In the article Philipp argues that despite the fact that the majority of PhD students will never lead their own research groups, the academic career route is still regarded as the default path for students.
The article, meant as a call to action, advocates pushing for a shift in the academic culture, and Philipp suggests several actions that individuals, and the community at large, can take to move away from a culture that treats non-academic jobs as “alternatives”, or even, “failures”. Such suggestions include the cultivation of a supportive environment that recognises that there are plenty of other jobs besides being a group leader in which an individual student might be happier and more successful. Additionally, he suggests that there is a responsibility of students and supervisors alike to raise awareness for and provide information about other careers, so that students can make an informed decision about their professional future.
Importantly, Philipp notes that such a change “can only be achieved if many individuals change their thinking and behavior”, prompting him to reach out to the Career Column at Nature to publish his views. The article has already been shared over 5,000 times on social media.
Please find Philipp’s article at: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05838-y
Read more about Philipp and his academic work.
Written by Derek Xu (@derekcxu)