A bill being debated in Spain's Parliament would give more leeway to universities in hiring. Some academic leaders are pleased, but others say it could be a step backward. (Link courtesy of Science magazine)
Mobile computing pioneer Jeff Hawkins has had a lifelong fascination with brains. Now he's trying to model the human cerebral cortex--and he’s created a software company based on his ideas. (Courtesy of Science magazine.)
Eero Simoncelli has an eye for mathematical truths that explain human vision--and he's adept at translating that knowledge into practical tools such as image-compression techniques. (Courtesy of Science magazine.)
Though it is often--and justifiably--maligned, it is ignorance--and recognizing where it exists--that drives scientists to do groundbreaking science. For early career scientists, ignorance--and knowing what areas we are ignorant of--also provides compelling professional opportunities. That is why we have chosen to supplement Science magazine's 125th Anniversary Issue: 125 Questions: What We Don't...
On 1 November, Caroline Collard (pictured left), a 29-year-old Belgian national, will join the French CNRS Department of Nuclear and Particle Physics with a permanent Chargé de Recherche position. Getting one of these positions is hard enough for French nationals; foreigners have the added difficulty of understanding the French system. "For me it was really a possibility to apply because I was [a...
Whether it is the urge to explore a new discipline or an entirely new vocation, retraining is a necessary part of this shift. And while the path to do so may not be obvious--and sometimes even intimidating--it's often worth it.
Next January, German postdoc Martin Elsner (pictured left), currently based in Toronto, will start his first independent position as a Helmholtz Association Young Investigator in Germany. The tenure-track job, which will fund his salary and that of four group members, will be based at the GSF National Research Center for Environment and Health in Neuherberg, near Munich. Elsner represents a new g...
Norwegian neuroscience researcher Farrukh A. Chaudhry (pictured left) trained as a medical doctor, but his heart has always been in basic science. In August this year, the 36-year-old Chaudhry began an appointment as a group leader at the Biotechnology Centre in Oslo. The position is funded for 10 years and comes with an associate professorship at the Centre for Molecular Biology and Neuroscience...
Rebeca de Nalda Minguez (pictured left), 34, has just started her first permanent position, as Cientifico Titular of the Spanish Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) Rocasolano Institute for Chemical Physics in Madrid. She was only 2 years into her 5-year Ramón y Cajal contract, a research position created by the Spanish government in 2001 to bridge postdoctoral and permanent po...
These days the path to scientific independence is long and steep. But every year a new cohort of scientists makes it to the top, thanks to lots of hard work, determination, talent, and at least a little good luck. This week, we celebrate the success of the new faculty class by profiling eight early career researchers from the United States and Europe who this year came of age, beginning their fir...
After some five years of uninterrupted coverage, usually from the depths of the research lab, the time has come for Phil Dee to take a well-deserved break from writing his column. This column, Phil's last, at least for a while, looks back to the origins of his column and argues that understanding our most basic motivation for doing science is important for us and our career choices. It was a fort...
In the old days, people went to college for years to learn how to teach. But today, scientists with subject-area knowledge can begin teaching full-time in just a few weeks--and have summers off.
Next Wave talks to a few of the European Young Investigator Awards (EURYI) laureates about their career path and what made them successful in their EURYI application.
Dutch scientist Edwin Cuppen admits to finding his vocation almost by chance. Now he believes that finding a good research niche is essential to making it as a scientist.
On 1 September, Julien Marché joined the ranks of the Maîtres de Conférences at the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris. As in many other countries, permanent academic positions like this are highly competitive in France. Although he is quick to dismiss his achievement--"It doesn't mean much," he says--he has accomplished this at an age when most scientists are still doing their Ph.D. work...
Next Wave profiles neuroscientists from around the world whose passion and dedication has lead to outstanding research, as well as a look at funding opportunities for neuroscientists.
