The decision to become an academic researcher is often based on passion for science or research. And although leaving any profession is hard, the decision to leave academia is often a tough one. There are often conflicting emotions concerning staying or leaving. Not to mention the conversations with staff, students and colleagues. And sometimes it […]
How COVID-19 Will Impact Your Academic Life
Teaching will be to small groups or at a distance to large groups. University campuses will be void of students. Due to their low use, teaching spaces will be converted to offices, and research spaces to allow for new physical distancing requirements. International travel for researchers will be virtually impossible, so collaborations will be maintained […]
Finding a Mentor
A mentor should be someone who can show you the way through things. They may not have THE answer, but they probably have AN answer. A bit like a Sherpa helps people up mountains. They cannot climb the mountain for you, but they can give you the best advice and support about how to climb.
Developing Your Transferable Skills
PhD graduates are clearly capable of doing many things beyond the running of an individual research project. However, that is not always obvious to their potential employers. Here, I look at how to track, record and build transferable skills developed in your PhD or research career, so they can be made “accessible” to your potential […]
Leaving Academia
The decision to become an academic researcher is often based on passion for science or research. And although leaving any profession is hard, the decision to leave academia is often a tough one. There are often conflicting emotions concerning staying or leaving. Not to mention the conversations with staff, students and colleagues. And sometimes it […]
The Legend File
Since 2014, I’ve been involved in Thought Leaders Business School. First as a student; then as a faculty member, and now as an alumnus. I learnt a lot of great things over that time. From using Pink Sheets as a way of systematically capturing my thoughts/intellectual property, to using Green Sheets as a tool to […]
Managing Virtual Teams
Virtual teams, or my preferred term – distributed teams – have come into prominence as a result of many governments implementing physical distancing measures to curb the transmission of COVID-19. However, virtual teams have been in operation for many years. Banks and utilities have had personnel placed across the globe for varying functions for the […]
A 9-Step Guide to Having Tough Conversations with Your Supervisor
If tough conversations were easy, we’d all be having them, and they wouldn’t be called tough. They are tough for a reason. Or sometimes several reasons. Tough conversations could be almost any topic with almost anyone. But conversations with your supervisor or your entire supervision panel or maybe some collaborators can be particularly difficult. There […]
Developing Your Transferable Skills
PhD graduates are clearly capable of doing many things beyond the running of an individual research project. However, that is not always obvious to their potential employers. Here, I look at how to track, record and build transferable skills developed in your PhD or research career, so they can be made “accessible” to your potential […]
Managing Virtual Teams
Virtual teams, or my preferred term – distributed teams – have come into prominence as a result of many governments implementing physical distancing measures to curb the transmission of COVID-19. However, virtual teams have been in operation for many years. Banks and utilities have had personnel placed across the globe for varying functions for the […]