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Now that #NHMRC grants are no longer under embargo, let me challenge some of the concepts of perceived 'success'
I'm grateful to have won a @TallpoppiesAIPS Tall Poppy Science Award & @HBPRCA Mid-Career Award in 2020
I also missed out on 8 grants & fellowships - yep 8!
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I'm grateful to have won a @TallpoppiesAIPS Tall Poppy Science Award & @HBPRCA Mid-Career Award in 2020
I also missed out on 8 grants & fellowships - yep 8!
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Yep - I missed out on 8 fellowships & grants from the @nhmrc (inc cat 6 Investigator grant), @heartfoundation (even after a great app & interview), & Viertel Foundation (again w great presentation & interview), amongst others
It was very disappointing
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It was very disappointing
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For me probably the worst is the time wasted that I wished I had used for something else (e.g. real research, exercise or sleep)
Although unsuccessful, my applications were the best ones I have written in my career, and I am very proud independently!
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(this is how I felt
)
Although unsuccessful, my applications were the best ones I have written in my career, and I am very proud independently!
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(this is how I felt
)
Success in science is relative and, for most scientists (like myself), research careers are not linear
It is literally a rollercoaster from having a grant rejected one day to getting a paper or award accepted the next
I know it hurts, but this is part of the job
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It is literally a rollercoaster from having a grant rejected one day to getting a paper or award accepted the next
I know it hurts, but this is part of the job
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So if you were amongst the >90% that missed out on #NHMRC Ideas grants, you are not alone
For those whose jobs depended on it, I'm really sorry.
But don't let this define you or how worthy you are as a scientist or how great your science is
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For those whose jobs depended on it, I'm really sorry.
But don't let this define you or how worthy you are as a scientist or how great your science is
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Most researchers I know of have had great unsuccessful grants & papers rejected
I hope you have a good support network
Reach out to your mentors, ask colleagues for help & feedback, talk
You are not alone in this, and in fact I am sure you are in great company
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I hope you have a good support network
Reach out to your mentors, ask colleagues for help & feedback, talk
You are not alone in this, and in fact I am sure you are in great company
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This is also the time to reflect on why we became scientists
What gives us joy, independently if grants are successful or not
If your WHY and your values that drive you to do what we do are not clear, I urge you to work on them before the next grant round
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What gives us joy, independently if grants are successful or not
If your WHY and your values that drive you to do what we do are not clear, I urge you to work on them before the next grant round
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So going back to success...
8 unsuccessful grants & fellowships later, I still feel âsuccessfulâ because I have clear to myself why Iâm a scientist and why it matters
Having clarity, also allows me to feel successful, as to me success is not only of my own and KPIs
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8 unsuccessful grants & fellowships later, I still feel âsuccessfulâ because I have clear to myself why Iâm a scientist and why it matters
Having clarity, also allows me to feel successful, as to me success is not only of my own and KPIs
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Success to me is empowering others, being patients, students, mentees, researchers, to make decisions & find their own path to health and their own success
And to some extend I feel I have achieved it this year, or gave my best trying
I supported the people that matter
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And to some extend I feel I have achieved it this year, or gave my best trying
I supported the people that matter
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