More necessary background

I'll tell you a secret.

I'm still thinking about academia as my career goal.

Well, its not exactly a secret.  Most people who know me, already know that I haven't yet veered off the traditional academic career pathway.   From graduate school I looked for post-doctoral positions and was offered one in the lab of my choice under an amazing PI (PI = principle investigator, aka- lab head or boss).

Don't get me wrong though.  I have attended more than my fair share of "alternative career" seminars*.  Listened to consultants talking about consulting, patent lawyers talk about lawyering, and science policy fellows rave on and on about their work on "the Hill".   

I have considered all of those as potential career options and haven't crossed them off my list (in addition to others, including starting my own business in organizational techniques- yes, I am an anal organizer).  But in the end, the idea of educating and performing research always comes back.

That is why I have thrown my hat into the realm of adjunct professor.  I decided in order to make an informed career decision, I needed to know whether I enjoyed teaching.  I had taught during graduate school, but only as a TA (TA = teaching assistant).   There I had the experience of teaching a short laboratory introduction lecture and grading exams that someone else had written.  But I never planned an entire course, developed a syllabus, given an hour+ long lecture, or written exams.  So if I stayed on the academic pathway, would I actually enjoy being a professor and teaching?   

So in addition to beginning a post-doc position (started early in 2008), I sought out opportunities to teach.  I was amazed at how quickly I found an adjunct position (that story will be told in another entry) and soon I was set up to teach a Baby Bio lecture and its associated lab.

And let me just say, being the professor is very different from being just one of the TAs.

* I'll state it up-front that I do not like the phrase "alternative career".  It makes it seem like there is something wrong with getting a Ph.D. and then choosing to do something other than becoming an academic.  And I do NOT believe that is the case.