Overview of Jamie_Wizard

That's a great suggestion, i sort of had something like that in the back of my mind but it didn't quite click, lol. Thanks rewt :-)

Hi all,

I'm currently working in a research institute in the UK (but employed in a non-research role). I would like to get back to full-time research (with or without teaching - but not a teaching-focused role), preferably in the UK, if not Europe.

The role I am in is good but feels like there is no chance of progression or a career development path.

The issues I am facing are:

1) the possibility to work in slightly different fields than my PhD (which was on distributed computing for molecular biology) - my undergrad/masters was in Pharmacy/Chemistry with a hard-core Chemistry dissertation. I am particularly interested in in-silico drug discovery as it was something I employed in my masters, but has come a long way since then (2011), and also I have much more experience in distributed computing now that I could apply to that area. What will a potential supervisor look for in this case, i.e. from someone who didn't specifically do a PhD in this area. Chemistry is also an interest, but I guess I'd be at a disadvantage for not knowing the lab protocols by heart as compared to someone who used specific techniques during their PhD (though I am confident I could do whatever is required as I have publications in Chemistry and Computer Science).

ii) what sort of things make a post-doc application stand out positively, I mean does anyone have any suggestions on how to be successful in this regard.

I did secure a post-doc from a famous professor at my university, from him knowing me and inviting me to apply to be interviewed. This was just as I was completing my PhD. However, I had some corrections which meant I couldn't do both and had to focus on the corrections (as the post-doc had tight deadlines) and therefore I couldn't start it.

Thanks for suggestions!

Hi Tudor, I saw this post the other day and was going to reply but didn't have time. Firstly, congratulations on your paper, secondly minor changes is good and it is therefore very unlikely that it will then be rejected, unless it hadn't been reviewed by all the reviewers (but that's unlikely as the editor told you this). It could be that they are collating and organising the paper submissions for different editions -- how often is it published? Or, more likely it is just simply that they were busy!

Just be thankful you're not submitting to a Computer Science Journal - they work to geological timescales! :-) I submitted a paper to a Computer Science (Algorithms) journal in late December 2016 (for a mid January 2017 submission deadline - it was a special edition), whilst writing up my thesis, and despite the schedule saying they would give a decision in May 2017, they informed me of acceptance in the beginning of September 2017. After some minor revisions, and confirmation of final acceptance in November 2017 the paper went to print at the very end of December 2018 a few days before 2019!

By May 2018, I emailed the Editor (who is in the US), and they said the edition was tentatively scheduled for September or November 2018 (and that there was no October issue), this drove me a bit nuts, but I was just patient and it finally went to print. I've heard frequently from colleagues in theoretical computer science that 2 year turnaround times are not uncommon!!

My other papers in Molecular Biology and Chemistry were turned around much quicker -- in months not years!

:-)

Haha, what are bench fees for other than to blow them on a trip to the good old US of A!

The folk that I was standing next to did look to be dressed as Mexicans but it's a bit of a red herring as it was actually in Marrakech, Morocco - the 2nd of my three trips there during my PhD!

Not part of the workshop! Can you guess where? :-p

Thanks Tudor :-) Lyon is a nice place!

It'd be nice to hear of cool places that people got to go to for conferences during their PhD (sort of lighten the mood and distract those with PhD anxieties).

This is one of my favourite pics I posted on FB whilst at a conference (actually I was delivering a Workshop).

I captioned it "Gosh, they are working me hard over here..."

Haha thanks. After everything was done and dusted, I did also buy him a bottle of Hungarian dessert wine (very sweet and tasty), as my girlfriend is Hungarian and i really like the taste of the wine.

Not at all, you deserve it. Congratulations once again.

Congratulations Tudor. Well done! :-)

On submitting my thesis, I made this for my supervisor:

[url=https://ibb.co/xCnGsGT][/img]
It was a reference to the 3 trips to Morocco I went on to give talks and run a workshop, once telling him at the last minute, and once without telling him (slipping out of the country). I knew he'd notice my tan, so I skyped him and turned down the saturation settings!

and yes, that is me on the camel :-)

Thanks Tudor!

P.S. I definitely recommend tennis, especially in this good weather :-)

Hi Tudor,

That's great news - both the recent submission and the fellowship - I'm so happy for you! :-)

I'm sure you're viva will go well. You may not have corrections, or at least not too many.

Yes, Tennis is great were we play -- we play on artificial clay which is really a good surface to play on. Just played a retro/vintage tournament, where I was sporting a 1970s tash and used a wooden racket to win a couple of matches :-)

I love research, but there are some really well paid programming jobs in London - the issue is I don't like to waste most of my day commuting like a squashed sardine in a tin can of the London Underground (currently live just outside SW London). I'll see how things go, so far my work at my institution has been well received, and it's a really nice relaxed, yet productive environment.

Thanks for your kind wishes regarding my mum.

Wishing you all the best,
Jamie

Hi Tudor, no worries :-)

Thanks, the paper was in the field of my PhD - Distributed Computing / Bioinformatics for Computational Biology. I've recently had another paper printed in a Chemistry journal on synthesis of neuro-protective peptides for neuro-degenerative diseases, which was work I did with my master's supervisor.

As for my mother, she's starting to recover now after the hospital have stabilised her meds and withdrawn one that was prescribed inappropriately a while back, and which the GP just kept re-issuing. It's been difficult as she's such an elegant woman and to see her at such a low has been difficult.

As for the post-doc, I'm still undecided, My institute is very good, world leading and the people I work with are very pleasant. I do feel unchallenged, and as the work I do is for other research groups, I feel I'm not really progressing any career of my own. On the plus side, we have a decent supercomputer for me to play with (well it's a cluster not strictly a supercomputer).

At the moment, my life is Tennis, Tennis, Work, Work, Tennis, Eat sweets (naughty I know), Tennis, work....:-)

How's things at your end, I guess you've submitted/will be submitting soon?