Dimitris Katsanos
Senior Scientist at Mitra BioAcademia, in most cases, prepares you well to take on most tasks. The only requirement is to adapt to a more commercially focused environment and apply those same skills in more flexible ways.
Academia, in most cases, prepares you well to take on most tasks. The only requirement is to adapt to a more commercially focused environment and apply those same skills in more flexible ways.
I enjoy interacting with clients and starting new projects, where you have to dive into a space and quickly familiarise yourself with it.
The problem-solving aspect is what I enjoy the most and the direct impact/value my work has is very rewarding.
Don’t be put off if you are not sure what you want to do and take opportunities if they present themselves.
Keep an open mind and don’t be averse to taking the leap. There’s a saying in Hindi, “Udaan bharne ke liye, chalang lanaga zaroori hain”, which loosely translates to if you want to learn how to fly/soar, you have to first jump!
I felt it offered a perfect way to combine my skills – science and writing. Translating complex topics into clear, compelling storytelling really appealed to me as it had been how I approached writing my thesis.
I felt isolated when I was exploring a transition, but now I realize that there are tons of ex-academics leading fulfilling work lives in a variety of sectors.
I miss neuroscience. I knew I would miss it even when I made my decision to move on. That said, I have found myself using the same mental research and problem-solving faculties in my current job, even though it has no link to neuroscience.
If you have doubts about whether academia is for you, don’t wait too long thinking “What if I stay a bit longer?” to see if those doubts subside.
There are a lot of amazing opportunities outside of academia and leaving does not mean you have ‘given up or failed’.
As much as I enjoyed my PhD, towards the end of it I started hearing a little voice in my head that made me doubt if my long-term career was going to be in academia.