Short Abstract:

Based on "The SCOPUS Diaries and the (il)logics of Academic Survival this workshop encourages a reflection career choices and the changing roles, tasks and responsibilities of a researcher in the XXI century.

Long Abstract:

Now that academics are required to be teachers, managers, media catalyzers, analysts, fundraisers, and social media animals: How do you strike a good balance between what is expected from you and what you want to do?

What conferences to attend? How to find the money to go there? Is it worth it to act as a peer reviewer? What publishers are best to target? Is publishing a chapter in an edited book worth the work?

Based on the series of trainings (and now a book "The SCOPUS Diaries and the (il)logics of Academic Survival: A Short Guide to Design Your Own Strategy and Survive Bibliometrics, Conferences, and Unreal Expectations in Academia"), this workshop encourages a reflection career choices and the changing roles, tasks and responsibilities of a researcher in the XXI century.

At the general level, this workshop is intended to prompt a reflection on "why we do what we do". Very often, management and planning of an academic career is at risk of becoming a box-ticking exercise (publish in that important journal, attend that important conference) or a rush to complete all the tasks that fall on us throughout the semester (teach, peer review articles, participate to committees). This workshop is an encouragement to think, reflect on one's career, the tasks that are needed and eventually think strategically of one's career to find a balance between what one needs to do and what one would like to do.

This is a complex task that requires reflection, attempts and the capacity to question one's choices both at the everyday and overall level. However, this course is intended to give the input to the process by: a) systematizing the information already (at least partly) in possession by the participants and b) providing practical knowledge on 3 specific topics that can be used as a starting point to work out an individual career strategy.

(1) publication strategies (how to choose and approach a target journal depending on the objectives you intend to achieve with a given article;

(2) fundraising approaches (there is much pressure on researchers to get external funding but does everyone need funding the same way? And what to do if you are not good at fundraising?);

(3) dissemination and impact strategies (publishing a paper is just the beginning of a long journey, to achieve impact and make your work known to the audiences you need to reach)