I am Anna Clemens, and This is How I Work

Today, I am interviewing Dr. Anna Clemens. Anna is a scientific writing coach and editor with a PhD in chemistry/materials science. She helps scientists to write better papers and grant proposals in less time and regularly blogs about scientific writing. She’s passionate about making academia a better place to work and helping scientists to succeed in their career. In her spare time, she writes her own articles for popular science magazines, such as »Spektrum der Wissenschaft« and »Scientific American«, and goes on hiking trips with her dog Zuza. You can connect with her on Twitter and LinkedIn or reach out by email: edit_at_annaclemens.com

Current Job: Scientific Writing Coach & Editor
Current Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Current mobile device: Samsung S6 (I tend to adopt my friends’ old devices they aren’t using anymore 😊)
Current computer: Dell XPS 13

Can you briefly explain your current situation and research to us?
I help scientists to write papers for high-impact journals and grant proposals that get funded, and my services are ideal for new principal investigators (e.g. Assistant and Junior Professors). I focus on using the concept of storytelling to help my clients to write scientific articles and funding applications that are clear, concise and accessible to broad audiences.

I’m also a science writer and I try to write a few articles per year for popular science magazines.

What tools, apps and software are essential to your workflow?
Oh, I have to admit I love productivity apps! BUT: I force myself to use as few as possible. I found that in order to be productive it’s a lot more essential to create systems that work for you instead of spending time learning new tools or feeding them with data.

As for the software and apps I currently use, I mainly rely on Microsoft Office products: To review and edit my clients’ papers and proposal, I use Word – the commenting and track-changes functions are crucial! I also use Outlook for email, calendar and task lists – it’s an incredibly powerful piece of software although admittedly it doesn’t look very good and isn’t very user-friendly. And I keep many of my lists and other spreadsheets I need in Excel.
To meet my clients in strategy sessions, I use a video conference software called Zoom, which I’m a big fan of. You can easily share screens and record the sessions and the video and audio quality is high.

When I have larger projects, e.g. when I’m writing an article, I like to use Trello – both as a project management tool and to keep track of information I read.

I also use the note-taking app on my phone quite a lot when I’m on the go. For example, I keep a list there with books I want to read, topic ideas I get for upcoming blog posts, and notes when I’m listening to an audio book while out walking with my dog.

What does your workspace setup look like?
I have a home office. And (despite what you usually hear people say) it works really well for me! Once or twice a week I go to a café for a few hours if I need a change of scenery. I like to meet friends to co-work too or go to a co-working space. That’s also a great opportunity for me to network.



What is your best advice for productive academic work?
Can I offer three? 😊
The first (and most important one) would be to reflect on what works for you and start tweaking your work habits from there. If writing daily doesn’t work for you, don’t force yourself to do it. If you aren’t a morning person, don’t set your alarm for 5am. Find out instead when and under which circumstances you work well and go from there. I know from my own experience that it can be incredibly hard to break free from the norms around e.g. working early in the day and in your office. But it’s worth it!

The second one would be to make sure that what you spend your time doing every day is aligned with your overall goals. It’s easy as an academic to get stuck in admin tasks and departmental meetings while what’s actually moving your career forward would be discussing data with your lab members, publishing papers and winning grants.

And my third piece of advice is: Theme your days! If you know that you’re doing all admin tasks on a Friday, you don’t need to stress (or even think) about them on a Monday or Wednesday. And conversely, if Monday and Tuesday are your writing days, protect them and don’t schedule any meetings then. This approach has made such a difference for my productivity!

How do you keep an overview of projects and tasks?
Here’s my system: Every week on a Friday, I look at my calendar for the upcoming week and my task list. Based on this, I create to-do lists for each day of the week. At the end of each day, I review and adjust the list for the next day.
I like using pen and paper for these daily lists – checking off items is more fun this way 😊 I also keep some space there for notes and thoughts that come up during the day. Once it’s Friday, I review all those notes, and either take action or file them in the appropriate place, e.g. as a task in my general task list.

If I need to keep track on the progress of bigger projects, I use Trello in parallel.

Besides phone and computer, do you use other technological tools in work and daily life?
I have an eBook reader but that’s it.

Which skill makes you stand out as an academic?
Writing (perhaps not so surprisingly) 😊

What do you listen to when you work?
The snoring of my dog 😃 All joking aside, I need it to be quiet when I’m editing or reviewing a client’s paper or proposal. When I’m doing tasks that don’t require such focus, I like to listen to music – for example to a German radio station called “byte.fm” to check out indie pop/rock music that has been released.

What are you currently reading? How do you find time for reading?
I’m currently reading “Why we sleep” by Matthew Walker (as an audio book) and “The people in the trees” by Hanya Yanagihara. I like both! I read the most when I travel but am now trying to read at least half an hour before going to bed. Listening to audio books is easier for me because I’m out walking with my dog a lot. Apart from audiobooks I also listen to a ton of podcasts.

Are you more of an introvert or extrovert? How does this influence your working habits?
I’m an introvert – in the meaning of that I recharge when I’m on my own. I still like to socialise and am generally not shy around people, but it takes energy from me. This is probably why it suits me so well to work from home on my own – I feel like this way I can be the most productive.

What's your sleep routine like?
Since starting to read “Why we sleep” (see my answer to question #9), I’ve realised how important sleep is and that’s why I’ve started to prioritise it. I go to bed somewhere around 10-12pm and don’t set an alarm for the next morning. I typically wake up at 7:30am on my own.

What's your work routine like?
I’m a big proponent of working fewer hours and using them as productively as possible. I typically work for six hours every day – from midday until 6PM. I have quite an extensive morning routine that includes journaling, learning a language (currently Czech), meditating and exercise. I also do any household chores in the mornings and walk, play with and train my dog.

What's the best advice you ever received?
Trust yourself!

Are we sleeping enough?

I recently read "Why we sleep" by Matthew Walker, and it reminded me of how important sleep is, and how devastating sleeping just a little bit less than what we need can already be. As a mom of a toddler who still doesn't sleep through the night, it's difficult to prioritize sleep - but I've been making sleep more of a priority. Sleep now wins over working my split shift.



