The Emerging Scientist Holiday Gift Guide

The Edge for Scholars

Not sure what book to get for the academic in your life this holiday season? With the huge amount of literature available, it’s often hard to decide what material would be the most beneficial to up-and-coming scientists. Fortunately, I’ve done the hard work for you this week at The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) Annual Meeting […]

When the Help You Get Isn't Helpful

Rebecca Helton, MA

Have you ever received unsolicited, off-target advice? Some people just instinctually offer solutions when they see someone in need. But what if their understanding of what’s wrong is, quite frankly, wrong? Should you politely listen, or can you help them help you? From the Harvard Business Review: When the Help You Get Isn’t Helpful

Hate Small Talk? These 5 Questions Will Help You Work Any Room

The Edge for Scholars

Do you love going to events, but find yourself stranded during happy hour, tongue-tied and tucked in a corner? Initiating and maintaining conversations while networking is a necessary skill, and one you can easily improve with these simple tips. Mastering small talk will help you find common ground to create a mini-bond with new contacts. […]

Being Really You and Really Professional on Social Media

The Edge for Scholars

Is there a difference between what you’d post for your colleagues versus what you’d post for your group of close friends? Is censoring yourself on social media difficult for you to do? Do you try to filter yourself at all? These are all questions that Alice E. Marwick discusses in her Chronicle article, “In Defense […]

Six Sacrifices You Shouldn't Make for Work

The Edge for Scholars

If you routinely check your work email the moment you wake up and right before you go to bed at night, then you might have a problem. If you call in sick but are still are available on email, then you might have a problem. If you have ever responded to work emails while sitting […]

Yesterday I blew my chances at NOT saying “I’m sorry.”

Amy Palubinsky

A few weeks back, my mentor had us watch Amy Schumer’s parody video about women at the top of their respective fields continuously saying, “I’m sorry,” and then we talked about why it’s just not what you want or need to say. Well, yesterday morning I had my chances to prove that I took that […]

Prevent the Email Faux Pas That Gets You Fired: Read Send

Rebecca Helton, MA

Did you know that signing an email with “Sincerely” instead of “Best regards” can irrevocably alter your relationship with a colleague?  Or that “please” and “thank you” can be anything but polite? Although it’s now almost five years old, Send remains an invaluable guide to emailing appropriately to staff, superiors, friends and relatives.  Oh, and […]

A Sure Fire Way to Know What Your Boss Thinks About You

Fighty Squirrel, PhD, Awe.Some.

Step 1 of the 1 Step Sure Fire Way to Know What Your Boss Thinks About You is….. ASK! Sounds ridiculous, right? But there are countless people who spending sleepless nights worrying they aren’t doing enough, they are doing the wrong things, the wrong way while sporting bad hair. Stop freaking out. Open your computer, send a […]

Do You Have Mysterious Dragons in Your Research?

The Edge for Scholars

If my experience reading some of the world’s best (and worst) literature has taught me anything, it is that all of the best stories have dragons in them. O.K. – many of the best ones have dragons, or mention dragons, or contain some dragon-like concept. Whenever there is a dragon, or something  that could potentially represent […]

Office Hours in the Pool Hall

The Edge for Scholars

Teaching this semester?  Wondering about ways to connect to your students?  It might be time to try meeting them somewhere unusual. Holding office hours in different places helped me reach certain students, drive home points I had made in class, and get students to campus facilities they should know about,” writes John Soares. “I was […]