Thread by @drugmonkeyblog

I can’t remember ever not knowing that college Professors had PhDs and that they earned that degree by going to graduate school after finishing college. Imagine what a difference that made versus folks who put this together while undergraduates.

Academia is a family tradition for many of us.

And it gives us immense advantages in navigating academic science careers. Even if we end up in disciplines or job types that are very different from those of our close relatives.

[cue the usual about how an advantage doesn’t mean that every person with a particular privilege has it made in the shade]

I’ve just been through a harrowing two year career process (which I may discuss eventually because it is instructive) and I can tell you that there were numerous times my lifelong steepage in academia came in very handy.

For mental health, if nothing more. It helps (me anyway) to have an idea of what is going on with the other side in a negotiation within academia. When they cannot or will not be more transparent.

I think my background being raised academic also made me more aware of what was going on around me in graduate school with regard to the Professor career dynamics. Able to read the hints and tea leafs. Many of those experiences help me navigate my career to this day.

I probably am a little TOO open with my trainees about faculty career shit. But I want them to have their eyes wide open about how this all works.

Forewarned is forearmed.

Also, I often feel like my bones-deep spidey sense for some academic shenanigans can make me forget that not everyone has had this sort of education to prepare them for the career. So maybe I overcompensate.

Prior musing on how we came to a place where academia could be the family business drugmonkey.scientopia.org/2013/05/22/aca…

I guess I should probably point out that being raised academic is not one defined thing. I was not raised by a heavy grant seeking environment person, summer research experience grants was about the only thing I recall. and I don't have heavy teaching in my career.

So there will be a broad spectrum of experiences and some of those may end up being entirely tangential or peripheral or even counter productive for our eventual career paths. Still. compare to those that have zero related upbringing experiences.