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It's only hit me recently how much job insecurity contributes to my every-day stress, chips away at my #mentalhealth and overall hinders me science.
A thread.
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If you don't know me, I finished my PhD last year and started a postdoc
1/8
@AcademicChatter @PhD_Balance
A thread.
---
If you don't know me, I finished my PhD last year and started a postdoc
1/8
@AcademicChatter @PhD_Balance
I am lucky in that I got a 3 year position, so I have 2 years left. Except that means I need to apply for my next job in a year and therefore build up my assets NOW.
Not only is science competitive but I have a two-body problem: my partner is stuck in the UK
2/8
Not only is science competitive but I have a two-body problem: my partner is stuck in the UK
2/8
But UK science funding is forecast to tank after Brexit, and since I'm French I will need a secure job to be able to come back to my family.
It affects me everyday, in everything I do:
I need my science output to not just be good. It needs to be remarkable and impactful
3/8
It affects me everyday, in everything I do:
I need my science output to not just be good. It needs to be remarkable and impactful
3/8
Given COVID I can't go to conferences to advertise my work, so as a young ECR I am less likely than ever to get my work noticed by my community.
Then there is science communication. It used to be a hobby of mine and still is, god I love it.
4/8
Then there is science communication. It used to be a hobby of mine and still is, god I love it.
4/8
But now I fear that I will "fail". At my hobby
Side projects and social media DO take a lot of time and when it may have to become a source of income in the future, it is hard not to stress over it, not to see lower engagements (completely random) as personal failures.
5/8
Side projects and social media DO take a lot of time and when it may have to become a source of income in the future, it is hard not to stress over it, not to see lower engagements (completely random) as personal failures.
5/8
If my job wasn't insecure, I wouldn't be afraid to learn new things and potentially fail repeatedly before getting it right when working on a big science or #scicomm project.
But I'm scared. I don't have much time.
If my job wasn't insecure, I wouldn't feel so devalued.
6/8
But I'm scared. I don't have much time.
If my job wasn't insecure, I wouldn't feel so devalued.
6/8
Now don't get me wrong. I am very very very privileged.
But isn't it very telling that people at the highest levels of education and specialisation, who push the boundaries of human knowledge, still feel like the system doesn't care about them?
Late-stage capitalism is trash
7/
But isn't it very telling that people at the highest levels of education and specialisation, who push the boundaries of human knowledge, still feel like the system doesn't care about them?
Late-stage capitalism is trash
7/
I don't want this to turn into a socialist rant but you get the gist.
Anyways, if you feel the way I do, I see you. I'm sorry.
If you support my work on here or elsewhere thank you. And when I respond to your tweets saying "it means so much", know that I mean it
8/8
Anyways, if you feel the way I do, I see you. I'm sorry.
If you support my work on here or elsewhere thank you. And when I respond to your tweets saying "it means so much", know that I mean it
8/8
