Back to Academia: Is There Any Way Home?


Spread the love
I have often heard that leaving academia is a one-way ticket – there is no turning back.  I believe there are several factors that make a u-turn back to academia difficult, but far from impossible. Let’s assume a scientist wants to restart her career in an academic environment. Often graduate students, after they receive their PhD, have a relatively smooth transition to a postdoc position.  Sometimes, these positions are in the very laboratory where they worked for their degree. If not, degree candidates often already have a verbal agreement with another researcher that they have met through their professors or at conference meetings. This networking is very important because it helps them avoid the stressful experience of having to look for a job, and provides continuity.