Alaa Garad, SFHEA, FRSA, PhD’s Post

UC San Diego's cross-disciplinary Research Communications Program helps train scientific researchers to clearly explain to the public what they do -- and why. Read Mario Aguilera's article in the Spring 2024 issue of UC San Diego Magazine, where he explains the program, it's goals and leaders. #communications #science #scientificcommunications #researchcommunicationsprogram #ucsandiego #ucsd #oncamera #offcamera #communicatingscience

Something that is often commented on but little is done about in academe. The academic world is not flat. Students from famous schools and advisors do have an easier time finding work. More here: https://lnkd.in/ek45Nxwg Students from less famous schools and with less famous advisors have more challenging searches. If you are from a blue collar PhD program, you will have to hustle a lot harder to find a good job. So don’t get caught flat footed. 1. Plan your job search early. 2. Submit papers sooner than later. 3. Network the year or two before you are on the job market. 4. Give great presentations. 5. Buy a four leaf clover. If you plan, work hard, and have a little luck. It can work out. #jobsearch

Mentor-Mentee relationship sets academic career prospects: "Having a well-cited mentor, they find, sets a junior researcher up for success, whereas lacking one can lead to a career spent on its periphery." “It shows how the position of the mentor can be inherited,” says University College London social scientist and study co-author Fabio Caccioli. “Students should be told as undergraduates the importance of having a well-known mentor,” Kahn says. That being said: It is unfortunate for PhD students to realize that their success often depends on factors unrelated to their own qualities and merits—factors that are largely beyond their control. In many MENA countries, the selection of a supervisor (or mentor, a term not yet well established in our region) is influenced by numerous external factors, with the student's preferences often playing little to no role. This research effectively demonstrates that, regardless of your research ability, you are at a disadvantage if you do not choose a highly cited supervisor. “It’s important that metrics are handled with care because there are all these effect that can impact it,” he says. “If you just look at citations, maybe that’s not the whole story.” Caccioli says. A new standard should be established, one that judges candidates solely on their merits and research abilities, without dictating the trajectory of their careers from the outset. Thank you, Andrew Akbashev for highlighting this matter.

🎓Nominated for best PhD paper! 🎓   When doing a PhD, it's often difficult to know whether the interests you pursue, and choices you make are right. Last night, however, I was lucky enough to experience a rare moment of reassurance, when the first paper of my thesis was among 3 nominees for Best Student Paper at the 40th colloquium for EGOS (European Group for Organizational Studies) in Milan, one of the largest conferences for organizational scholars in the world!   The paper is called "The alternative is metamodern: Tracing a spirit of both critical reflexivity and optimism in a democratizing organization". In it, I draw on the novel concept of "metamodernism" to understand why workers in democratic organizations know that they can never achieve the perfect democracy, but nonetheless find meaning in working as if it is possible.   In a time where the challenges we face loom larger than ever, I believe the metamodern capacity to work towards progress as if we can make a difference is important to highlight. Luckily, my senior colleagues in the award committe seem to agree, and I would like to thank them dearly for recognizing my work in this way! Organize! by Department of Organization, #CBS #AlternativeOrganization

🎉 With great pleasure, I am delighted to announce: PERMA-Lead goes peer-review! **Positive Leadership in schools** 🧑🏫"What measurable impacts does it have when schools are managed according to the PERMA-Lead approach?" We have dedicated the last two years to this question in an University collaborative project by Thomas Götz, Lea Resch, Sina Weiß and myself from the Universität Wien, Anne Frenzl from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) and Elouise Botes from the Universität Luxemburg: formulating hypotheses, substantiating them, conducting measurements at schools in German-speaking countries, analyzing data, and preparing it for scientific publication. I am thrilled to inform you that our study has been finally accepted by a peer-reviewed scientific journal, and the preprint is already published (the link is in the first comment). Peer-review is the gold standard of science, meaning that the journal first determines whether the contribution is scientifically relevant. Then, three independent experts are chosen to provide critical feedback in a double-blind process (we do not know who was chosen; the reviewers do not know who the authors are), which is then incorporated into the article. This happens in several rounds. I am very excited about the success of this joint scientific project. My sincerest thanks for the excellent cooperation across three universities! The next joint publications on PERMA-Lead are already in the pipeline. I will write a separate post about the results of our study in the next few days. For those who want to know now: the link to the publication is in the first comment. #permalead #positiveleadership #positivepsychology

