Sequence II – General career advice for a career in physics (from a particle physics point of view).
1. Imposter
Today, we talk about the imposter syndrome; the feeling that you just don’t deserve to be where you are.
MindFeed: Wireless energy transfer: press release, paper.
Music: “Pop Science” by Devin Anderson and “I could have loved you” by Robin Stine. All music from PodSafeAudio.
2. Screwed
What to do when someone takes advantage of you. How to think about it, how to respond and how to avoid. Mindfeed: Missing Moment of Intertia, Lensing the CMB.
Music: “Pop Science” by Devin Anderson from PodSafeAudio and “Only You” by Guava Jam.
3. Thesis
You are finally writing your thesis! A big, scary job. This week we talk a little about how to go about it, with useful information for not just the student, but advisor and post docs. MindFeed: Green Formula 1 and Large Liquid Mirror Telescopes (LLMT) on the moon. Music: “Sweet Blossom” by Robin Stine (available from Pod Safe Audio) and “Kawika” by Guava Jam.
4. PostDoc
So, you’re writing your thesis, you’re going to get out soon and you want a job. Some thoughts on academia vs. industry and how to go about getting your first post doc. Mindfeed: finally, the nuclear potential from the lattice. Music: “Sweet Blossom” by Robin Stine (available from Pod Safe Audio) and “Kawika” by Guava Jam.
5. Travel
Wow, they actually pay me to travel! How great is that? How a little planing helps in the friendly skies, as well as some rants about airlines. Mindfeed: Mars Phoenix. Music: “Sweet Blossom” by Robin Stine (available from Pod Safe Audio) and “Kawika” by Guava Jam.
6. Junior Faculty
So you want to be a professor? How to get it, what to do once you have it. MindFeed: New graphene paper, changes in precipitation. Music: “Sweet Blossom” by Robin Stine (available from Pod Safe Audio) and “Kawika” by Guava Jam.
7. Giving a talk about your work
Giving a good talk on what is you do is probably the single most satisfying aspect of a career in academia, as well as one of the very best ways of advancing your career. This week, we talk about talks and how to think about them. MindFeed: the LHC particle accelerator and its approval process. Music: “Sweet Blossom” by Robin Stine (available from Pod Safe Audio) and “Kawika” by Guava Jam.
8. Getting tenure
The last big hurdle. How to think about it and what to do about it. MindFeed: Hawking and Unruh radiation. Music: “Sweet Blossom” by Robin Stine (available from Pod Safe Audio) and “Kawika” by Guava Jam.
9. Teaching
An occupational hazard you should take seriously and learn to enjoy. MindFeed: Mississippi, Chinese cats, Corkscrews, Pulsars.
Music: “Sweet Blossom” by Robin Stine (available from Pod Safe Audio) and “Kawika” by Guava Jam.
10. Vacation (AUDIO FILE MISSING)
Tired, stressed, fed up? Take a vacation! This week we talk about why and how. MindFeed: Social Cognition. Music: “Sweet Blossom” by Robin Stine (available from Pod Safe Audio) and “Kawika” by Guava Jam.
11. What to work on
Some thought on choosing research projects, resources and collaborators. MindFeed: Checkers Solved!, borders and conflict, warm dark matter. Music: “Sweet Blossom” by Robin Stine (available from Pod Safe Audio) and “Kawika” by Guava Jam.
12. Summary
Some final thoughts at the end of Sequence II. Mindfeed: space tether, Hwang still at it, quantum computer bus.
Music: “Sweet Blossom” by Robin Stine (available from Pod Safe Audio) and “Kawika” by Guava Jam.