[Career review] “Academic research” by Jess Whittlestone

Are academic careers a good option if you want to have a positive impact? A review of the pros and cons. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:13) Summary(02:37) Pros(02:51) Cons(03:07) Key facts on fit(03:25) Next steps(03:49) Recommended(03:59) Review status(04:04) What is this profile based on?(05:09) If you choose well, you can do valuable research(10:27) Research isn't the only way academics can have a large impact(10:59) 1. Public outreach(14:01) 2. Apply your research to problems outside of academia(18:33) 3. Influencing academia and research management(23:17) If you're in doubt, it's often worth staying in academia(23:23) Keeping options open(24:43) Good backup options(25:20) The work can be very satisfying(27:29) What are the main downsides?(27:33) Highly competitive and low chances of progression(32:35) Academic incentives aren't always aligned with doing valuable research(35:10) Lower salaries(36:17) Long training time(37:31) Lower flexibility(38:19) How to assess your personal fit(38:37) What are the entry requirements?(39:24) What does it take to excel?(39:29) Track record(40:15) How important is intelligence?(47:17) How much difference does hard work make?(49:22) What about other personality factors?(51:24) How to assess your personal fit at each stage of your career?(55:58) Maximising your impact within academia(56:03) Which field should you go into?(56:19) How to establish your career early on(57:30) Maximising your impact later on(57:35) 1. Maximising the impact of your research(01:02:25) 2. Maximising your impact in academia beyond research(01:04:42) Conclusion(01:05:31) Think you have a good shot at becoming an academic researcher focused on a pressing problem?(01:05:56) Learn more(01:05:59) Top recommendations(01:06:20) Further recommendations(01:06:25) Articles and resources(01:06:54) 80,000 Hours podcasts related to academic careers The original text contained 37 footnotes which were omitted from this narration. --- First published: October 1st, 2018 Last updated: December 15th, 2023 Source: https://80000hours.org/career-reviews/academic-research --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.