untitled

personnel such as librarians and computer

specialists. This is not a time to cut corners

and by-pass established procedures.

Collaboration

Graduate school and postdoctoral fellow-

ships tend to see people as narrow special-

ists. Now is the time to explore new areas

with a knowledgeable colleague who has an

established lab, funding sources and gradu-

ate students in the pipeline. In return, gen-

erously share your experience and net-

works. Become a mentor, rather than need-

ing a mentor yourself. One of the principal

criteria for tenure is demonstration of intel-

lectual growth and leadership.

Innovation

One of the worst things to do is to restrict

your research to what you did as a graduate

student or postdoctoral fellow, because it

makes you a competitor for the same grant

funds as your previous mentors.

Although a tenure-track position is the

objective for many academic scientists,

tenure should not be your sole goal. In

itself, it does not assure personal or scientif-

ic success, fame or fortune. ■

70 CAREER ADVICE FOR LIFE SCIENTISTS

Tenure and promotion decisions

are made by the small circle of

colleagues with whom you

interact every day, not

predominantly by the world

outside the university.