To know who else is "with me" on this, and makes sleep a top priority, I ran a poll (and as I mention in the wake below, I've started setting an alarm at night to go to bed - which is so far not always a success, but I'm working on it!):

I am Ayesha Scott, and This is How I Work

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Ayesha Scott. Dr Scott joined the AUT Business School, Finance Department in October 2016. She obtained her PhD in Financial Econometrics in July 2016 from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia, and has undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Finance. She is an interdisciplinary researcher, with an agenda that spans violence against women, empirical finance, personal finance and financial econometrics. Her work (particularly on KiwiSaver and personal finance) has generated media interest within Aotearoa New Zealand, and you will find her commentary in outlets such as the NZ Herald and stuff.co.nz. Passionate about healthy financial relationships, Ayesha has ongoing projects exploring the impact of financial and economic abuse in the context of intimate partnerships. This is a critical social issue that must be addressed in NZ and internationally, and her current work aims to give voice to women facing this evasive, invasive and poorly understood form of intimate partner violence.
Ayesha is also interested in the personal financial literacy and capability of New Zealanders, including vulnerable populations, and how we might improve the financial fitness of individuals. Poor financial literacy (knowledge of financial concepts) and capability (the ability to use that knowledge to make better decisions) has a significantly negative social and economic impact on a nation, both in terms of the macro economy and individual welfare.

Broadly, her doctoral research focused on the volatility and correlation dynamics of financial assets such as stocks. The near-continuous flow of price and trade data of financial assets presents researchers with opportunities, as well as unique challenges, to capture the return dynamics of these assets individually and as a group. Such models may lead to insights regarding optimal portfolio allocation decisions, information that will directly benefit investors.”

General:
Current Job: Senior Lecturer – Finance (equivalent of Associate Professor in the US system) at Auckland University of Technology
Current Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Current mobile device: Samsung J-series – don’t ask me what model. Not the most recent one!
Current computer: Work provided HP Elitebook

Can you briefly explain your current situation and research to us?
I am a permanent academic faculty member (equivalent of a tenured Associate Prof in the US system), mother of two children (7 and 5 years old – yes, I had them during my PhD) and my husband is the primary carer. My secret weapon is without doubt the support of my husband, who works part-time at the kids’ school, and is otherwise a stay-at-home dad.

My research is eclectic. I have projects spanning intimate partner violence, personal finance, empirical finance, corporate finance…the project closest to my heart is financial violence, which is the use of money as a weapon against a romantic partner. Predominantly gender-based violence, financial and economic abuse (financial violence) has devastating consequences on families, and my work is focussed on theorising solutions, raising awareness and telling the stories of survivors.

What tools, apps and software are essential to your workflow?
For planning (aka keeping ALL the balls in the air): My bullet journal and Microsoft Outlook calendar
For writing: Word or Scrivener, depending on the project and team
For storage: OneDrive/Dropbox, depending on the collaborator
For data analysis: Matlab, Stata or NVivo, depending on the project
For music: Spotify

What does your workspace setup look like?
Ha! Messy! I am in a perpetual state of flux for this one. I do the work primarily from my office on campus (photo below), because I adore having a double monitor with the option of a third if I open my laptop screen (in the photo this is being used as additional desk space). What you can’t see is the bed, couch and home office I work from at home, the yoga mat in my campus office when I want to lie down and read, or the pile of random paper on a chair behind my desk chair that is my quick version of ‘tidying’ my desk. This ‘tidying’ helps my desk stay relatively operational, and I can’t see the mess 😉
The wall behind my computer monitor is covered in art from my kids, photos of those kids, thank you cards and inspirational quotes.



What is your best advice for productive academic work?
Do what you love. I have been extremely fortunate to land in a department at a university in a country that supports research that matters, and I have been able to transition from a solely quantitative researcher (my PhD is in Financial Econometrics) to a qualitative researcher focusing on personal finance and financial violence in romantic relationships. In an environment where everything we do is judged (students grade our teaching, peers review our research) and we face a ton of critique and rejection, it makes productivity much easier when you believe in the work you are doing.

How do you keep an overview of projects and tasks?
Lists, both handwritten and digital – I keep a bullet journal and schedule EVERYTHING in my calendar. As I go through my day, I update my calendar to reflect how long tasks actually take so I can adjust my expectations in the future. In terms of longer-term goals, I set weekly goals that build toward my semester/quarterly goals.

Besides phone and computer, do you use other technological tools in work and daily life?
I use a dictaphone if the words/ideas aren’t flowing and firmly believe when typing and talking don’t work, a pen and paper will help. An external hard drive automatically backs up my work while I’m sitting at my office desk.

Which skill makes you stand out as an academic?
I would love to put “professional dot connector” on my CV! Seriously, I enjoy building quality relationships with people and believe this is a skill that allows me to work efficiently and effectively across teaching, research and service.

8. What do you listen to when you work?
Spotify’s Morning Motivation playlist gets me through admin tasks, email and teaching prep, if I’m writing then something instrumental. I do try to branch out occasionally, but quickly realise I am a creature of habit! If I’m working on something in particular, I have been known to play one song on repeat.

What are you currently reading? How do you find time for reading?
I have been on a personal development binge this year, and just finished Atomic Habits by James Clear and The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll. I rarely read one book at a time, I have at least two on the go at any one time. In terms of finding time, I have prioritised my mental health this year and part of that is making myself read non-academic work. I listen to audio books on my walk to work (30 minutes) and read before I go to sleep.
In terms of fiction, I adore romance novels – these tend to be quick reads for me and are pure escapism.

Are you more of an introvert or extrovert? How does this influence your working habits?
I’m an omnivert, for sure, meaning I am 50/50 and it depends on the situation, but as I get older I am becoming more introverted. I teach on large courses, meaning in a given week 650 undergrad students have access to me, not including my teaching team and postgraduate students. To protect my energy, I either wake up early and leave the house before my kids are up and about, or sleep in and cuddle them until we all have to get moving. Whichever happens, the first two hours of my day has to have quiet!

What's your sleep routine like?
I aim for 8 hours and probably get 7.5 on average. I really like getting to sleep before 10 pm and try to wake early (before 6 am), but this is a continual work in progress…I don’t make myself get out of bed before 7 if I’ve had a rubbish sleep, unless I have an appointment early.

