So You Want to be a Scientist?

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Overview


What does it take to be a scientist? Equally important, what does it take to be happy as a scientist? Drawing on thirty years of experience, Philip Schwartzkroin offers the budding scientist an invaluable glimpse into the day-to-day life of the researcher, filling a huge hole in the education of most would-be scientists--whether undergraduates or high school seniors.
As Schwartzkroin points out, many of the most important things researchers learn as they hone their craft are ...
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More About This Book

Overview


What does it take to be a scientist? Equally important, what does it take to be happy as a scientist? Drawing on thirty years of experience, Philip Schwartzkroin offers the budding scientist an invaluable glimpse into the day-to-day life of the researcher, filling a huge hole in the education of most would-be scientists--whether undergraduates or high school seniors.
As Schwartzkroin points out, many of the most important things researchers learn as they hone their craft are not written down anywhere. And many of these insights come as a surprise to the naïve and well-meaning student who somehow believes that "doing research" is an occupation that is substantially different from doing a job in "the real world." This book looks at the "job" of science. Starting with suggestions about how to decide whether you'd want to pursue such a career (and if so, how to get started), the book works through some of the obvious topics relevant to a research profession--how to write a paper, give a talk, construct a grant proposal. It also examines less obvious topics that are generally incorporated into a research education only by trial and error--"thinking" like a scientist, negotiating scientific politics, dealing with research ethics, and understanding social interactions. And the book includes many "real-life situations" that may confront the young scientist, along with the author's advice on how to solve these problems.
Based on the author's long career in the laboratory and his rich experience mentoring trainees, So You Want to be a Scientist provides information and insights that will help the young scientist make better decisions and choices. It will also be useful to teachers, counselors, and parents for its realistic look at the demands and requirements for success in a research career.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780195333541
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
  • Publication date: 9/2/2009
  • Edition description: New Edition
  • Pages: 208
  • Sales rank: 952,277
  • Product dimensions: 6.00 (w) x 9.10 (h) x 0.60 (d)

Meet the Author

Philip A. Schwartzkroin has been a research scientist for over 35 years. He received degrees from Harvard and Stanford Universities, and has held faculty positions at Stanford University, University of Washington, and University of California-Davis. In his career as a neuroscientist, he has focused his research effort on understanding the basic biology of seizures and epilepsy.

Dr. Schwartzkroin has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, and has a long history of successful grant funding from the National Institutes of Health and from private foundations. He has served in numerous professional leadership roles, including president of the American Epilepsy Society, member of the executive committee of the International League Against Epilepsy, and co-editor-in chief of the premier international epilepsy journal Epilepsia.

He has been recognized for his research contributions with such prestigious awards as the Javits Award from the National Institutes of Health, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Research Recognition Award from the American Epilepsy Society. Through his many years in the laboratory, he has trained and mentored numerous postdoctoral fellows and graduate and undergraduate students many of whom have gone on to establish successful leadership roles in their chosen areas of research.

Dr. Schwartzkroin currently is Professor of Neurological Surgery at the University of California-Davis, an affiliate of the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience, and holds the Bronte Endowed Chair in Epilepsy Research in the UC Davis School of Medicine.

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Table of Contents

1 Getting Started 3

General Comments-What Characterizes a Scientist? 3

Preparation-Education and Experience 6

The Next Step-Postdoctoral Training 11

What Does the Young Scientist Need to Learn? 17

Are There Special "Secrets" to Success? 18

Real-Life Problem 22

2 Career Choices and Laboratory Nitty-Gritty 25

What's the Right Position for You? 25

The Principal Investigator (PI) 26

The Research Scientist 28

Choosing a Path 29

Alternative Science/Research-Related Careers 30

Real-Life Problem 31

3 How to Think Like a Scientist 33

Science as a Thought Process 33

The Challenge of Scientific Thinking 38

Experimental Design and Interpretation 40

Focused Investigation vs. the Big Picture 44

Some Words About Critical Thinking 46

Real-Life Problem 47

4 How to Write a Scientific Paper 49

What is a Scientific Paper? 49

Writing a Paper-How to Start and What to Say 53

Presentation of Data-Figures and Tables 56

Some General Tips About Writing 57

How to Decide Where to Publish 60

Authorship 63

Manuscript Reviewing 64

The Changing Landscape of Scientific Publication 66

Real-Life Problems 69

5 Giving Presentations and Talks 73

The Verbal Presentation-A Fact of Scientific Life 73

Keys to a Good Talk 75

Elements of Style 78

Selling Yourself 80

In the Audience 81

Real-Life Problem 82

6 How to Compose/Submit Grant Applications 85

Grants Are the Lifeblood of Scientific Research 85

The Basic Format 88

Tips and Cautions 93

Grant Revisions and Resubmissions 95

Effective Grant-Writing is an Acquired Skill 99

Summing Up 101

Real-Life Problem 102

7 The Politics of Science 105

The Business of Science is not so Different fromOther Professions 105

Prestige 108

Money 109

Power 113

Leadership 117

Real-Life Problem 120

8 Ethical Conduct of Research 123

Responsible Conduct of Research 123

Scientific Research as a Communal Effort 127

Engagement in Society 130

Real-Life Problems 132

9 Scientific Research as a Creative Enterprise 135

Scientists as Artists 135

Personal Rewards of Creative Enterprise 139

Real-Life Problem 141

10 The Role of the Scientist in Society 143

The Role of Science in Society 143

Prediction 144

Social Responsibility 146

Why Don't People Trust Scientists? 149

The Future of Science in Our Society 150

Real-Life Problem 151

11 Personal Challenges 153

Personal Interactions 153

Self-Esteem/Self-Confidence 156

Commitment to Career 158

Discrimination and Diversity 160

Real-Life Problems 163

12 Rewards and Riches 169

What Kinds of Rewards Do You Really Want From Your Job? 169

Financial Compensation 170

Intellectual Property 172

Other Rewards 175

Real-Life Problems 180

Concluding Thoughts 183

Index 185

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