Mapping Researchers' Career Paths project

The RDM Career Development Committee, with the assistance of Dr Katja Gehmlich (CVM), undertook a project to understand the career progression of researchers from PhD student to PI. The project aimed to demonstrate that there is no one "correct" career path to take to become a PI, rather many different routes can lead to the same place.

The results from the project are available (you will need to enter your SSO when you click on the link).

A number of key themes emerged from this project:

• The importance of having a mentor or sponsor
• The need to be passionate about science
• Some serendipity is involved: being in the right place at the right time
• Imposter syndrome is very common: believing you are not as good as those around you
• Time spent abroad can be very beneficial
• The importance of having interests outside of work
• Getting the correct work/life balance can be challenging