So you want to be a scientist?

Description

So You Want to Be a Scientist offers readers a glimpse into the job of being a research scientist. It is not intended to be a step-by-step how to book. Rather, it is intended to fill a hole in the education of most would-be scientists, addressing explicitly many issues that are rarely addressed directly in training programs. Starting with thoughts about how to decide whether youd want to pursue such a career (and if so, how to get started), the book works through some of the obvious topics relevant to a research profession (e.g. how to write a paper, give a talk, construct a grant proposal). It also examines less obvious, but equally important topics that are generally incorporated into a research education only by trial and error-e.g., thinking like a scientist, negotiating scientific politics, dealing with research ethics, and understanding social interactions. Chapters on the challenges and rewards of a career in research science include reflections on science as art and on the social responsibilities of s