Science Career Advice

At a seminar in the Bell Communications Research Colloquia Series, Dr. Richard W. Hamming, a Professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and a retired Bell Labs scientist, gave a very interesting and stimulating talk, `You and Your Research' to an overflow audience of some 200 Bellcore staff members and visitors at the Morris Research and Engineering Center on March 7, 1986. This talk centered on Hamming's observations and research on the question ``Why do so few scientists make significant contributions and so many are forgotten in the long run?'' From his more than forty years of experience, thirty of which were at Bell Laboratories, he has made a number of direct observations, asked very pointed questions of scientists about what, how, and why they did things, studied the lives of great scientists and great contributions, and has done introspection and studied theories of creativity. The talk is about what he has learned in terms of the properties of the individual scientists, their abilities, traits, working habits, attitudes, and philosophy.

In order to make the information in the talk more widely available, the tape recording that was made of that talk was carefully transcribed. This transcription includes the discussions which followed in the question and answer period. As with any talk, the transcribed version suffers from translation as all the inflections of voice and the gestures of the speaker are lost; one must listen to the tape recording to recapture that part of the presentation. While the recording of Richard Hamming's talk was completely intelligible, that of some of the questioner's remarks were not. Where the tape recording was not intelligible I have added in parentheses my impression of the questioner's remarks. Where there was a question and I could identify the questioner, I have checked with each to ensure the accuracy of my interpretation of their remarks.

Make the most of your potential as a physicist. Find information and resources for every career level from undergraduate to early and mid-career. Hosted by the Institute of Physics.

Looking to make improvements to your job or career? This New York Times article covers asking for a raise, finding a new job, and finding happiness at work. The tips can apply to any career, not just science careers.

How can young scientists find their way to suitable and satisfying work? According to National Science Foundation data, only 7% of life science Ph.D.s now attain, within 5 years of finishing their degree, the tenure or tenure-track jobs that many so want. And their professors, having spent entire careers in academe, often lack the knowledge and experience needed to advise them on finding nonacademic jobs. Career counselor Melanie Sinche, however, has spent 2 decades helping scientists at institutions including the University of North Carolina, Harvard University, and the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine navigate the job market. In her recently published book, Next Gen PhD: A Guide to Career Paths in Science, she distills what she has learned, presenting clear-eyed guidance so that motivated individuals can make their own way.

In addition to the latest year's college rankings, the site offers a detailed school directory, interactive tools, a step-by-step college admissions guide, articles, an expanded school directory and a majors search.

Marinecareers.net will introduce you to a wide range of marine career fields and to people working in those fields. In addition, it will give those men and women a chance to tell you what they like and dislike about their careers, what they see for the future in their fields, and much more.

As you prepare to begin your career as a geoscience faculty member, you're probably wondering how to land a job you'll enjoy, as well as what you can do now to lay the groundwork for a successful career in academia. This page is a gateway to resources you can use to achieve your goals. This collection of resources is an outgrowth of the annual Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences Workshops.

On the Cutting Edge provides advice and resources for geoscience faculty and students who are working toward an academic career in the geosciences with the aim of improving geoscience education. On the Cutting Edge was awarded the 2010 Science Prize for Online Resources in Education by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

The IEEE Computer Society, the world's leading membership organization for computing professionals, provides a one-stop destination for computer science and technology professionals at every stage of career development. Get advice, read tutorials, find news on the state of the technology marketplace, and more.

Beginning scientists face a variety of challenges in launching their careers. The publications and links on this Web site can help new investigators "make the right moves" and assist those who take on the important task of providing early-career researchers with scientific management training.

This page created by Lehigh University Law Professor John Gilroy contains links and information for those with an interest in pursuing environmental policy or law. Find information on employment resources and environmental law schools.

If you're a high school student or undergraduate, you may have discovered that the road to oceanography is not well defined. With a shortage of available information about entering the field, it may be difficult to figure out what academic and extracurricular experiences will help you get into graduate school to study oceanography. Like most problems, this one is best solved with the benefit of a little hindsight. I asked Texas A&M University graduate students and faculty to offer advice about what it takes to succeed in oceanography.

Geotechnology is one of the most important emerging and evolving fields according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The articles and resources on this site hosted by ESRI contain information on geography, GIS technology, mapping, and GIS job market predictions.

Resources on beginning or maintaining a career in environmental journalism from the Society of Environmental Journalists.

Payscroll has the coveted data that the job search community is after. Search for and compare salary information.

Personal salary reports. What are you worth? Personalize a premium salary report and receive in-depth answers.

Get accurate, real-time salary reports based on your job title, location, education, skills and experience.

Learn everything you need to know about careers in the mathematical sciences: Early Career Profiles; Recent bachelors-level graduates in the Mathematical Sciences; Job sites for math majors; Career information for high school students; Non-academic Career Information. Hosted by the American Mathematical Society.

Science, Math, and Engineering Career Resources. The PhDs.org science career library contains information for scientists and would-be scientists at all levels, from high school students through Nobel laureates.

The Scientist magazine for the life sciences has an excellent careers section that covers the biotech, pharmaceutical, and life science fields. It's useful even if you aren't a life scientist. Want to know whether the $40k postdoc in New York City is really better than the $40k postdoc in Houston? Compare the two in the cost of living calculator. (Tip: You'd need $70k in NYC to afford the same standard of living as a $40k job in Houston.) The Scientist Careers website has other helpful sections including feature articles, job listings, resume writing help, information on schools for your kids, career coaching, and visa/immigration info for the US, UK, and Canada.