The Entrepreneurial Postdoc
As I look back over the past three years, I see that whereas I had thought I was leaving academia and embracing enterprise, what actually happened was something altogether unexpected. Instead of focusing on product development, marketing it, and making lots of money I have remained squarely planted inside the research sphere.
In fact, I have followed a course that is typical of a post-doctoral research fellow: expanding on my skills by applying them to new settings while learning new techniques that complement my existing knowledge and expertise. In other words, I have unwittingly completed a three-year self-funded postdoc! All of the projects on which I have worked have involved working with a renowned university faculty member. I have written grant proposals (some of which were funded), acted as a co-principal investigator on projects, honed my skills, advised students, and taught. I have co-edited a book, published peer-reviewed articles, and presented my work at conferences.
One thing that I hated about my experiences as a self-funded researcher is the uncertainty about funding: I find it exceedingly difficult to focus on doing great work when I’m worried about where my next paycheque will come from. The feeling is somewhere between “being hungry” and “running scared”. I worry that this sentiment is shared amongst most researchers. Through it all, though, I didn’t bail on my dream of doing leading-edge research and development. Yes, there were times when I wanted to just quit, and yes, I did go to several interviews that very well could have led to a stable but mundane existence. There are still days when I question my sanity in pursuing the dream, but most days aren’t like that.
I realize full well how lucky I am and I would like to thank those colleagues who bravely funded the various projects that have kept me afloat over the past three years. What does the future hold? More of the same, I think. Whereas I haven’t gotten to market with any products just yet, I know that I have been moving steadily forward. Although it seems I’m always “halfway closer” to my goals (but never quite there), my advisors and my intuition tell me I’m on the brink of “eureka” on several fronts. I’ve gotten better at knowing what I’m not good at and when to ask for help.
This year, we will see some of the first interns come through Problemshift Inc. and, should things work out as planned, a return to teaching for me. Combined with a strong commitment to my responsibilities as an advisor on several projects (a non-for-profit organization that teaches leadership through horsemanship, a new graduate-level program for online teaching and learning, and a working group that oversees the development of open-source analytic software), 2015 will be an exciting and busy year!
Happy New Year!