FROM PHD TO POSTDOC: MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES

Transcription

1 FROM PHD TO POSTDOC: MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES Prof. Flemming Besenbacher Chairman of the Carlsberg Foundation and Carlsberg A/S DUA PhD Network Seminar, 11 May 2017

2 CARLSBERG FOUNDED ON A PASSION FOR BEER, SCIENCE AND ART J.C. Jacobsen founds the Carlsberg Brewery 1847 J.C. Jacobsen dies and the Carlsberg Foundation takes over the ownership of Carlsberg J.C. Jacobsen founds the Carlsberg Foundation to support fundamental research 1970 Merger of Carlsberg and Tuborg. Carlsberg becomes a stock listed company 2

3 CARLSBERG AND THE CARLSBERG FOUNDATION Core values: Pursue perfection (striving for excellence) Semper Ardens (always passionate) Close coupling to science and innovation Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) J.C. Jacobsen

4 WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE NEW IS NORMAL 4

5 THE WORLD IS CHANGING RADICALLY NEW IS NORMAL Uncertainty is the new normal Complexity is increasing The marketplace is global Everything is interconnected The speed of change is increasing Resources are getting scarce We are today competing in an increasingly volatile, complex and changing globalised world. This calls for a paradigm shift in science, business and society! 5

6 21 ST CENTURY GRAND CHALLENGES Minerals Food production Environment and climate change Conflict and terrorism Population the driver from 7 to 10 billion Biodiversity Water resources Health Energy supply and energy storage 6

7 PICK THE RIGHT CAREER PATH: MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE Academia, industry, central administration, entrepreneur and more 7

8 IN THE FUTURE, TALENT, MORE THAN CAPITAL, WILL REPRESENT THE CRITICAL FACTOR OF PRODUCTION Source: Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum 8

9 THE ACADEMIC CAREER LADDER Professor Associate professor Assistant professor Postdoc PhD 9

10 WHERE DO PHD S FIND WORK? BASED ON AARHUS UNIVERSITY 2015 NUMBERS Health: 87% in the public sector 10% in the private sector 3% in other Arts: 89% in the public sector 5% in the private sector 6% in an interest organisation Science & Technology: 55% in the public sector 41% in the private sector 1% in organisations 3% in other BSS 70% in the public sector 28% in the private sector 2 % in other

11 PICK A CAREER PATH: MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE Get out of the supervisor s lab group ASAP It is not in your interest to stay It may be in the interest of the supervisor Develop your own research track Internationalisation Stay at an international university for at least two years Establish your own international network 11

12 CAREER MANAGEMENT The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can t find them, make them George Bernhard Shaw

13 THE SIX KEY ELEMENTS FOR CAREER PLANNING 1. Understand yourself 2. Develop your strengths 3. Work with the best 4. Share your success 5. Innovate don t imitate! 6. Always work efficiently #1 13

14 BUILDING EMPLOYABILITY: A CAREER MANAGEMENT MODEL Step 1 Know yourself Step 4 Make a plan Step 2 Research options Step 3 Set goals

15 CAREER MANAGEMENT QUESTIONS Where are you heading? What do you want to achieve with your PhD/Postdoc? What skills do you develop? What skills would you like to develop? Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? How do you get there? Who is doing something you would like to do? Step 4 Make a plan Step 1 Know yourself Step 3 Set goals Step 2 Research options 15

16 KNOW YOURSELF What are your interests and values? Which skills/competences do you want to use? What motivates you? What values are important to you? What kind of career do you want? What type of work environment do you enjoy working in? How should your workday be structured? What do you want from your career? 16

17 SET GOALS AND MAKE A PLAN! Make an informed decision about what is right for you and maybe have ideas for plan B Prepare to jump: Network, prepare your CV and cover letter and practise your elevator pitch!

18 COMMUNICATION IS VERY IMPORTANT Clear goal Be prepared Keep eye contact Listen Be honest Show interest Deal with problems when they appear 18

19 CV IS KING IN ACADEMIA Publication lists High ranking papers Citations Invited talks 20

20 REQUIRED 16 SKILLS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

21 THE PATH DOES NOT ALWAYS FIT THE EXPECTATIONS 22

22 FIND A MENTOR A professional relationship between a: MENTOR, an experienced and generally older person MENTEE, a less experienced and younger person, who is independent of professional relations Trust is vital! 23

23 ROLE OF THE MENTOR Advise on scientific matters Introduce the mentee to relevant networks Help the mentee to understand the mechanisms and unwritten rules of funder organisations like public/private foundations and research councils Be honest Mentors should feel responsible and continuously seek help to improve mentoring 24

24 THE KNOWLEDGE QUANDRANT: FROM SCIENCE TO BUSINESS Research Business Innovation Education 25

25 VALLEY OF DEATH Research institutions and entrepreneurs Private capital, buyers, consumers! Public financing ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF RISK Private financing Research Development Market 26

26 GOOD ADVICE: BE SMART, BE CURIOUS, NETWORK AND TAKE CHANCES Chance favours only the prepared mind Louis Pasteur,

27 BE CONSTANTLY READY FOR CHANGE To dare is to loose one s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself Søren Kierkegaard