Victor A. Bloomfield

Title: The Chicago Guide to your Career in Science: A Toolkit for Student and Postdocs
Author(s): Victor A. Bloomfield and Esam E. El-Fakahany
Year Published: 2008
This book is a great starting point for aspiring scientists. It maps out the process of deciding on, and pursuing a career in research. Beginning from an undergraduate who is interested in lab work to a pHD student trying to conduct research and make a living at the same time, this book offers tips and guidance for anyone working on the research career path. It describes the workload and gratification levels of this path clearly, and explains how many people decide to branch out of research into working jobs for various reasons. It is written in a frank and informative manner and does not try to coerce the reader into making a choice based only on the idea of having one’s own research project. It places stress on real-life skills both for the academic world and socially. Advice ranges from how to pick an advisor and how to get accepted into a lab to how to balance research and private life in a healthy productive way. It explains how, in order to be a successful scientist, one must invest time in communicating and articulating their work by writing grants and giving presentations. At the end of each section, the authors provide a summary of key advice and resources. Overall, the book is a good resource for research enthusiasts from the undergraduate to doctorate level.… (mehr)