What's your work routine like?
Coffee (yes, this is work!), check in with my bullet journal, research if a non-teaching day, teaching prep or meetings if a teaching day – I would love to be one of these people who doesn’t check email until 12noon, but it is unrealistic for me as I have things crop up organically that can take a day in a different direction (research students are great for needing help at random times – and I have an open door policy). I also don’t try to force myself to work on a project if I simply am not feeling it, my energy is sometimes best directed at something different.
I do try to lump my meetings onto teaching days, to try and retain big chunks of time for research days that are flexible. Not always possible, but I try!

What's the best advice you ever received?
That academia is the best job in the world – use the flexibility to your advantage. I’m not sure I do this as well as I could, but it is something I am striving for.

Interviewing and Hiring Practices in Brazilian Academia: Proposals Towards Improvement

My coauthors and I just published a paper titled "Interviewing and Hiring Practices in Brazilian Academia: Proposals Towards Improvement". It's open access, so you can read the full text here.
You can read my blog post about the preprint here.

The abstract is:
Though Brazilian academia claims equality, the sector has largely been referred to as non-meritocratic, and academic hiring is still inward-oriented. The Lattes platform, a public curricular information system, reflects elements of this protectionism. This article assesses two ‘obsessions’ in Brazilian academia: the ‘mandatory’ Lattes CV, and the assessment criteria and procedures in public tenders for faculty positions. The current situation is introduced to the reader, and the shortcomings of these methods and their effect on academia in Brazil are analyzed. The following improvements are proposed: (1) evaluations in public tenders based on a candidate’s CV, interview, and a sample lecture, (2) removing the Lattes CV as a mandatory format, and (3) using platforms such as Microsoft Academic, Google Scholar, ORCID or ResearcherID for curricular information. With these recommendations, Brazil can move towards a more open and international-oriented academic hiring system.

On napping

I've been thinking about the topic of napping lately. As I was reading Rest by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, which shows that high-achievers in the past built naps into their daily schedules, and later Why we sleep by Matthew Walker, which also shows the benefits of naps, I wonder why it is not commonly accepted to get some shut-eye during the day.

My father was a brilliant surgeon, with the workload associated which such a career, and still he found the time each day to return home for lunch and then a nap. I always think of him and how he managed to arrange his time in function of what he needed to perform, and what I could learn from that. And since he become ill when I was a teenager, I need to rely on those memories to try to understand better who he was, and by extent, understand myself better.

Here are the links to the two books I mentioned





And here is a poll I recently ran on the topic. Clearly, the majority naps - mostly every now and then, which seems to strengthen my idea that it should be ok to nap at work during the day.

I am Jack Whitter-Jones, and This is How I Work

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jack Whitter-Jones. Jack is a PhD Student and part time lecturer at the University of South Wales, where he researches Security Operations which encompasses Cyber Security, Machine Learning and Automation. During term time you can find Jack teaching secure web programming and application security, all of which revolve around the wonderful programming language PHP. While a PhD takes up a substantial amount of time, Jack is currently one of three organisers of BSides Cymru which is the first security conference in Wales. With any remaining down time he may have, he also carries out independent security research focusing on programming, machine learning, reverse engineering and general security topics, all of which can be found at his blog.

General
Current Job: PhD Student/Part-Time lecturer
Current Location: University of South Wales
Current mobile device: Android
Current computer: Macbook Pro

Can you briefly explain your current situation and research to us?
I am a PhD Student in the brilliant University of South Wales, where my field of research focuses on Security Operations within Cyber Security. The overall aim of my PhD is to use automation and machine learning to improve log analysis as to help reduce stress of cyber operators in their daily operations.

What tools, apps and software are essential to your workflow?
My Macbook Pro, Mendeley, Visio, Word, Emacs, a Desktop and four screens

What does your workspace setup look like?
I am provided a wonderful desk which holds all the screens that can fit under the sun. Along with two plants and a great desk lamp, that has different modes to reduce the constant white light.

What is your best advice for productive academic work?
The best advice that I have been given is by my supervisor - take breaks regularly. A week long break is better than trying to force yourself out of a slump or writers block, which is going to demotivate or set you back by four weeks.
The best advice that I have learnt is, talk to your co-workers and reach out to people within your field. Everyone wants to talk about research and all the cool things that go along with it.

How do you keep an overview of projects and tasks?
Regular meetings with my supervision team and also employ a project management style to your workload (they were made for this reason).

Besides phone and computer, do you use other technological tools in work and daily life?
Looking at your phone or computer can be tiresome when reading long pdfs and can tether you to your desk. A kindle is the perfect device to go outside and do research.

Which skill makes you stand out as an academic?
It isn’t much of a skill, more so a willingness to speak to anyone, as a PhD can be a lonely experience at times. Speaking to people in your daily life will help with motivation, happiness, building a support network and you meet lots of interesting people along the way.

What do you listen to when you work?
Metal, trance and songs from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

What are you currently reading? How do you find time for reading?
Currently, I am reading: A Guide to Effective Studying and Learning: Practical Strategies from the Science of Learning.

What's your sleep routine like?
I try and get as much as I can, knowing that the end of my PhD is going to be long. But I would recommend anyone that is interested in sleep to check out Matthew Walker.

What's the best advice you ever received?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help or say you don’t know something.

I am Zaira Arvelo, and This is How I Work

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Zaira R. Arvelo Alicea. Zaira told me the following about herself: "Life was also thrilling before becoming a small business owner. I had served as teaching assistant, online curriculum developer, and research assistant at Purdue University and the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez for around 8 years. In addition, I had worked as assistant professor at the English Department’s Teacher Preparation program at the University of Puerto Rico in Aguadilla for 4 years. All in all, I had accumulated more than a decade of academic publishing, presenting, and grant writing/managing. You could say I had mastered the academic genres coveted by scientific journals and major organizations related to Literacy and Language, my specialty area. But I had SO much more to learn about how the real world communicates, how to reach wider audiences, communicate in lay terms, and connect with non academics. That’s what I’m here to do: help others with their oral and written communication bringing insight from academia and the business world. The mission of Professional Writing and Development is to use language and training to connect people to their goals. I provide writing, style and grammar editing, as well as English-Spanish translation services for academics, professionals, and small to medium sized businesses. Plus, I facilitate online and face-to-face English and professional communication training for busy people. Simply put, I can be your alley and personal editor in dissertation work, manuscripts, professional site, among others."

