Thread by @CharlesTroupin

A few days ago, I got bad news: I was not selected for the (permanent) position I applied for. I wanted to write some threads about that, to discuss what went wrong, and maybe avoid this situation to other. I think a good name for it is #AnatomyOfAFailure. This is part 1 ⤵️

First of all, I must say I don't feel too disappointed, and here is why:
1⃣ I have a family to take care of, and feeling low doesn't help.
2⃣ There are still many projects to deal with, I cannot stop to work because I did not get a position.

3⃣ Only 2 or 3 persons were selected in my university. Which means it can be scientists from any domain: math, physics, history, psychology, virology...

So the success rate is very low.

Do I have regrets in the choices I have made in my career? I don't think so! Of course, nothing is never perfect, but I believe all went well.

The only regret, and maybe this is good for the younger colleagues:

When I started in research, I had NO idea that all can end up like a crash in a wall: after this opportunity, it's like there is nothing in a reasonable time frame.

So I was happy to get a #FRIA @frsFNRS grant a few years ago...

but I wish I would have been informed that ~10 years layer, the probability to get a position was so low. Nobody told us about that. We enjoyed the PhD, the postdoc(s), almost innocently.

[Sorry, I should add pictures to make it look better maybe?]

This is the wind about the Balearic Islands, as measured by satellites.

Had I known that, would I have started a PhD?

That's an excellent question, and I am not sure of the answer. Of course I love what I'm doing, in fact WE love what we are doing, because I'm not the only one in this situation.

When I was working in Spain, everybody was talking about the "Fuga de los cerebros" (brain drain in English I think), but here in Belgium, we never talk about that while it also happens, maybe in a worse way.

I know very talented scientists (I'm not talking about me), with a huge CV, but cannot get a position even after 10+ years of postdoc in different countries, dozen of publications and a very extended international network.

So those scientists are trained by our universities for years, then they can just disappear and end up in private companies, which is fine for them, fine for the companies, but maybe not so fine for the universities.

Not sure how to conclude this 1st part.

Maybe by saying the failure is mine, 💯% sure, but the failure also belongs to the system. How do you want to promote good science if you're not able to fund your excellent scientists?

2nd part tomorrow about the evaluation system!

.@threadreaderapp unroll s'il-te-plait.