Jeffrey J. McDonnell 
Navigating an Academic Career 
A Brief Guide for PhD Students, Postdocs, and New Faculty

Demystifies the academic career path with practical advice

With the number of people being awarded Ph Ds growing far more rapidly than the supply of academic jobs, those at an early-career stage must think strategically in order to be competitive and successful.

Navigating an Academic Career: A Brief Guide for Ph D students, Post docs, and New Faculty is a concise and conversational manual that guides readers through starting their academic journey, surviving the demands of their first academic position, and thriving in academia and beyond.

Volume highlights include:

* Firsthand perspective on the characteristics of a successful academic

* Guidance on interviewing, negotiating, branding, and other essential soft skills

* Tips for effective time management and writing high-impact research papers

* Insights into developing leadership skills and mentoring others

The American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals.

Table of Content

Preface vii

About the Author ix

Part I: The Ph D Student and Postdoc Years 1

1 An Academic Career 3

2 Traits of Successful Scientists 7

3 Avoiding a Ph D in Anxiety 11

4 Getting Your First Academic Job 15

5 The Academic Matthew Effect 19

Part II: Surviving and Thriving in the First Few Years 23

6 Paper Writing Gone Hollywood 25

7 The Perfect Department 27

8 Ethics in the Real World 31

9 Research Brand Identity 35

10 The 1-Hour Workday 39

11 Orchestrating a Powerful Research Group 41

12 Proposal Writing Hacks 43

Part III: Tenure and Beyond 47

13 Mentoring the Middle 49

14 Research Visits and Academic Growth Spurts 53

15 On Leadership 57

16 The Sustainable Professor 61

17 A Scientist Looks at 60 63

Postface 67

Acknowledgments 69

Notes 73

Further Reading 77

Index 81

About the author

Jeffrey J. Mc Donnell, University of Saskatchewan, Canada