General:
Current Job: Proprietor
Current Location: Puerto Rico
Current mobile device: Android
Current computer: Chromebook and Windows Desktop

Can you briefly explain your current situation and research to us?
I am a former full time adjunct assistant professor of English at the University of Puerto Rico’s Teacher Preparation Program who now owns a small business specializing in language services and training. My research has centered on the intersection of literacy and social skills. My research background is in mixed methods research in education.

What tools, apps and software are essential to your workflow?
As an academic and researcher the Microsoft Office Suite, Zotero Plugin, and research software like Nvivo in a powerful computer were a must. As a business owner, my mobile and Chromebook are my weapons of choice. I need access to my business data 24/7 and the long lasting battery provided by this light laptop. Because I can work from anywhere, I prefer using the Google Suite as it syncs across devices. Since I host a YouTube channel where I teach English pronunciation, I still need a powerful desktop from which to run open access software like OpenShot and Audacity. I also rely on a GoPro, and a desk microphone with amplifier. I have an automated electronic store operated with WooCommerce, a blog in WordPress, and a newsletter with MailChimp.

What does your workspace setup look like?
I used to have a neat setup at my former home office until the wall of 6 feet of water brought by hurricane María drowned it all. Now, I alternate between different spaces in a 1 bedroom apartment. I have a tall bar area where I work from my laptop standing up, a yoga ball and folding table in front of a large glass window where I sit, and a dorm like wooden desk where I keep my PC and recording equipment.

What is your best advice for productive academic work?
Scheduling and setting boundaries. Take time to separate spots (or blocks) to work towards writing goals, teaching prep, grading, etc. Establish healthy boundaries like no more committee work, no more than x amount of credits, no work or emails during the weekends. Reward yourself for each small victory. No one is going to do it for you.

How do you keep an overview of projects and tasks?
I used color coded Google Calendar entries, spreadsheets with road maps and red, yellow, green for task status, digital protocols and marketing plans where again I color code the progress of campaigns or products. I also love having interactive checklists like those provided by Google Keep.

Besides phone and computer, do you use other technological tools in work and daily life?
Yes, GoPro, desk microphone, and lapel mic for on the road recording.

Which skill makes you stand out as an academic?
Versatility to think like an academic but speak and write like a real-world person.

What do you listen to when you work?
Ha! Anything from new age to cumbia and rock del patio in English and Spanish.

What are you currently reading? How do you find time for reading?
Mostly online mainstream news outlets being that I am in Puerto Rico witnessing an unprecedented social and political movement.

Are you more of an introvert or extrovert? How does this influence your working habits?
Extrovert. I can work from anywhere and accept these new challenges of owning a business. Unexpected yet crucial tasks pop up every other day and must be solved nearly immediately. Sometimes they include reaching out to lawyers and accountants, other times they entail doing a pitch with a very tight notice.

What's your sleep routine like?
I NEVER pulled all nighters as an academic. My six to eight hours of sleep are sacred. If broken, is certainly not for academic work but for my business or nonprofit contributions.

What's your work routine like?
Depends on the month and the week. I cater to varied audiences and each one has high and low seasons. For example, March is dissertation season with graduate students and there’s lots of editing to be done. November is admission season and undergrads need mentoring in their documentation package. December is seasonal job palooza and mainstream clients need help with their professional documentation.

What's the best advice you ever received?
Always ask “Why me?” when prompted to do voluntary work. And follow up with “Who else have you approached?”. As a Latina scholar, you need to make sure it is your expertise and not your ethnic background they want.

I am Hanan Hindy, and This is How I Work

Today, I have the pleasure of inviting Hanan Hindy in the "How I Work" series. Hanan is a second-year PhD student in the Division of Cyber-Security at Abertay University, Scotland, UK. Her research focuses on Deep Learning usage for Cyber-Security, specifically Intrusion Detection Systems. Hanan holds a bachelor with honours (2012) and a masters (2016) degree in Computer Science from the Faculty of Computer and Information Sciences at Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. In addition to her research, Hanan has five year teaching experience at various levels and prides herself in helping students explore new subjects in computer science. Check her website here.

General:
Current Job: PhD Student, Division of Cyber-Security, Abertay University
Current Location: Dundee, Scotland
Current mobile device: iPhone 8
Current computer: Dell XPS

Can you briefly explain your current situation and research to us?
I am currently a second year full-time PhD student at Abertay University. I am working on how Machine Learning (ML) can be utilised for building Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS). I am interested in applying new ML techniques to special-purpose networks IDS (i.e. IoT, SCADA, etc.) and how they are different from general-purpose ones.

What tools, apps and software are essential to your workflow?
Python, LaTeX/Overleaf, Email and Calendar app (currently Outlook), GoogleDrive and a Web browser, of course!

What does your workspace setup look like?
I usually have my laptop side-by-side with my notebook(s) and different colour pens and highlighters. Sometimes I use colour-codes but just using different pens help me concentrate. My headphone is a plus.
I tend to work from the University Graduate School office.



What is your best advice for productive academic work?
Keeping a work routine, not in a bad way but fixing working hours, breaks, etc. I strongly believe in this quote "Long-term consistency trumps short term intensity"

How do you keep an overview of projects and tasks?
To-do list, sometimes pen and paper (it feels good to strike off things that are finished)

Which skill makes you stand out as an academic?
Generally, perseverance that is led by the motivation of having an impact.
In terms of teaching, having the ability to communicate the same piece of information to different learning styles.

What do you listen to when you work?
It depends, sometimes silence is the key to concentration but my playlist has a variety of classical and instrumental music. When I miss home, I either listen to an Egyptian radio stream or Arabic hymns.

Are you more of an introvert or extrovert?
A mix of both, I think; which is helpful to keep going. My introvert side helps me stay focused and get the work done with minimal distractions, while my extrovert side recharges my energy and keeps my sanity.

What's your sleep routine like?
I don't have a fixed routine, but I don’t sleep before midnight and usually wake-up by 8.

What's your work routine like?
I work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. I tend not to work over weekends, however, when I’m too excited to finish something I do work late evenings and/or weekends.

