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Learning through failure, evaluated by results

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Learning through failure, evaluated by results

Uncertainty is ever-present in research because we want to learn about what is not yet known. However, it is hard to embrace uncertainty when evaluations expect a constant output of results. Here, Jung Uk Kang explains how this dichotomy affects ECRs and how it can limit creativity in science.

23 Jul 2026 • 4 min read

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Learning through failure, evaluated by results

Learning through failure, evaluated by results

Uncertainty is ever-present in research because we want to learn about what is not yet known. However, it is hard to embrace uncertainty when evaluations expect a constant output of results. Here, Jung Uk Kang explains how this dichotomy affects ECRs and how it can limit creativity in science.

23 Jul 2026 • 4 min read

The Invisible Skills of a Postdoc: What No One Formally Teaches

The Invisible Skills of a Postdoc: What No One Formally Teaches

A postdoc comes with challenges and uncertainties that are different from those of a PhD. Here, Vartika Sharma shares how managing expectations and building a community are key skills that can help us navigate the new uncertainties of a postdoc.

9 Jul 2026 • 5 min read

When the data doesn’t behave: learning to embrace uncertainty in research

When the data doesn’t behave: learning to embrace uncertainty in research

The journey through a PhD is not a straight line. Along the way, we face uncertainty when experiments don’t go as planned. Here, Jennifer Loudon Moxen shares her story embracing such uncertainty. While it can be frustrating at times, we can use it to learn more from our data and ask new questions.

Jennifer Loudon Moxen

25 Jun 2026 • 4 min read

Featured interview with Dr. Marina Cano and Dr. Rosa García-Periago: Women, “Failure” and Academia

Featured interview with Dr. Marina Cano and Dr. Rosa García-Periago: Women, “Failure” and Academia

Failure happens often in academia, yet we rarely talk about it. Instead, academics appear to avoid admitting failure, as conversations center around announcements of our successes. Here, we interview Dr.

ecrLife editors

21 May 2026 • 8 min read

Of the Structural Pressures That Silence Academics

Of the Structural Pressures That Silence Academics

Since their inception, universities have been regarded as lighthouses guiding the storm-tossed ship of society. These institutions, tasked with generating ideas that shape and secure the future of societies,

Ali Farrokhi, Angel Cisneros

26 Feb 2026 • 5 min read

Getting to know our editorial team: Owen Ouyang

Getting to know our editorial team: Owen Ouyang

Owen is our newest ecrLife editor! He brings in a lot of enthusiasm and new ideas that will help ECRs along their journey. Welcome to the team, Owen!

ecrLife editors

6 Nov 2025 • 3 min read

How to overcome your “academic midlife crisis” (Part 3 – Reshaping your skill sets to fit your career path(s))

How to overcome your “academic midlife crisis” (Part 3 – Reshaping your skill sets to fit your career path(s))

Finding the perfect job after your PhD is not straightforward, but doing it takes experience. You might need to look at different fields, and your goals could change over time. In part 3 of her academic midlife crisis series, Nele Haelterman describes how to get closer to your perfect job.

Nele Haelterman

15 Sep 2025 • 5 min read

Why desk rejections happen and how young researchers can avoid them: practical lessons from experience

Why desk rejections happen and how young researchers can avoid them: practical lessons from experience

Publishing our work is a critical part of an ECR’s journey. Papers are not always sent out for revision, and it can be discouraging for ECRs to face desk rejections. Here, Dr. Taddese Zerfu shares his insights on how to minimize the chances of facing a desk rejection.

17 Jul 2025 • 6 min read

Reaching Out to Senior Scientists: A Step Worth Taking

Reaching Out to Senior Scientists: A Step Worth Taking

When we start out as early career researchers, we often hesitate to reach out to senior scientists. However, they are often excited to help young scientists. Here, Owen Ouyang discusses how mentorship, collaborations, and encouragement can come from a simple email to a senior colleague.

3 Jul 2025 • 4 min read

Zigs Can Zag with Purpose: Finding My Calling in Science

Zigs Can Zag with Purpose: Finding My Calling in Science

Academic careers are full of surprises. Every step brings new questions that might involve navigating diverse fields. Here, Jonathan Tsay tells us how exploring multiple fields led him to the position where he is today.

17 Apr 2025 • 4 min read

How to overcome your “academic midlife crisis” (Part 2 - finding your path(s))

How to overcome your “academic midlife crisis” (Part 2 - finding your path(s))

The process of finding your ideal career path is not straightforward. Fortunately, there are many career options for PhDs. Here, Nele talks about how you can find career paths that excite you and learn from others' experiences.

Nele Haelterman

3 Apr 2025 • 5 min read

How to overcome your academic midlife crisis (Part 1 – navigating your feelings and establishing your goals)

How to overcome your academic midlife crisis (Part 1 – navigating your feelings and establishing your goals)

Academic training takes many twists and turns, and, over time, our passions and goals may evolve. This can be confusing, but it offers an opportunity to reflect upon what brings us joy. Here, Nele Haelterman shares how she faced this uncertainty and came out with a clearer view of her path forward.

Nele Haelterman

6 Mar 2025 • 5 min read

How to overcome writer’s block to share your ideas

How to overcome writer’s block to share your ideas

30 Jan 2025 • 4 min read

Overcoming hardships for internationals in academia

Overcoming hardships for internationals in academia

Multiple authors

14 Mar 2024 • 5 min read

Things I wish I knew before entering the Academic Job Market

Things I wish I knew before entering the Academic Job Market

Meike van der Heijden

5 Oct 2023 • 11 min read

Let’s get rid of confidential ‘reference letters’ in academia — a tool misused by abusive supervisors

Let’s get rid of confidential ‘reference letters’ in academia — a tool misused by abusive supervisors

Multiple authors

14 Sep 2023 • 6 min read

Towards an increased awareness on the importance of Computational Reproducibility in Biological Sciences in Latin America

Towards an increased awareness on the importance of Computational Reproducibility in Biological Sciences in Latin America

Collaboration helps push science forward. However, its power depends on us sharing workflows, reagents, and results that our colleagues can reproduce. Here, a team of ECRs share how they came together with the mission of making science more reproducible and their upcoming projects.

Reprodutibilidade Computacional Bio

31 Aug 2023 • 7 min read

My Successful Mentoring Experiment

My Successful Mentoring Experiment

Throughout our scientific training process, many of us find ourselves asking if we have what it takes to become a successful mentor. In this blog post, Ruchika Bajaj shares her experience with designing a mentoring experiment to test the hypothesis that she can, and will be a great mentor.

3 Aug 2023 • 6 min read

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