Hello! So happy to find out about this. My story: I just turned 33. I have a licentiate degree in Psychology (5 years), a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience and currently on a Masters degree program in Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development. I love doing research, data science and statistics, though the only experience I have in these topics is the one from my PhD. Right after that, triggered by the loss of my partner, I decided to go sailing for some years to get to learn about unique communities living in nature. That was followed by maternity, and in the end I have (with some reconnection here and there) 5 years of no record of publications or research experience.
On the other hand, even if I was in love with my PhD project (what happens when languages get in contact, in the brain) I always felt that my energy and resources had to go to directly helping improve the current situation in the world. Otherwise, I feel anything I do has no meaning.
I would love to be part of a team (as a job) whose aim is exactly this one, doing research on any kind of priority impact, I don’t care what, all of them are important. I know I have very little experience and at this time I can’t afford a volunteering job. I have been applying for jobs I love for a year, but I haven’t been successful. What do you guys think I could do to get the skills I need? My thoughts are getting more courses on Data Science and Statistics (numbers, networks and connections is what I like the best) or trying to apply to a PhD fellowship on Network Science. Still, it feels like I’d have a collection of degrees and no experience, so still not attractive to work on EA organisations.
This is just an idea, but I wonder if you could use your data science and statistics skills to help nonprofits or foundations working on important issues (including outside the EA community) better evaluate their impact or otherwise make more informed choices. (If those skills need sharpening, taking courses seems sensible.) From the name it sounds like this could dovetail with your work in your masters’, but I don’t actually know anything about that kind of programme.
I guess it sounds to me like going back to academic stuff isn’t what you want to do, and it would probably be a bit tough with the 5 year publication gap (though I don’t know if that’s as much of a thing in neurosciene as in other disciplines), and doesn’t work as well with your master’s—so if it were me I think I’d try to double down on the stats and data science stuff.
Yes, that is exactly what I think I could be helping with. And I will surely keep on training my programming and stats skills. However, I do feel I need work experience and right now it is getting hard to find a job. I believe I am not applying to the right positions or that my profile is too confusing due to the different topics I have put energy to.
I may just focus on the data science skills for a while and when I get more practice I start applying again.
Hello! So happy to find out about this. My story: I just turned 33. I have a licentiate degree in Psychology (5 years), a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience and currently on a Masters degree program in Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development. I love doing research, data science and statistics, though the only experience I have in these topics is the one from my PhD. Right after that, triggered by the loss of my partner, I decided to go sailing for some years to get to learn about unique communities living in nature. That was followed by maternity, and in the end I have (with some reconnection here and there) 5 years of no record of publications or research experience.
On the other hand, even if I was in love with my PhD project (what happens when languages get in contact, in the brain) I always felt that my energy and resources had to go to directly helping improve the current situation in the world. Otherwise, I feel anything I do has no meaning.
I would love to be part of a team (as a job) whose aim is exactly this one, doing research on any kind of priority impact, I don’t care what, all of them are important. I know I have very little experience and at this time I can’t afford a volunteering job. I have been applying for jobs I love for a year, but I haven’t been successful. What do you guys think I could do to get the skills I need? My thoughts are getting more courses on Data Science and Statistics (numbers, networks and connections is what I like the best) or trying to apply to a PhD fellowship on Network Science. Still, it feels like I’d have a collection of degrees and no experience, so still not attractive to work on EA organisations.
Thank you so much for reading!
Hi Anafromthesouth,
This is just an idea, but I wonder if you could use your data science and statistics skills to help nonprofits or foundations working on important issues (including outside the EA community) better evaluate their impact or otherwise make more informed choices. (If those skills need sharpening, taking courses seems sensible.) From the name it sounds like this could dovetail with your work in your masters’, but I don’t actually know anything about that kind of programme.
I guess it sounds to me like going back to academic stuff isn’t what you want to do, and it would probably be a bit tough with the 5 year publication gap (though I don’t know if that’s as much of a thing in neurosciene as in other disciplines), and doesn’t work as well with your master’s—so if it were me I think I’d try to double down on the stats and data science stuff.
Thank you, Ardenlk!
Yes, that is exactly what I think I could be helping with. And I will surely keep on training my programming and stats skills. However, I do feel I need work experience and right now it is getting hard to find a job. I believe I am not applying to the right positions or that my profile is too confusing due to the different topics I have put energy to.
I may just focus on the data science skills for a while and when I get more practice I start applying again.
Thanks for your feedback, again :)