Academics are not quite the legendary superhero they should be

View | Written by Katinka van der Kuij

April 16, 2021 | “While writing at night, the legendary superhero becomes a part of the academic self-image. Tasks are no longer arranged according to one’s abilities, but according to the abilities of the legendary superhero. Digital education, committee work, elementary school lecture, everything can be added. Inaccessible. … slowly but surely, the human behind the legendary superhero, ”Katinka van der Kuij writes. She tests first-hand how high the toll on scientists is, and argues that academic culture should go to the doctor. “The recipe for 1.1 billion, PwC calculates, would be a good start.”

To keep science healthy, a new recognition and recognition system is needed, and academics and policymakers are increasingly calling out. This month, a broad coalition of students, administrators, unions, employees and scholars sounded the alarm: through the structure. Lack of funding Scientists and students say that the water reaches their lips.

Moreover, in the current competitive system, there seems to be no place but for a legendary superhero, who is multidisciplinary, excellent researcher and passionate mentor at the same time, participates in society. On I managed to get tons of subsidies. Scientists look at this legendary superheroAnd the Hen “They wake up at night and make their social life as frail as the life of a camera A complete lockout. The Amsterdam Young Academy is a network of young academics at VReggie Udiversity On from Udiversity Fiftha aAmsterdamAnd wondering where Which Beeld of The legendary superheroes come from.

NWO

Feeling like a legendary superheroOhPerhaps the food is no more conspicuous than the competition For research grant From NWO. DrTarget group vOn VIDI support It is implemented by the NWO Such as “Excellent researchers with amazing and innovative talent and passion for challenging and groundbreaking research.” The money appears to be going to the big thinkers. DrIt is a fact However Otherwise, most academics know.

Almost everyone knows examples of scholars who have had an impressive publication list in the middle of their careershe isRecreate not vidi anyway-Scholarship And they have to leave science out of necessity. Most of them also know a few hopeful examples who have won the competition with a proven, less impressive track record. There too Many good scientistsAnd the Thus there may be a large difference in quality between winners and losers.

In an effort to control fate, we are still writing our proposals the recruit, We continue to work further to have this additional post, and we’re excited that everyone will benefit from our research. However, it results a Realistic paper that does not correspond to reality. FifthWe know After all that The suggested number of experiences is not possible, and we have no idea where to call up the time to join the community Debate To deal with the usefulness of our knowledge.

Writing all night long Become Mythical Superhero part From academic Self-portrait. The missions are no longer arranged according to the ability of the individual, but according to the ability of legendary superheroes. Digital education, committee work, lecture in elementary school, anything is possible.

But it cannot be added. Slowly, the human is exploding behind the legendary superhero. depressions On Burnts It is becoming increasingly common, among other things Nature Magazine. DrBy asking a lot of academics who are so dependent on subsidies, we end up with the rest of us being so overwhelmed with overwhelming talent. Some argue that this is a natural byproduct of healthy competition. I think talent is wasted.

However, we probably shouldn’t just be looking at NWO, because the reason why NWO exists is–Subsidies are so important to scientists?

Flex law

Scienceneed It’s a wonderful profession that is all about curiosity, inspiration and independence. This week I read a hundred-year-old literature on motivation, learned new statistical analysis, made a cognitive segment on consciousness, and formed an idea.eN about how people learn. Science is more than just a job to pay bills. At the end of my temporary contract, I was in a semester from work to work at the university. I had three temporary contracts and to me Labor law, the university had to either offer me a permanent contract or help me with another professionhe isRe-find it.

Was the lastAnd the And in a class in the human resources department, I had to learn to envision myself as a job seeker rather than a scientist. I could not. “You can’t expect me to change who I am in a few months” InterceptedAnd the Swallow my tears.

Unfortunately, the scientific identity is fragile. The current Labor Law (Labor Market Equilibrium Law) obliges the employer to offer an employee a permanent contract within two years after three temporary contracts. In practice at the university, this means that scientists are sent home after a temporary contract, even if resources exist if Extend the appointment for a period. It is definitely possible to return: After six months of leaving the service, the employee may be hired again.

Personally, I have been working at Vrije University for ten years now and have temporarily left the company twice pending the next subsidy. Another year and resignation letter Must be Back on the mat Autumn. Not everyone works in this construction, Because some colleagues have After a lot of competition Obtained the required permanent contract. The overall percentage of temporary contracts at Dutch universities ranges from 26 to 52 percent (source: Rathenau.nl). I look with envy at those who are allowed to stay.

Science is like love

You might expect it The scientist’s career becomes less attractive because a lot of temporary contracts are not renewed. Indeed it attracts However An army of young scientists from temporary to temporary, always looking for a new one shooting from Faucet support.

Last summer I sat under a tree with my sister. “I applied for another benefit anyway“And the a favour I. I laughed with understandingAnd the And I thought about the times when we used to comfort each other “one more time” They made love with our ex-boyfriendeN was.

nicely Column at Leiden University Weekly Comparison Susie Ziegelstra, her relationship with the university he met Affair. I often compare my relationship with college to a love affairAnd the Because science has a lot to offer me; she It sharpens my thoughts and allows access to knowledge. I think I am a wealthy person a Better mother. But love, including the love of science, becomes toxic when eSometimes a partner pretends to have found the perfect partner and then loses interest again.

Once every few years after receiving a large grantAnd the The university had a warm bath and offered me a bright future. With the gradual evaporation of fundseThe resources you brought in evaporate from that future But again, On Must be I go back to the support faucet. Is the beauty of science the only reason I always want to stay, or are temporary and unstable work conditions in a strange way addictive?

Neurosciences teach us that there is nothing more addictive than an unproven reward. The uncertainty combined with wonderful perspectives makes it more insecure than ever to cling to the dream world created by the other. The only way to dream this from Super hero converted to You are not. Do we want to chase the legendary superhero from college, And the The university will have to be courageous enough to choose the ones sooner and reject its vicissitudes forever.

The world itself

You’ve read a lot now and you might be a little skeptical; If the NWO softened its forecasts earlier On The university chooses the select ones sooner, has the superhero been expelled from the university? Isn’t the desire to be a legendary superhero in World Z?it’s aIf? The scientist is a special kind of person who, like everyone else, desires success, but lives precisely where success is rare and hazy. First, the world is mostly interested in the unknown; There interesting questions could be investigated and major breakthroughs could be made.

but when Somebody itself Adventures in uncharted territory, successful achievements are difficult to determine. When a survey is completed after an average of one year, there is no right answer to compare the result to. Only when fellow scientists generously cite a publication on the research months later can the success really be felt. But even then, there is a reasonable chance that someone else will come to different conclusions from a new angle.

Second, success is rare because funds are limited. Perhaps the legendary superhero could be taken out of college by often giving the world a chance to succeed. For example, by encouraging managers to put the spotlight on their employees more often.

What now?

Can we kick the legendary superhero out of college, and should we Wants? Before I get a file HOr blessing He walked to draw attention to from Lack of funding In science, I stood next to the director of my university. When asked if I was suffering as a researcher, I answered without thinking how beautiful my work was. As soon as I reached the icy waters, I was shocked by my answer. The water definitely gets to my lips.

I walked to the side in despair While I For professors and students in the water See. We may have introduced ourselves. But no, it is true Because We appreciate our work, we must stand up for good working conditions. Moreover, in the past year, politics has elevated science to the way out of the pandemic and climate crisis. Do we want this role Could you Academic culture should go to the doctor. Recipe 1.1 billionAnd the I also calculate PricewaterhouseCoopersAnd the Will be Be a good start.