I am really delighted! Several days ago, I defended my Ph.D. thesis. One more significant period of my life is over. It is a perfect time to look back and analyze the achievements. I am well-qualified, very experienced in science and industry, with about 18 years just at the academic bench. I possess numerous practical and analytical skills. What is next?
Frankly speaking, my primary long-term objective is to establish a career in academia, teaching in the university while conducting my own research and supervising others. Fortunately, I preserved a high learning capability and a real longing for knowledge! So, I am looking for a postdoc position…
It seems that all my experiences are relevant to academic or industrial research. I am independent but very tolerant and capable of working as a team member. I still enjoy novel theoretical challenges and love serious problems’ solving. I even like mastering new lab equipment.
Of note, I have no regrets about being involved in various enterprises and spending two decades at the academic bench. I just did it my way! Moreover, I can look back over my life proudly and say that I fulfilled many of my youthful ambitions and even dreams. I just went out, tried, and sometimes won.
Still, I fear that it might be problematic to find a postdoc position! Have you heard about age discrimination in academia? Some people say that there is a predisposition at academic and industrial levels to reject candidates who are over 40 years old. And I am already 49 years old! I firmly believed that this is my benefit. However, it seems that it might be a severe weakness in my CV.
Has anyone experienced occasional issues/problems related to his/her “advanced” age? I mean, does the problem of ageism exist? Is it still possible to enter a graduate school, get a postdoc position, or be promoted for professorship after, let us say, the age of 50?
Congratulations! as it happens, I also successfully defended my PhD a few days ago, and I am also entering academia a bit later in life (in my case, after 25 years as a teacher). Good luck for the next stage – there is still plenty of time to go, and if you work at it, I am sure you can establish a strong academic CV and gain a top position.
I also entered research later in life after 30 years in clinical medicine. I choose not to get my PhD so I admire your focus and energy and effort in doing so. Congratulations on this high achievement! I think you will do great because of your drive focus and effort. I have no doubt that your will find what you are looking for since the neurobiology and neuroscience is advancing so rapidly and there is still so very much to be achieved and feel you will be there to advance our science and knowledge in this exciting field of study. YOU CAN and WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
HANG IN THER AND DO WHAT YOU ARE!
At the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia we are advancing research and in the process of building a large Next Generation facility with a focus on precision medicine! Surely other Universities are also expanding as well.
Universities are always wishing to expand their neuroscience programs and think you should keep an open mind and forge ahead. Unfortunately this COVID-19 has sort of stalled many research programs but once this Pandemic has passed and we can get back to some normalcy once again things will take off at fast pace.
M.R. (pete) Hayden, MD
University of Missouri School of Medicine
Columbia, Missouri USA
Thank you, Jonathan! It happens indeed. Definitely, there are black sheep in science…
I agree with you entirely. We still have many productive years of life ahead! Possibly…
Nevertheless, I meant, in fact, that it does not matter. What matters is how you feel your age in relation to your destiny. Some guys are waiting for retirement from the age of 50. In my opinion, they are already dead!
As human beings, I strongly believe that we have to be curious and interested in getting knowledge: knowledge, which helps to understand the external world, other people, and our own personality. Maybe, even, the purpose of life, eventually.
Moreover, I believe that only painstaking work and continuous education are the fundamental bases of progress. Moreover, frankly speaking, Jonathan, degrees, and titles are nothing against real Wisdom, which, in my opinion, is the thing that we must wish.
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