Friday, June 7, 2013

Back from Europe

One of the perks of being in academia is a free trip here and there. And so, I return to you, my anxious reader, from the Tooth Development and Morphogenesis (TMD) meeting in Cote d'Azur, France.

I tried to come up with a list of the pro's of choosing an academic career, while on the airplane. Some are a bit tongue in cheek, so take them lightly. Here goes:

1. Science is cool! And yes, you get to do it for a living! I get to ask my own questions and use just about any known tools to my disposal.
2. Life of academics is constantly evolving, keeping them on the cutting edge. I study stem cells, and the relevance of my data depends directly on the latest methodology.
3. One is constantly surrounded with young minds and amazing people that enrich one's life immensly. Our lab shares the floor with a Nobel Prize laureate.
4. When in a bar, tell the girl you're working with stem cells...OK, you're right, this won't help you...
5. Free trips!