >>> should have >>> a documented publication record in peer-reviewed journals. We are >>> seeking a >>> candidate with excellent writing and communication skills, able to work >>> independently but also effectively and collaboratively with other lab >>> members. Applicants should include a short statement of research >>> goals, CV >>> and three references with their application. >>> >>> >>> ######################################################################## >>> >>> To unsubscribe from the CCP4BB list, click the following >>> link:https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1 >>> >>> This message was issued to members of www.jiscmail.ac.uk/CCP4BB, a >>> mailing list hosted by www.jiscmail.ac.uk, terms & conditions are >>> available at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/ >>> >>> ######################################################################## >>> >>> To unsubscribe from the CCP4BB list, click the following >>> link:https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1 >>> >>> This message was issued to members of www.jiscmail.ac.uk/CCP4BB, a mailing >>> list hosted by www.jiscmail.ac.uk, terms & conditions are available at >>> https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/ >>> >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------ >>> >>> To unsubscribe from the CCP4BB list, click the following link: >>> https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1 >>> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> To unsubscribe from the CCP4BB list, click the following link: >> https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1 >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> To unsubscribe from the CCP4BB list, click the following link: >> https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1 >> > > > -- > Jan Dohnalek, Ph.D > Institute of Biotechnology > Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic > Biocev > Prumyslova 595 > 252 50 Vestec near Prague > Czech Republic > > Tel. +420 325 873 758 > > > -- Jan Dohnalek, Ph.D Institute of Biotechnology Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Biocev Prumyslova 595 252 50 Vestec near Prague Czech Republic Tel. +420 325 873 758 ######################################################################## To unsubscribe from the CCP4BB list, click the following link: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1 This message was issued to members of www.jiscmail.ac.uk/CCP4BB, a mailing list hosted by www.jiscmail.ac.uk, terms & conditions are available at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/
