Thread by @JJSabatini

(1/25) I am writing this thread concerning grad student life in organic synthesis. Some folks will agree with it (though perhaps not openly). Others may be very upset. Either way is OK. But here are some stories, thoughts, and advice

#chemtwitter #realtimechem @RealTimeChem

(2/25) I began grad school in June 2004, working in the lab of (now retired) Prof. James A. Marshall. He was one of Prof. Ireland’s first graduate students (1957-1960). I joined the Marshall group not because it was easy, but because it was hard. The hard is what made it great

(3/25) Expectations were laid out the first day I arrived. Dr. Marshall was hands off, expected you to generate your own ideas, and understood that lots of reactions don’t work. The PhD is earned by solving problems, and problems won’t fix themselves. You need to put the time in

(4/25) Grad students submitted weekly reports to show Dr. Marshall successes, failures, lessons learned, etc. He was always available for questions. Group meetings were Monday at 8:00 am, where we’d discuss our research results as a group. Then there were the weekly problem sets.

(5/25) We called them “mechanism meetings.” It consisted of taking a natural product from the literature, and working to understand the chemistry in front of the group. New grad students were heavily questioned every week on what they knew by Dr. Marshall and older grad students.

(6/25) I got my ass handed to me at these meetings early on. Some students would hide to avoid looking bad. I willingly went, made lots of mistakes, and learned a ton. These meetings would last between 2-4 hours. This process prepared me for candidacy and made me a better chemist

(7/25) Grad school is not a time to coast along in your comfort zone. It’s a time to get out of your comfort zone so that you can reach new heights and maximize your learning. It requires a lot of perseverance, a skilled pair of hands, critical thinking, and a dash of luck.

(8/25) I see comments that folks in grad school should work 40 hour weeks, with weekends off. Some say that grad school should be like a so-called 9-5 job. Here’s what I say: If 40 hours a week makes you happy, then do it. That’s your right. But understand the following.

(9/25) You get out of grad school what you put into it. Every decision has consequences, good and bad. Contrary to what you hear on Twitter, most of those working 60, 70, 80 hours plus a week do so on their own accord. Their perseverance will generally pay off in the long run.

(10/25) As a result, those working long hours are likely to publish more, build a better resume, and have more job prospects as a result of their work choices. Those working 40 hour schedules need to prepare for this possibility, and should not complain if and when this happens.

(11/25) In grad school, I typically worked 12-14 hours a day, Monday through Friday. On the weekends, I’d work Saturday and Sunday mornings up until the football games started. Watching football was an outlet for me. I would not compromise there, as I needed it for my sanity.

(12/25) For exercise, I made a habit of running to and from the lab each day from my apartment (shared with 4 roommates to save $). Karaoke at a local bar was Tuesday nights. I enjoyed doing this so that I could get away and forget about the grad school life for a while.

(13/25) Tragedy struck the summer of my first year, when my only sibling died. Dr. Marshall was very understanding, and my respect for him grew immensely. He let me take as much time as I needed. An advisor that doesn’t understand these aspects is toxic, and you should get away.

(14/25) I was not the best chemist in the group or in my class in terms of book smarts. Others knew more mechanisms and named reactions than I did. But I was the hardest working, and I was good with my hands. My ability to work a problem to death is what separated me from others.

(15/25) I’ll say this: When you begin publishing, winning awards, and having success, you’ll find out who your friends are. Some will be jealous of your success. When this happens, align yourselves with those that are happy for your achievements. Channel your energy effectively

(16/25) I also see a lot of Tweets that criticize professors for expecting their students to work hard. What gets lost in the conversation, however, is that many professors are working as hard, if not harder than their students. Take some time and think about it.

(17/25) In addition to the teaching duties, committee meetings, community outreach, peer-review, etc., your advisor is always looking for money to support you and the group. The rush to beat grant deadlines, and to ID new funding vehicles is a job in and of itself.

(18/25) Good advisors are constantly putting out proverbial fires so that you are free to engage in your research. Many criss-cross the globe to expand their network, and this can be used to help you get a job, etc. Their energy and passion is to be commended, in my opinion.

(19/25) Bottom line is that as a grad student in STEM you aren’t just being paid a stipend to go to grad school and to get an advanced degree (the PhD), but you are also getting a tuition waiver throughout the duration of your stay. Some on Twitter forget this point.

(20/25) At my alma mater (UVA) the current average grad stipend is $27,000, and tuition is about $29,000 per year. That’s $56,000 annually. You also get health insurance. This is a pretty damn good deal. Where I grew up, many adults never made $56,000 a year in their lifetime.

(21/25) Grad school was a time of ups and downs. It was a significant time investment that I did because I loved the field of synthesis and the lab so much. I took time to celebrate my good results in the lab, usually with large quantities of ice cream or 95% cacao bars.

(22/25) I look back now, and I see just how wonderful grad school was. Now the leader of a research team, I can’t devote every second of the work day in the lab. Meetings and other obligations take up time. Travel is sometimes heavy. Securing funding can be a constant grind.

(23/25) What makes my group successful is that we all respect and trust one another fully. And we love to joke. 16 years after beginning grad school, the 40 hour work week still doesn’t exist for me. To do my job effectively, it, on average, requires more than a 40 hour work week

(24/25) On some days, after the day is done in the lab, the writing of publications, patents, and funding proposals is done at home when the family goes to sleep. When they are awake and I’m home, they get my undivided attention. I won’t sacrifice my family time for work...ever.

(25/25) I’ve been researching chemistry since I was 20, so for 18 years. I still find every day in the lab to be a hell of a lot of fun. If you feel this way about your job, then it’s one that you’ll be happy doing until you retire. Best of luck to you grad students. I envy you.