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My Research and Career Sarah Bridle University College London

My Research and Career Sarah Bridle University College London. PhD student 1997-2000, Cavendish, Cambridge First postdoc 1 year in Toulouse, France Second postdoc 3 years at IoA , Cambridge Lecturer Since 2004 at UCL Mother Since Nov 2009 (4 months leave).

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My Research and Career Sarah Bridle University College London

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  1. My Research and CareerSarah BridleUniversity College London • PhD student • 1997-2000, Cavendish, Cambridge • First postdoc • 1 year in Toulouse, France • Second postdoc • 3 years at IoA, Cambridge • Lecturer • Since 2004 at UCL • Mother • Since Nov 2009 (4 months leave)

  2. PhD student1997-2000, Cavendish, Cambridge • The glass is half empty? • Dismay at short-term contract “system” • Aware of long-hours culture • Decision to not work weekends • “Give it 3 or 4 years and see” • Decision to quit if not lecturer by age 30 • Exposure to other departments

  3. First postdoc1 year in Toulouse, France • Strongly encouraged to go away • 3 years in US seemed standard – but partner • 1 year on my own, but visits on weekends • Finished no papers directly on work I did there • Next postdoc position already lined up • Would have quit otherwise • “It takes about a year to settle in anywhere” • “The first postdoc is really hard” • Benefits of going away for 1 year seemed dubious at the time • “The postdocs just started working with each other”

  4. Second postdoc3 years at IoA, Cambridge • Change of Dept without a change of city • “My excellent female students quit, while OK males stay” • “Use it as a springboard not a cushion” • “You should apply for jobs every year” • Show that you are leading your own research • Applied for lectureship – a good idea?! • “You should apply for a RS Fellowship” ?? • A 5 year plan – aim high or quit • “Just go and ask X what they think of your prospects” • Started RS URF after 2 years • “If you don’t ask you don’t get”

  5. LecturerSince 2004 at UCL • New cosmology group at UCL w Lahav/Weller • Half teaching load, applying for grants • “The amount of time non-research tasks take up is impossible to get across to non faculty” • Supervising u/p students, postdocs • “Go off-site for coffee to discuss how things are going one-to-one” • “You need to be more selfish” • Used appraisals to discuss promotions – IoP site visits • Decision about parenthood – where are the women? • 6 month sabbatical at CEA, Paris (weekly commute) • ERC Starting Grant

  6. Astronomy Careers Overview • Fellowship vs postdoc positions • Annual timetable – US mostly Nov More info in these great slides: http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~phewett/Astro-jobs_1_1009.pdf http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~phewett/Astro-jobs_2_1009.pdf http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~phewett/hiranya_jobs_2010.pdf See also: http://jobregister.aas.org/ AAS Job Register http://www.astrobetter.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Rumor+Mill Get personalised advice!

  7. Small Groups Your goal: Converge on 1 or 2 questions per group to ask Serena and Roger, on • Where/when to apply • Paperwork (proposal/statement/CV/referees) • Longer term One question per post-it note please

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