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I am using the time wisely and, right now, I feel like I'm the lucky one

A key indicator of your ‘lab cred’ is whether people you’ve never met know who you are when you first meet them.

We'd only been given a few weeks to respond with our amended ms. If we missed the window, we'd have to start the submission process all over again.

Now is the time to make the most of getting published, even while unpaid.

In the game of science, we need to be calculated risk takers, consciously trying to get into scoring positions.

"Admit that sooner or later you need to be yourself when you're at work--and that's when you'll start to enjoy it."

The downtime between projects is a rare and precious momentary mental freedom.

Part of becoming a successful scientist is building up your own portfolio of ideas: experiments you'd love to do if you ever get the time (and money).

You are asked a particularly awkward question after your conference presentation. Do you: a) Blurt out 'I was afraid someone would ask that question.'

"Start to negotiate with your boss about your project aims, your workload, anything."

If you read things at face value and don't wise up to the hidden meanings in paper-speak, you might get left behind.

"If you can give a good account of why you did what you did, you are already a long way to winning your examiners over."

Fancy having a Ph.D. and not being able to get a job!

Whilst I deliberate on my next move, the view from this narrow ledge is interesting.

"You want your student to be able to turn the handle and watch at least some decent results slowly emerge."

We postdocs, all of us, live under the recurrent if not constant threat of a more or less major career meltdown; a run of bad luck can spell disaster.

"Scientists might be portrayed as geeks, but a successful one certainly has to be a people person."