I started answering some questions but realized that the margin wasn’t big enough for both of us.
London isn’t big enuff for both of us
Here’s the skinny. Yes I am currently a post-doc. For a while I’ve been thinking about a career change, and … it’s happening.
I have just landed a job with these guys. I’ll be working on the Faculty of 1000 (Biology & Medicine )—although I very much suspect that I’ll get my fingers into other pies, although probably not the People’s Archive I can’t say exactly what’s happening (partly because I don’t know exactly what I’ll be doing, but that’s all part of the fun) but we did all have an interesting time in London last week, and it’s looking quite exciting.
In short, I’m going to be a publishing mogul. Expect to see me laughing maniacally just before I dispose of secret agents in intricate and expensive ways. Actually, I’m kinda smarter than that.
Joking aside, I’ve only ever been a scientist. It’s not the first time I’ll have left academia: I spent two years working in a biotech company. I returned, but this time it’s likely to be a one-way ticket. While I do enjoy it, for various reasons I think it’s time to develop other skills, try new directions. I’m leaving my comfort zone, and it’s just a little scary, as well as (once I’m over my jet-lag) exciting. What constitutes a void, really, depends on one’s perspective.
To atone for my slightly snarky comment on your last post—I mean I probably don’t know you well enough (yet! bwahaha!) to say such things—I would like to tell you how much I appreciate your airing your thoughts like this, so honestly and, I agree with comments on the previous post, poetically. As someone who is still dancing her little dance on her carefully tended patch of common ground between science and education/outreach/communication, I can’t tell you how grateful I am to hear testimonial from those who are risking larger strides across. So congratulations, best of luck, and very much looking forward to your further postings and your arrival in the Big Smoke!
Cool!
I have questions. Leaving out all the ones related to my own personal career angst, these two are left:
1. What will happen to your lab rats blog? Can you keep the archives? I assume you’ll have to stop it, but there’s some good stuff in it there. And I’ll miss the rodent in the banner.
2. Will your kids be put half a year ahead or behind in school when you take them back? What happened when you moved the other way? Will the net effect per pawn be 0, +1, or -1?
Good luck Richard! It sounds both extremely fun and terrifying! (don’t thank me for spelling it out to you, I’m happy to ;) )
Seriously though, it sounds like a wonderful opportunity and I wish you the best of luck. Of course, from a selfish point of view I want to know how things go and how to make the ‘change’ in case I dare do it… somehow I think I might need to learn to embrace uncertainty and go for it in general ;)
That’s not me in that picture. It’s an imposter with the same name.
Change is good! Scary, but good. I left the bench more than 3 years ago and I think I’ve missed it… maybe once or twice!
I hope you’ll be free to give us some updates on how the new job is going!
If it is any consolation (if that is the right word), the vast majority of editors hired by Nature had “only ever been a scientist” before joining the staff, too. And they did, and still do, OK. I think. Perhaps I’ll now be corrected?
Before I joined Nature I was a lion-tamer. Or an accountant. Such distinctions, seemingly so important at the time, have now faded into a kind of sepia blur, as if it all happened to someone else.
Before I joined Nature I was a lion-tamer. Or an accountant. Such distinctions, seemingly so important at the time, have now faded into a kind of sepia blur, as if it all happened to someone else.
Now Henry is his own doppelganger.
Eva, I’m not sure what will happen with respect to school. Because the Australian year is half a year behind the civilized world, they effectively went back when we came here. I guess then they’ll suddenly have to move forward six months. But seeing as they’re both rather ahead of the curve it shouldn’t be a problem.
I think the Black Knight might try to recruit a successor, but I’ll have to ask him.
Congratulations. I can’t imagine escaping from the bench (snorts with laughter briefly after contemplating number of hours spent at bench in last 6 months), but I hope your new job and the move back to Jolly Old England work out well.
This just in- Salman Rushdie’s hiding place discovered. He’s been masquerading as Henry Gee, Nature editor.
You had a beer with Salman Rushdie? You lucky bugger.
You couldn’t decide which comment was funnier so went for both?
No, it’s OK. If it’s Monday it must be Sydney, right?
Figured you had to accept the first idea before the second could be funny.
But yes. I am in Sydney now.
Seriously though. Where and when do you want this beer.
Well done you. Things are beginning to make sense now (slowly). All the best for the move back to blighty.
Rats, this means I will no longer be able to hold out hope for a visit to Sydney… drat.
@Winty: you’ve got until March, probably.
@Nat: let me get back to you on that. I got your note.
This just in- Salman Rushdie’s hiding place discovered. He’s been masquerading as Henry Gee, Nature editor.
Wrong.
Most pleased for you, Richard, and not least that you seem to be assimilating the news, now. :-)
It’ll be easier to coordinate between London and Paris than between Sydney and Toulouse, so I hope I can entice you south next year for a glass of wine at some point after the move.
Fantastic, Heather! It’s a date!
Good luck, Richard! I hope you will not give up this blog.
Not a chance, Viktor. “Cold, dead fingers” springs to mind.