In 1995 I started the studies of Applied Physics at Twente University. At the end of my studies I was quite sure what to do with my career: pursue a position in biomedical science. I did my PhD at the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, followed by a postdoc at the UMC St. Radboud in Nijmegen. During these years I started wondering about working for research companies, because the positions at companies were said to be permanent, whereas in science you have to struggle to get funding for your research.
At the 2010 PCDI Postdoc Retreat in Heeze I was dedicated to find out if working for a research company suited me. After three intense and educational days I came to the conclusion that this was not the case. I decided to stay in the academic world, because I like solving the little puzzles that keep popping up.
Following this decision I started applying for grants and recently I got my first grant for applying newly acquired knowledge as a postdoc in the field of my PhD-research. So, this will be the next step in pursuing a career in biomedical science. In this blog I will keep you posted on my navigation through the maze of science.
Aaargh… fixed-term positions!
26 August 2010
posted by Tim Idzenga
Today I applied for a small grant to be used for adapting software so it can run e.g. on a Graphics Processing Unit and thereby speed up calculations. The grant only supports the personnel costs of a programmer for a few months. I checked the prospects of the grant and they didn’t say that I need a permanent position at the university to apply. So this morning I applied for the grant. And what do you know? This afternoon I got a friendly email telling me that I can only apply if I have a permanent position: Aaargh… as a postdoc they won’t even let me apply for small grants. This gets frustrating, when does the hurting stop?
You have a paper with a novel idea ready and want to publish it. But where to submit it? There are journals with high impact (firm acceptation criteria) and journals with low impact (easier to get in) fit to publish your results. My personal strategy always has been to start at the top of the ladder with ‘impact factors’ and work my way down. This can get my paper in a top journal and have the impact I like it to have.
Earlier I told you that I decided to stay in science. When I received my PhD I set myself a new goal: get a grant. In my last blog I didn’t completely tell you the truth. I have to confess that in April last year I wrote an application for an STW Grant. I could not apply for it myself (I obviously don’t have a permanent position). So I asked my supervisor and my promotor to back me up in this application and they did.
In 1995 I started the studies of Applied Physics at Twente University. At the end of my studies I was quite sure what to do with my career: pursue a position in biomedical science. I did my PhD at the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, followed by a postdoc at the UMC St. Radboud in Nijmegen. During these years I started wondering about working for research companies, because the positions at companies were said to be permanent, whereas in science you have to struggle to get funding for your research.
Today I applied for a small grant to be used for adapting software so it can run e.g. on a Graphics Processing Unit and thereby speed up calculations. The grant only supports the personnel costs of a programmer for a few months. I checked the prospects of the grant and they didn’t say that I need a permanent position at the university to apply. So this morning I applied for the grant. And what do you know? This afternoon I got a friendly email telling me that I can only apply if I have a permanent position: Aaargh… as a postdoc they won’t even let me apply for small grants. This gets frustrating, when does the hurting stop?