What's the best advice you ever received?
Appreciate your smallest achievements

I am Clayton Mansel, and This is How I Work

Today, I am interviewing Clayton Mansel, an undergraduate student in molecular biology, in the "How I Work" series. Next summer, he plans to apply to MD/PhD programs and pursue a career as a pediatric neurologist. He's also a writer at student-scientist.com where he writes about the tools he uses, his experience as a budding scientist, and science in general. In his free time, Clayton enjoys reading, photography, and playing the french horn.

Current Job: Student
Current Location: Kansas City, MO
Current mobile device: iPhone 7
Current computer: MacBook Pro 13 inch

Can you briefly explain your current situation and research to us?
I go to school at a small liberal arts college where I have the opportunity to lead research projects on my own. In the lab, I study the molecular mechanisms of tributyltin-mediated neurodegeneration in mouse enteric neurons.

What tools, apps and software are essential to your workflow?
There are so many! On my Mac, I use DEVONthink as an ‘everything bucket’ where I store all types of files and organize them using folders and tags. My favorite feature is that it automatically makes every PDF (e.g., research articles) fully searchable and uses AI to categorize and contextualize them. For writing papers, MindNode 6 is my must-have app where I take notes, organize my thoughts, and build a mind map for my paper. For collaboration, Notion has proven to be crucial to my lab’s workflow as we organize our tasks and lab calendar.

What is your best advice for productive academic work?
Find long chunks of time for focus without distractions. For me, it usually takes 30 min without distractions before I even begin to be productive and do meaningful work. Cal Newport wrote about this in his book ‘Deep Work’.

How do you keep an overview of projects and tasks?
I use Things 3 to organize my tasks and projects. But often I will also just write a little ‘hit list’ at the end of the day on sticky note and stick it to my computer monitor to remind me of my next steps the next day. For long term goals and my mission/values, I use Notion which gives me a blank slate to think carefully about what I am doing and where I am going.

Besides phone and computer, do you use other technological tools in work and daily life?
I use an iPad Pro that my school gives every student. I really enjoy it for taking digital notes and reading/marking up PDFs. I also use apps like Concepts which provides an infinite canvas—great for brainstorming. I think the iPad is a great companion device for students, but still not as important as a phone and computer.

Which skill makes you stand out as an academic?
My ability to use technology to make myself more efficient and effective. I have learned over the years how to make technology work for me, not against me, and that is something that has differentiated myself as an academic. As one example, I took the time to learn every feature in Apple’s excellent Keynote (like powerpoint) application, and now when I do presentations, people are always impressed and engaged and ask me how I made certain elements. When it comes to technology, I am usually one step ahead of everyone. (Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about math and statistics!)

What are you currently reading? How do you find time for reading?
I am currently reading ‘Economics for the Common Good’ by Nobel Prize winner Jean Tirole. To find the time, I use a Kindle and the Kindle app because I believe it greatly reduces the friction to reading. With the Kindle, I can highlight and take notes and purchase and download new books in seconds. I put the Kindle app on the home screen of my iPhone, and whenever I have a few minutes, I’ll just pull out whichever book I’m reading and my progress is automatically synced across devices. One of my favorite facts is that reading just 30 minutes a day equates to over 1,000 books read in an average person’s lifetime—I want to die having read 1,000 books!

What's the best advice you ever received?
I don’t know about best ever received, but advice that has really helped me this summer was ‘you can’t do anything wrong’. This advice has really given me the confidence to try new things at the bench and take risks in my research. Mistakes are completely fine and pave the way to success.

PhD Talk for AcademicTransfer: Creative thinking for the 21st century

This post is part of the series PhD Talk for AcademicTransfer: posts written for the Dutch academic career network AcademicTransfer, your go-to resource for all research positions in the Netherlands.

These posts are sponsored by AcademicTransfer, and tailored to those of you interested in pursuing a research position in the Netherlands.

If these posts raise your interest in working as a researcher in the Netherlands, even better - and feel free to fire away any questions you might have on this topic!

One look at any news website will teach you this: we are facing major challenges over the next decades of the 21st century. Global warming research shows a bleak and unstable future ahead. Nonrenewable resources will be depleted. Increasing human population on this planet will place even a larger demand on the resources of the planet...

While some countries are taking the lead to move towards a circular economy in the low-carbon and most likely degrowth era, the global community and political leaders are hesitant to flip the switch and change the status quo.

Now, you may wonder if Auntie Eva is on a political rant today. Don't worry - I am here to raise awareness on how you as a researcher can use your creative skills to make a small contribution to what the 21st century will look like. Regardless of your field of study, you can contribute. If you are a full professor, not shackled by tenure restraints, I would like to invite you to set aside part of your time to work on tackling these big challenges. Climate scientist, political scientist, engineer, psychologist - your point of view is necessary, and I firmly believe that we will need interdisciplinary solutions to solve the challenges ahead.

It's unlikely that you will wake up tomorrow with The Idea that will solve one of the major issues. But with deliberate practice, and setting aside time frequently to think about how you can contribute, we may all inch forward to solutions. Here is what you can do on a regular basis to use your creative thinking for the greater good:

1. Look at the bigger picture
Place your research in the bigger picture. Besides your field, where else could your methods be applied? Can your research results be turned into policy recommendations? Which greater good does your research serve, and how can you make sure the outcome of your research will actually be set to work?

2. Serve locally
Be active in your community. Don't try to be Professor-Messiah, but see how you can gain the trust of a larger group of people around you. Can you help them understand popular science claims in the news, or debunk a fake science article that is going viral on social media? See how you can put your knowledge to work at the local level, and inspire those around you.

3. Serve in committees and working groups
At a professional level, see if you can join interdisciplinary working groups or committees, where you brainstorm together on how to tackle bigger problems. You can work together with colleagues at your institution to see how to reduce the footprint of your institution as a whole. You can work in local groups, to see how you as a team can come up with solutions for pressing issues at a local and/or national level.

4. Read broadly
Be informed about the state of the world. Read broadly about topics related only tangentially to your research. Remember that reading sparks creativity - you may get a good idea to combine your work with something from another discipline. Use smaller side projects to explore different possibilities for interdisciplinary solutions.

5. Educate
Serve those around you and your students by educating them and, if necessary, help them trust science and scientists again. See if you can educate at different levels - by visiting schools, writing blog posts about topics related to science, or by giving a well-funded perspective at a speaking opportunity.

