What is the beginning of eternity and the end of time?<\/p>\n
Sometimes the simplest answer is actually the right one: in this case, the letter \u201ce.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having served as chair of my departmental graduate and admissions committee, professionalism is an issue I have spent a great deal of time thinking about. Without a doubt, in this Orwellian society, we are not only continually evaluated and observed, but often recorded. Our words, even misconstrued, come back to haunt us. So the question remains, how \u201cprofessional\u201d must students be?<\/p>\n
At this point, an example is needed. In the course of my career, I have witnessed oral defense dissertations, which are seminars given students who are defending their research\u2014certainly an anxiety-ridden event for anyone. To my amazement, occasionally I have observed a student\u00a0 who has very successfully navigated such a tricky presentation lose the fa\u00e7ade of professionalism at the \u201cacknowledgment stage.\u201d Thanking one\u2019s parent briefly\u2014I have no problem. A spouse, fine. An uncle who steered one into science, sure. A brother, a sister\u2014perhaps that\u2019s pushing it. When we arrive at the kindergarden and elementary school teachers, pets ranging from cats to parrots, then I think we have a problem\u2026<\/p>\n
This, however, is only an example of a wider issue for students (and postdocs and junior faculty) to consider: we are constantly being evaluated. There is no respite. In our professional lives and exposure to colleagues, we cannot relax\u2014certainly not in formal situations.<\/p>\n
While rules and regulations can stymie creativity and boldness, I think nonetheless a few guidelines are warranted to help younger researchers decide what constitutes a professional approach.<\/p>\n
In reality, professionalism is really just common sense in one’s working environment. If you are in doubt about whether any particular behavior is sufficiently professional, just ask colleagues and mentors–but do so beforehand, rather than afterward. That is the essence of professionalism.<\/p>\n
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What is the beginning of eternity and the end of time? Sometimes the simplest answer is actually the right one: in this case, the letter \u201ce.\u201d Having served as chair of my departmental graduate and admissions committee, professionalism is an … Continue reading