Priorities

In evaluating my career goals (this is supposed to be one of the first steps if you're searching for that elusive dream job), I think I have discovered a few things about myself that I hadn't acknowledged previously.

First, money does matter. I don't need incredible amounts of money (but it wouldn't hurt!) to feel satisfied, but there is a real connection in my mind between pay and recognition for doing a good job or something of value. If I were to earn more than a professor, I think I could more easily get rid of the notion that leaving academia is a "step down." However, the more I read about careers outside the ivory tower, the more that notion is evaporating on its own.

As I continue my day to day activities as a postdoc here at fantastic U, I can recognize many things I would miss about leaving academia (virtually no dress code, very flexible hours, so much opportunity for leisure activities through campus groups/clubs/teams, a sense of community, some notion that I have the time and encouragement to continue learning new topics and skills, and travelling the world to attend conferences). But some of these things are not guaranteed at all institutions. And some of these could possibly be found outside of academia. But because my experience is so limited (and confined to only two very great universities), it is hard to know what aspects of an academic career are rigidly imposed everywhere, and which ones are variable.

If I were to pursue a tenure track faculty position, in the country where I am from (and where I will return after this postdoc) virtually all universities appear to have a 45:45:10 ratio for research, teaching and service requirements. Although research tends to be emphasized more than teaching. But as much as I would like to be a role model and mentor for students, I really have no passion for teaching. I have been told that I am a good teacher - but I was also good in math, and I didn't pursue that beyond undergrad either. Being good at something is not always enough.

I feel that if I really dedicated myself to teaching I could do a good job. But I do not think that being a tenure track faculty member would allow me the time I would need to prepare the way I would want to for teaching. So either my research would suffer, or I would never feel adequately prepared for teaching. From my experience most professors chose research over teaching, maybe not even deliberately, and the students end up with mediocre classes - that is just not good enough! They are paying a lot of money for their education, they at least deserve passionate teachers! But far too often in academia teaching is undervalued, and research seems to be the only universal measure of success. This just seems so wrong to me.

I really enjoy being a mentor - in fact I am passionate about helping people. I enjoy the one-on-one time I have spent with undergrads and fellow grad students. But it seems that to get such a balance (research, mentoring, and little to no-classroom teaching) you have to leave the ivory tower of my country.

A research career in a national lab, rather than at a university might resolve this issue for me. But I still have a lot to investigate about what the day to day work is like. And I still feel like I'm abandonning all my potential future students if I turn away from teaching. This academic career has become so ingrained that it makes me feel guilty about imaginary students from the future!

If I were at my old university, this would be the perfect time to head over to the on campus pub for a drink on the patio. Instead I will sit at my desk and read a review paper. Because that's what we do at fantastic U.