I completely agree with this perspective on the 'Spotlight Effect' in academia. The advantages of having a renowned advisor or coming from an elite institution can significantly impact career trajectories, often at the expense of equally talented individuals who simply lacked those connections. In my experience, I’ve seen how this plays out in areas like research funding and faculty hiring, even #research fellow# hiring, where recommendations and visibility often overshadow merit. It’s clear that while top universities have resources, this doesn’t automatically mean their graduates will outperform others (as even the founder of Nvidia mentioned in a recent social media conversation). Talent and innovation aren’t confined to the most well-funded labs. We need to work toward a system that recognizes true potential and contribution over affiliations. Moving forward, reducing the weight of recommendation letters and emphasizing a more holistic view of candidates will help level the playing field for everyone. What’s your take on how we can balance this out better?"Samir Mitragotri

Very interesting new approach by the Financial Times to think about business school research in terms of its rigour, resonance and relevance: https://lnkd.in/dKZf8kyd. It is as interesting to observe that those schools at / near the top are eventually not all that different from how you would rank schools based on research output in leading journals alone. Keep doing the exercise FT, but do not overstate the case that schools / faculty publishing in leading journals are not impacting on the real world. They do, but in other ways and places. Quality people typically do quality stuff on more than one dimension. On a closer-to-home note, very pleasing to see Copenhagen Business School ranked as number 22 on this list.

🚀 Calling All Doctoral Research Scholars! 🚀 Elevate your research journey with the 3 Minutes Thesis Competition – a premier opportunity to advance your academic career and enhance your research skills. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞? ✨ Boost Your Skills: Participating in the 3 Minute Thesis competition cultivates essential academic, presentation, and research communication skills. It enhances your ability to convey your research to a non-specialized audience. ✨ Discover New Horizons: Delve into groundbreaking research topics and themes across the management discipline. ✨ Connect with Experts: Engage with esteemed reviewers, academicians, and practitioners from leading institutions. ✨ Showcase Your Work: Present your research and gain insightful feedback from industry experts. ✨ Collaborate & Innovate: Network with fellow researchers and foster exciting interdisciplinary collaborations. 🏆 Don’t Miss Your Chance to Win! 🏆 Ready to propel your research to new heights? Register now for RCDC to participate in 3 Minutes Thesis Competition: https://lnkd.in/gf3HYhgg #ResearchClinic #DoctoralConsortium #3MinuteThesis #FRC2024 #AcademicExcellence #FIIB #ResearchOpportunities Parikshit Joshi, Ph.D Priya Jain Fortune Institute of International Business

❗️Research notes and *NEW!* this year – posters – at the 2024 #ANZAM Doctoral Workshop ❗️ If you're an HDR candidate in management and related disciplines, come to the Uni of Wollongong in December and showcase your work in a poster, and get great feedback on your research in a research note. Submissions close 30 Sept. See below for details. #phd #mphil #management #research #professionaldevelopment #learning

Earning a PhD is an extraordinary milestone, but as my PhD advisor once shared, "Earning a PhD is not the real-life issue; maintaining a PhD is the real-life issue." This powerful insight speaks volumes about the journey that begins, rather than ends, with the conferral of a doctoral degree. A PhD signifies entrance into an exclusive community dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, societal impact, and transformative innovation. It carries the weight of high expectations—not merely to advance specialized research, but to apply our expertise and make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Our society looks to PhD holders not just as scholars, but as changemakers, leaders, and stewards of progress. "Maintaining" a PhD means continuously embodying the values of intellectual rigor, ethical responsibility, and the capacity to inspire positive change. It is about translating complex research into accessible solutions, mentoring the next generation, and fostering collaboration that transcends disciplines and borders. It is a call to create impact far beyond the academic sphere. To my fellow PhD holders and aspirants, let us reflect on this responsibility. We are not defined solely by our titles but by how we leverage our knowledge and values for the greater good. May we continue to learn, adapt, and serve, ensuring our legacy is one of contribution and empowerment. #PhDLeadership #SocietalImpact #LifelongCommitment #TransformativeChange #KnowledgeWithPurpose