This document provides advice on pursuing an academic career in science. It begins with the author questioning whether such a career is still feasible given low success rates for fellowship and grant applications. The author then outlines their own academic career path from 1978-2005. They note that their own history is not relevant to current challenges. The document also lists former students and fellows, noting many have pursued careers outside of academia. It provides tips for improving chances of success, such as networking and customizing applications. Finally, it discusses traits of highly creative people and includes additional resource links.

1. How to Succeed
in Academia
woodgett@lunenfeld.ca @jwoodgett

2. • Are you freaking nuts?
• What are you thinking?
• Is a career in academic science
even an option anymore?

4. SSHRC fellowship success rates

5. CIHR operating grant success rates

6. So are we training too many PhDs?

7. My Road
1978-1981 BSc in Biochemistry, University of York
1981-1984 PhD University of Dundee
1984-1987 Post Doc Salk Institute
1987-1992 Group Leader, Ludwig Institute, UK
1992-2005 Scientist, Ontario Cancer Institute
2005- Director of Research at Mount Sinai
In other words, my own history is completely irrelevant
to today’s world

8. My Students
• Paul Coffer 1991 Prof, Utrecht
• Bernd Pulverer 1992 Managing Editor, EMBO
• Vuk Stambolic 1997 Assoc Prof, OCI
• Juan Luo 01 (lost track after postdoc)
• Lee Anne Tibbles 99 Assoc. Prof Calgary
• Klaus Hoeflich 01 Group Leader, Genentech
• Jing Jing 2004 Assistant prof, NorthWestern, USA
• Maude Tessier 06 Biotech, Boston
• Lisa Kockeritz 05 Health Reg company
• Ling Ling 11 Biotech company, Toronto
Academic
$$ Academic
Science

9. My Fellows
• Ivan Gout 1989 Prof, UCL, London
• Eleni Nikolakaki 1992 Prof, U Thessaloniki
• Ken Hughes 1994 VP Rx&D Canada
• Simon Plyte 1996 Pharmacia/Upjohn, Italy
• Laurent Ruel 1999 Assoc. Prof, Nice
• Chao Lu 2000 TCAG, HSC lab
• Mark Takahashi 2000 (lost touch)
• Adnan Ali 2000 Health Canada, Ottawa
•Stephen Yarwood 2001 Lecturer, U Glasgow
•Michael Scheid 2004 Assist Prof, York U
•Jane Batt 2004 Assist Prof, U of T
•Bradley Doble 2006 Assist Prof McMaster U
•Monty Gill 2007 RA York U.
•Sima Salahshor 2009 Own consulting company
•Satish Patel 2010 RA, U Cambridge
•Katrina Macaulay 2009 Unilever, UK
•Tanya Hansotia 2012 Biotech, Toronto
Academic Science

10. What can you do to improve your choices/success?
•Switch topics during training, but be complementary
•Last year of post doc - build your own projects
•Review papers and grants for/with your PI :-)
•Be prepared to go *anywhere*
•Don’t apply in bulk. Customize. Network.
•Keep your mentors in the loop with what you’re doing now (better
reference letters)
•Practice, practice your job talk + do homework on dept.
•Set time aside (plan for at least10 interviews)

11. 1. Associative orientation: Imaginative, playful, have a wealth of ideas, ability to be committed, sliding
transitions between fact and fiction.
2. Need for originality: Resists rules and conventions. Have a rebellious attitude because of a need to
do things no one else does.
3. Motivation: Have a need to perform, goal oriented, innovative attitude, stamina to tackle difficult
issues.
4. Ambition: Have a need to be influential, attract attention and recognition.
5. Flexibility: Have the ability to see different aspects of issues and come up with optimal solutions.
6. Low emotional stability: Have a tendency to experience negative emotions, greater fluctuations in
moods and emotional state, failing self-confidence.
7. Low sociability: Have a tendency not to be very considerate, are obstinate and find faults and flaws
in ideas and people.
http://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/the-7-characteristics-of-highly-creative-people.html
Your Core Asset - Creativity/Thinking

12. Links
• http://thegradstudentway.com/blog/?
p=1227
• http://wuphys.wustl.edu/~katz/scientist.html
• If you are smart, ambitious and hard working you should major in
science as an undergraduate. But that is as far as you should take it.
After graduation, you will have to deal with the real world. That means
that you should not even consider going to graduate school in science.
Do something else instead: medical school, law school, computers or
engineering, or something else which appeals to you.
• Written in 1999! At the height of the “good times”
• Don’t go into law:
• http://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2013/01/law-and-economics