Scientific careers build on more than published articles. Young scientists often face questions that cannot be answered from a textbook. How do I achieve a good work-life balance? Should I move to this new job? How do I decide which projects to work on?
In this session, a successful scientist with many years of experience will provide a look back to give a personal perspective of her/his career. We will discuss how some decisions subsequently affected the career, which problems emerged, and how research is affected by life and vice versa. This account of a life and work will be a fascinating window to how a master scientist works, and there will be ample opportunity for questions from the audience to get advice on how to succeed in an academic career.
This year we are happy that Stuart Lane, Leader of the Research Group ALPine Water Ice Sediment and Ecology at University of Lausanne, has agreed to partake. Stuarts research focuses on the impacts of rapid climate change and human activities on Alpine landscapes, including glaciers, hydrology, geomorphology and aquatic ecosystems. His activities bridge multiple scientific fields but also contribute heavily to community-wide efforts such as editing the journal Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.
We will discuss how his decisions subsequently affected his career, which problems he had to face, and how research is affected by life and vice versa. His account of life and work will be a fascinating window to how a master scientist works, and there will be plenty of opportunities for questions from the audience to get advice on how to succeed in an academic career.
The course will be followed by an open drop-in session in the Networking and ECS zone (13:00, Red level), where Stuart will be joined by the GM division president and ECS representatives, to foster informal discussions.