A group of 10 experts contributed advice on topics ranging from deciding if a career in academia is the right path, to writing grant proposals and giving lectures. Their aim was to help young researchers develop skills which are often not taught in a typical undergraduate degree. The advice is published in the Bulletin of Mathematical Biology.
The Society for Mathematical Biology was founded to support research and education at the interface of mathematical and biological sciences. Following an SMB Presidents session at the 2023 conference, held in Ohio, lead author, Dr Paul Roberts, decided to capture some of these insights in a more formal way, inspired by the inspirational biologist and writer Sir Peter Medawar, who wrote Advice to a Young Scientist in 1979.
The advice we have captured spans a real breadth of topics and challenges that mathematical biologists – and indeed early career researchers in many other disciplines – will face.
Dr Paul Roberts, Centre for Systems Modelling and Quantitative Biomedicine
Dr Roberts, a mathematical biologist in the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Systems Modelling and Quantitative Biomedicine, said: “The advice we have captured spans a real breadth of topics and challenges that mathematical biologists – and indeed early career researchers in many other disciplines – will face.”
Ten topics are covered in the paper:
- Deciding if an academic career is right for you
- Finding and working with a mentor
- Building collaborations and working with those from other disciplines
- Formulating a research question
- Writing a paper
- Reviewing papers
- Networking
- Writing fellowship or grant proposals
- Applying for faculty positions
- Preparing and giving lectures
The aim is to offer a starting point which researchers can dip into, and explore in more depth as they wish.
Dr Roberts added: “One thing we particularly emphasise is the importance of building a community, and collaborating widely outside your field. If scientists can learn to do this at the start of their careers, the next generation of researchers will truly be a force to be reckoned with.”