6. Link your research to the sustainable development goals
If you want to better frame your research in the recommended pathways for the future, check how your work can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN. Read about the goals, and think about how you can frame your work within these goals, and how you can contribute to sustainable development through your research.

7. Question the status quo
Things don't have to remain the same forever. Question the choices we make because "everybody else does this" or because "I've always done things like this". You don't need to work on the same research topic your entire life. You can explore more interdisciplinary collaborations to see if you find that this work gives you more satisfaction and leads to more actionable items. You can question the way your institution uses natural resources. You can prod politicians about the decisions they have made in the past and continue to support. Keep a fresh mind and stay creative - at all levels.

Favorite social media platform for research

I recently ran a poll on Twitter about social media platforms for research. For a long time, I kept both my ResearchGate and Academia.edu profiles up to date, but I always preferred the interface of ResearchGate, even though I've had my Academia.edu for a longer time. I wondered if this is just a matter of personal taste, so I ran this poll and learned that for many researchers, Twitter has everything we need. The winning platform of the poll was ResearchGate, and it looks like Academia.edu is pretty much abandoned.

Here's the poll and its wake:

I am Steve Tippins, and This is How I Work

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Steve Tippins. Steve has worked for insurance companies and banks and done consulting for numerous firms, both for profit and not-for-profit. He has been a professor in various forms for 30 years. His true passion lies in helping people achieve their goals.
In graduate school, at Florida State University, he was the only student in a new degree program. All of his classes were one-on-one. He is well aware of the lonely journey of a PhD student. After graduate school he worked at Indiana State University for one year then 10 years at Howard University followed by 9 years at Roosevelt University and 6 years at the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse. He also worked for Walden University for the last 15 years and spent 4 years on the graduate faculty at NorthCentral University. He has broad experience at both traditional and online schools. He has been granted tenure twice and promoted several times. Holds a Professor Emeritus position at Howard University. Been a Department Chair and served on many search committees and promotion and tenure committees. Steve has published over 50 times in academic journals and presented at many conferences. He has written one book that was translated into Japanese. He has Chaired over 80 dissertation committees. With these accomplishments his biggest joy is in working one-on-one with individuals at beyondphdcoaching.com. He enjoys helping people define their goals both related to school and after school and setting up programs and plans to help them get there.

General:
Current Job: Owner/Coach at www.beyondphdcoaching.com and Contributing Faculty at Walden University
Current Location: Eugene, OR
Current mobile device: Iphone 6
Current computer: Macbook - I don't like it as I prefer to be hardwired to the internet yet there is only one port for connecting. There are after market devices that accept the internet connection and the power adapter but they tend to break easily

Can you briefly explain your current situation and research to us?
I currently teach online and coach doctoral students and recent PhD graduates about their careers. Five years ago we had the chance to move to Costa Rica so I resigned from my job at the University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse. After 3 years of Costa Rican life (we really enjoyed it) my wife decided to get a graduate degree in Marriage and Family Therapy so we moved to Eugene. I miss the classroom but I love working with my coaching clients and helping them reach their goals.

What tools, apps and software are essential to your workflow?
The Microsoft suite of programs, my website, and coaching management software (I am just installing this and hope that it really works out). The internet provides everything else that I need at this point.

What does your workspace setup look like?
My workspace is anywhere that I open my laptop. Most days I sit on the couch at home but have been known to work from a tent at a campground, in a coffee shop, or even in my car.

What is your best advice for productive academic work?
Keep at it! Knowledge grows in incremental steps and our work gets done in small pieces. If you get discouraged take a moment to see how far you have come instead of looking at how far you have to go.

How do you keep an overview of projects and tasks?
I am a big list maker and and calendar user. Everyday I look at what needs to be accomplished today, this week, and this month. I am a plodder, I like to get a little bit done every day instead of waiting until the last minute. I also like to be finished a few days before a deadline and let whatever it is sit for a day before I submit anything. That gives my mind a day to let it sit there and see if anything else arises.

Besides phone and computer, do you use other technological tools in work and daily life?
I am pretty much a Luddite, I find that my computer and phone are enough.

Which skill makes you stand out as an academic?
I have been successful taking complicated topics and making them easy for students to understand. As a researcher I figured out a long time ago the review is an outlet for just about anything and not to take the comments of reviewers personally. This has helped me move forward if an article gets rejected.

What do you listen to when you work?
I like Folk music and sometimes Classical or Rock. If I need to be creatively inspired the tight harmonies of the Indigo Girls always seem to help me.

What are you currently reading? How do you find time for reading?
I make sure that I read every night before I go to sleep. My wife and I have been reading to each other before we go to sleep for over 20 years. I find it helps us connect and sleep. On my own I am currently reading Decolonizing Wealth by Edgar Villanueva and a biography of Winston Churchill.

Are you more of an introvert or extrovert? How does this influence your working habits?
I am basically an introvert but in some situations have extrovert tendencies (usually not work related). I like to let ideas come to me so I need time alone to let this happen. I have come up with many ideas while running, biking, or wandering around. I find that I need to give myself space and then ideas/solutions come.

What's your sleep routine like?
I like to be in bed by 10:00 pm every night (many nights earlier) and am up by 5:30 am.

What's your work routine like?
I like to start work by 7:00 am and finish up by 2:00 pm if possible. I do set aside time for phone calls throughout the day.

What's the best advice you ever received?
"Take a moment to listen to your inner voice - you really know what you want"

PhD Talk for AcademicTransfer: How to find papers when you do your literature review

This post is part of the series PhD Talk for AcademicTransfer: posts written for the Dutch academic career network AcademicTransfer, your go-to resource for all research positions in the Netherlands.

These posts are sponsored by AcademicTransfer, and tailored to those of you interested in pursuing a research position in the Netherlands.

If these posts raise your interest in working as a researcher in the Netherlands, even better - and feel free to fire away any questions you might have on this topic!

When you start your literature review, you may feel intimidated by the quantity of work that you should go through. You may as well be worrying where to start in the first place.

In today's post, we look at different places where you can find (references to) papers that could be of your interest. Not all papers will eventually be equally important for your thesis. Depending on the article and its contents, you may simply browse the article for the main findings in less than 20 minutes, or you may sit down with the article for a week, pulling apart all its calculations and equations. But of course, you can't know how important a reference is until you find it and have a first look at it.

