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. […]

Not that Kind of Network: Tales of Developing a National Reputation

Pipette Protagonist, PhD

Spoiler: It is never too early to start cultivating your professional reputation.

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The Edge for Scholars

The Edge is your source for candid insights about life in research. Show us some love and help get the message out. We strategize about how to do great science, stay productive, network effectively, mentor well and be mentored, negotiate for resources, get grants, refine writing and editing, cultivate leadership skills and achieve goals. Find your […]

Three essential steps to win a Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition

Judith Ford, PhD

Short talks, like the three minute thesis (3MT) require special skills. Learn tips from Dr Judy Ford who has trained students for 8 years.

IScientist 2019: A MeTooSTEM Perspective

Teresa Swanson, PhD

Science needs people to raise their voices, to refuse the status quo. Science needs people like you.

Donna Webb: Missing Out on a Genius Lunch Buddy

Fighty Squirrel, PhD, Awe.Some.

I thrive on people who are different than I am. And somewhere along the line I came to view myself as too busy to have lunch with anyone. Even the lunches I would have with trainees got pushed to the side in lieu of granola bars and yogurt.

Know the Vital Players in Your Career: Tenure-Track Peers

The Edge for Scholars

An assistant professor in the social sciences once described a group of tenure-track colleagues in his department as “the lamenting society.” Once a week they met for lunch to complain about, well, everything and everyone. At first, attendance at this conclave of the irate exhilarated him: He felt better knowing other people were as unhappy […]

Tools for Team Manuscript Preparation When the Data are In Hand

Liana Bruce, PhD

Here’s a map to get your best work out the door efficiently. It’s never too soon to plan the journey to a completed manuscript.

IScientist: A Conference for Revolution

Teresa Swanson, PhD

The brilliant organizers of IScientist have created a space for revolution.

How to Talk to People Who Don't Want to Talk to You

The Edge for Scholars

“You’re more interested in what you have to say than anyone else is,” said 60 Minutes’ Andy Rooney. Do any of these sound familiar? “I’m busy. Can you come back later?” “Thanks. We’ve got it covered.” “We don’t have the budget for that.” You’ve probably heard all the above: par for the course when trying […]