Degrees of Freedom Blog
Our blog discusses the swings and roundabout of professional life. From academic nonsense, to career changes, and insight into everything in-between.
Rejection: Your Unwanted Academic Best Friend
Rejection is an inevitable part of academic life. So, you have to get used to it. In this blog, I discuss rejection, some positives of it, and how to deal with it.
Metrics Rule Everything Around Me
In academia, metrics are omnipresent. They can dictate funding decisions, job prospects, and even the perceived value of one's research. So, you need to understand them. This blog is aimed at contextualising the common metrics that academics are measured on.
Maximize Your Academic Impact: Why Your Online Presence is Non-Negotiable!
The game has changed, and in the digital age, you have to put yourself out there. For academics, crafting a robust online profile is no longer a nice-to-have; it's a must-have. Every academic needs an easily accessible online profile complete with a professional photo. The main tools at your disposal—Google Scholar, LinkedIn, Twitter, ResearchGate, and more—are your allies in this mission.
Reading Papers: A Cheat’s Method for the Busy Academic
Reading academic publications can suck – but you cannot avoid it. Today, we chat methods to maximise your engagement with the literature.
Getting the Most Out of Your PhD - Stop being a spectator and get involved!
PhD landscape is both a challenge and an opportunity for growth. Say yes, show up, and make the most of the opportunity.
Welcome to the (Academic) Jungle
You’ve graduated from a PhD and now you’re moving onto you first proper academic job - a postdoc! Here are some key tips to get the most out of your postdoc and set yourself up for an academic career.
A letter to struggling PhD students
A PhD can be many things - impactful, inspiring, eye-opening, career building, however, it can also be one of the most stressful experiences of a person’s life. In this blog, Dr. Aaron Elbourne shares some of his thoughts on the very common struggles of many PhD students and how you can manage them.
What you need to know before starting a PhD: A checklist
So you've decided you want to do a PhD – Fantastic! However, before you begin there are several things you should consider to improve your experience. In this short blog, Dr. Aaron Elbourne outlines things you should consider and/or check before you begin (in no particular order).
The Academic Job Market - How bad is it really?
Are you considering a career in academia? Then it’s essential for you to understand the sort of job market you will be entering into. In today’s blog, we’ll be looking at the current academic job market and what you need to be aware of.
Academia 101: Publishing (Part 2)
When I started my academic journey there was a lot that I didn't understand - academic processes can be very confusing to the uninitiated! This Academia 101 blog series will provide guidelines for basic academic concepts for new PhD students (or anyone else new to academia).
Academia 101: Publishing (Part 1)
When I started my academic journey there was a lot that I didn't understand - academic processes can be very confusing to the uninitiated! This Academia 101 blog series will provide guidelines for basic academic concepts for new PhD students (or anyone else new to academia).
Should you do a PhD?
Are you considering whether to enrol in a PhD? It’s a difficult decision with many pros and cons, and ultimately it will depend on your individual ambitions and circumstances. In this blog, we discuss some of the things you should consider, from the perspective Degrees of Freedom team who have each leveraged their PhDs into different career paths.
Leaving Academia: How to Plan Your Escape
Are you thinking of pursuing a non-academic career but don’t know where to start? Leaving academia doesn’t have to be hard – here we provide some tips for how to pivot from an academic to a non-academic career.
Academia: A Survival Guide (Or: Things I wish I had known) – Part 3
I was recently asked to give a talk to PhD students on how to be successful in academia. It made me think of all the things I wish that I had known when I started. In this blog post, I have tried to summarise some key pieces of advice that I would have liked to have had and will hopefully help you find your way through academia.
Academia: A Survival Guide (Or: Things I wish I had known) – Part 2
I was recently asked to give a talk to PhD students on how to be successful in academia. It made me think of all the things I wish that I had known when I started. In this blog post, I have tried to summarise some key pieces of advice that I would have liked to have had and will hopefully help you find your way through academia.
Academia: A Survival Guide (Or: Things I wish I had known) – Part 1
I was recently asked to give a talk to PhD students on how to be successful in academia. It made me think of all the things I wish that I had known when I started. In this blog post, I have tried to summarise some key pieces of advice that I would have liked to have had and will hopefully help you find your way through academia.
Turbocharge Your Publications
Make your publications stand out! In this post, we provide some tips for maximising the impact and audience for your research publications (and learn some new skills along the way).
How to Upskill During Your Degree
Worried about how to get a job after your degree? Not sure how your skills will translate to the job market? Learn about some ways you can upskill whilst completing your degree and make yourself stand out.
Welcome to the blog!
An introduction to Degrees of Freedom Careers, what we do and why we do it.