Here are nine different places where you can find (references to) papers that you may want to check:

1. Ask your supervisor where to start
If your supervisor gave you your thesis topic, he/she may already have a folder with information on the topic. Especially when you are hired on a funded project, your supervisor must have already been doing some preliminary work to write the proposal. Your first destination for your literature review is thus to ask your supervisor for references that can get you started.

2. Read up on the basics in a textbook
If you are new to a topic, there is no harm in reading a textbook. While a textbook may not have the depth and information of a journal article, it can provide you with the basic concepts that you need to understand to start reading in more detail. In addition to this information to get you started, textbooks also typically have extensive lists of references. You can check out these references and download the relevant articles.

3. References from the research proposal
If you're hired on a funded project, then the references to the research proposal are a good place to start familiarizing yourself with the work that supported the proposal in the first place. Download the references cited in the proposal so that you have all relevant background.

4. Find a good review paper on your topic
An excellent starting place for finding good references as well as getting a broad overview of your research topic, is by reading and analyzing a review paper on the topic. The references cited in the review paper can then be next up on your reading list.

5. Look for technical reports, theses, code documents etc
Don't limit yourself to research papers to find references to other papers. In technical reports and code documents on your topic, you can find important citations (as well information of practical value). When it comes to depth and extent of analytical work, nothing is as complete as a PhD thesis. Look for theses from students who worked on your topic, and see which references they cited.

6. Google Scholar
Google Scholar can help you find relevant articles by using the search function. In addition, you can subscribe to updates of colleagues in your field, so that you have the latest references accessible. Depending on the publisher of a journal paper, Google Scholar may also be faster in reporting a certain article in their database than other database, which can take up to 2 years to include an article.

7. Scopus
While Scopus has strong searching functions, and help with identifying the relative importance of a paper in its field with the published metrics, it may be slow in including articles (for my own publications, I have noticed it may take up to 2 years before an article is included).

8. ResearchGate
ResearchGate allows for "traditional" searching for publications, but it also allows you to do the following: 1) follow researchers in your field so you can see their updates, 2) follow research projects of other researchers to receive updates, and 3) interact by commenting on publications, asking questions, and sending direct messages.

9. References of papers
Just as for the list of references of a good review paper, the list of references of any paper you read can be a good starting point to find more papers to read. Make it a habit to carefully check the list of references and see which publications you have "missed" so far.

PhD Talk for AcademicTransfer: Defining thesis topics for undergraduate students

This post is part of the series PhD Talk for AcademicTransfer: posts written for the Dutch academic career network AcademicTransfer, your go-to resource for all research positions in the Netherlands.

These posts are sponsored by AcademicTransfer, and tailored to those of you interested in pursuing a research position in the Netherlands.

If these posts raise your interest in working as a researcher in the Netherlands, even better - and feel free to fire away any questions you might have on this topic!

Depending on the requirements of your institution, undergraduate students may need a thesis to graduate. In some institutions, the thesis is optional, and students can chose between an exam or a thesis.

If you are a new university professor, you may give overly ambitious topics to your undergraduate thesis students. Try to place yourself in their shoes before you try to simply plug a student in one of your research projects. While I do think including undergraduate these students in research projects can be very beneficial (for the project as well as for the student), you cannot simply shove off part of your research to an undergraduate student.

I have, by now, directed a number of undergraduate thesis projects at Universidad San Francisco de Quito (12 students have graduated under my supervision), and I can share my best advice with you here on how to define a good thesis topic for an undergraduate student.

1. Case study
Given the short duration of an undergraduate thesis, a case study can be an excellent topic for a thesis. If your student is planning to go to the industry after graduation, then a case study may serve his/her needs more than a research topic. You can identify a case that fits within your current research projects to keep the outcome related to your work, but it's not a must. Again, not every student should do / wants to do / needs to do a research project for their undergraduate thesis.

2. Well-defined research project
If you do want to venture into research with an undergraduate student, and you have talked through the options very well and clearly with your student, then you may find yourself in a enjoyable position. Nothing makes me as happy as seeing how students get a first taste of research when working on their undergraduate thesis. And for some students who continue in research, they may also have forever fond memories of working on research with you for the first time in their life.
So, if your students decides to take on a research-related topic for the undergraduate thesis, then you should keep in mind that the research question should be limited. When you come fresh out of your postdoc, give your student a research topic that does not require much additional skills beyond what he/she has learned so far, and work that you could finish in about 1 month if your student has a year to work on the undergraduate thesis.

3. Consider planning
Depending on your institution, the time period available for the undergraduate thesis project ranges between a few weeks and a year. Make sure you know the requirements well before you talk with your student about your planning. Know when your student will be defending (if there is a defense), and when preliminary and final documents need to be submitted.
Then, invite your student to identify the required tasks during the thesis period, and to make a planning. When he/she has a draft list of tasks and planning, sit together, and discuss the options and feasibility of the planning - your student does not know how to plan research yet.

4. Start writing early
As the undergraduate thesis report may be one of the first pieces of academic writing of your student, make sure he/she starts writing early. Request document at the beginning of the second half of the time period for the research, and give constructive feedback to the work of your student and his/her writing. Of course, you should already have a good idea of the work itself (I meet weekly for 30' with my thesis students to discuss progress), but it is in writing that certain things may capture your attention, and where you may find parts of the work that need strengthening.

5. Involve students in research before the final semester
If your institution only gives one semester or quarter for the undergraduate research project, you can invite students to work with you on a research-related topic already before the final semester. For some of the more extensive projects that I have worked on with my students, I have worked with them for up to 1,5 years. I invite them to see if they are interested in research in the first place, and if so, I try to work with them for a slightly longer amount of time. My goal here is not to overload students in terms of workload, but if we want to do experimental work, for example, the time it takes to import instrumentation is often very long, so that experiments are simply not an option for a 1-semester project. If we start to work earlier, we may be able to do something fun in the lab.

6. Consider their career plans
I've mentioned this advice already before: always talk with your student about their interests and their career plans. Our work as university professors is not to have a battalion of minions doing our research work for us. Our work is to guide young people on their career path: finding their interest and helping them sort out what they want to do after graduation. Don't limit your possible topics to elements of your research. Try to broaden your horizon and open up to a larger variety of topics.

7. Publishing?
I have published with my undergraduate students: conference papers, and I have a few papers in review of which the first author is a former undergraduate student. Publishing certainly is not a must. But if your student is interested in continuing studies after the undergrad years, then why not? Again, make sure your student understands the expectation and the extra workload this implies. And on your side, make sure you understand that you will need to teach your students how to write a paper. If both are clear on the expectations, then you can discuss if you should pursue this option.

I am Robert Lepenies, and This is How I Work

Today, I am interviewing Dr. Robert Lepenies in the "How I Work" series. Dr. Robert Lepenies is a research scientist at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research and a member of the Global Young Academy. He holds a Ph.D from the Hertie School of Governance, a MSc in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics, and a BA in PPE from the University of Oxford (The Queen's College). He works on the politics of nudging & on themes in the philosophy of the social sciences (economics), international political economy, and public policy. Currently, he is developing new projects related to the application of behavioral insights to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and on themes in water governance in the interdisciplinary environmental politics team of the UFZ.
He has held post-doctoral positions at the European University Institute (Max Weber Fellowship) and at the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB; Center for Global Constitutionalism). He held visiting fellowships at Yale University (Fulbright-Schuman Grant) and the FU Berlin. He taught politics at the ESCP Europe Business School Berlin and history of economic thought at the Hertie School of Governance Berlin in the MPP program, as well as a seminar in moral philosophy at the FU Berlin (Centre for Advanced Studies Justitia Amplificata and KFG The Transformative Power of Europe). Robert received the inaugural WIWA Young Scholars Award for Pluralism in Economics (2015), as well as the Mulert German Fulbright Association Award for Mutual Understanding (2016) and the A.SK Social Sciences Post-Doctoral Award (2016). He was the project manager of Global Colleagues (now concluded). He has three young kids.

General:
Current Job: Research Scientist (Post-Doctoral Level)
Current Location: Leipzig & Berlin, Germany
Current mobile device: Whatever is not broken
Current computer: MacBookProo

Can you briefly explain your current situation and research to us?
Employed as a fixed-term research scientist at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig where I work on the politics of evidence-based environmental policy & themes in the philosophy of the social sciences.

What tools, apps and software are essential to your workflow?
Mac, Mendeley, Word

What does your workspace setup look like?
All I need is my trusted MacBook Pro. And PDFs, lots and lots of pdfs.

What is your best advice for productive academic work?
Have kids. Seriously: after bringing them to school and before picking them up, I need to make my hours count. And for the long term I guess the standard response: write about something that you enjoy & that is meaningful (to you and others). Or write with someone you really like.

How do you keep an overview of projects and tasks?
Shared Google Calendars, Moleskin for more thorough notes. I use the snooze function of Gmail a lot.

Besides phone and computer, do you use other technological tools in work and daily life?
No, most are gimmicks that I try once and that do not last. Long term planning is key (I'm not great at it).

Which skill makes you stand out as an academic?
Interdisciplinarity and the attempt to have both: family life (which means exactly shared responsibility for chores and kids) and academic work/service

What do you listen to when you work?
Depending on how much sleep I've had: instrumental indie to Death Metal

What are you currently reading? How do you find time for reading?
I read mostly stories for my kids these days. Recently I've been reading some authors from the former GDR to try and understand East Germany better. I was bad in finding time for reading but now have reading plans (complete 1 non-work book bi-weekly or monthly)

Are you more of an introvert or extrovert? How does this influence your working habits?
Situational, as for most people. It's fine to be both: to be excited by seeing people, and to be getting tired from it.

What's your sleep routine like?
Too little (because of three kids under 6). But generally: Wake around 6.20, sleep around 12 pm if all goes well. I wish we had a work culture that was more permissive of naps during the day.

What's your work routine like?
Extremely hectic (because my wife and I both have careers). But fulfilling. I am grateful that my institution allows me to be flexible with when and how I work, but that also means that I feel the duty to put in extra hours...

What's the best advice you ever received?
Only take on projects with people you like.

How much of our time is spent on service?

I ran a poll to learn how much of our time is spent on service activities. I was surprised to learn that "more than 21%" is the answer that received most votes. In fact, for myself I thought it would be between 10 and 20%, but I calculated it based on my Toggle logs, and it's 31%. Certainly, since becoming editor in chief of a journal, editing and reviewing is taking a fair amount of my time.

You can find the poll and its wake here:

What does Open Science mean to me, and why is it important?

I was recently asked to record a snippet on Open Science, for the Open Science MOOC.

Here's the statement that I prepared to organize my thoughts (I ended up rephrasing this as I talked for the recording, but the idea is there):

I still have improvements to make bring more openness to the entire spectrum of my academic work, but in the past I have focused on sharing my work and the processes behind my work online. Especially for experimental work, I find it important to blog about what works and what doesn’t work in the lab, and I’ve advocated in the past to use blogs to reduce publication bias. I also always document all the calculations behind what you can find in my journal papers in background reports that are in the public domain.

Here, in South America, open access publishing has a long tradition, as journals are typically not in the hands of commercial publishers, but instead led by scholars and funded by universities or governments.

From my personal perspective, open science is important to be able to reproduce the work of other researchers, and to be able to move research forward in a more efficient manner.

From the perspective of a developing region, open science is important for getting access to the materials we need to do our research.

Favorite form of exercise

I ran a poll on Twitter to see what is academics' favorite form of exercise. By a small margin, cardio wins the poll.

Here's the wake of the poll:

When do we check and reply personal email?

I recently ran a poll about when we check and reply personal email. While I usually check personal email at work (it all comes together on my smartphone anyway), I usually reply my personal email (and blog-related email) in the evening. With a baby in the house, getting anything done in the evening is a challenge by times though.

From the poll, I learned that most people also reply their personal email at work. Here's the poll and its wake:

Preprints or not?

Since I've been publishing with authors who always upload preprints, I wonder if it is a common practice. I like the idea of a preprint, but on the other hand, I seem to be too lazy/overwhelmed/... to actually upload preprints of my work - so I rely on other to do so.

To map the practice of preprints better, I ran a poll on Twitter. Here are the results and its wake: