A while ago I reread Marinus Knoope’s book The Creation Spiral (De Creatiespiraal 1998). The book is about the natural cycle from wish to reality, as mentioned in the sub title. In the book the writer explains how your wishes can become reality. He compares this cycle with the natural…
What do you wish you had known when you started your PhD?That’s the question Nature recently asked PhD candidates and supervisors worldwide. The result: 27 honest, relatable and sometimes painful lessons. They confirm something I’ve seen for years: being smart or working hard isn’t enough. What matters is your process.…
“Say, you have taken that ethics course at the graduate school, right? Otherwise you can’t get your PhD,” says your colleague. Your neighbor approaches it differently: “I really admire you for being so smart, all that reading, all that studying. I could never do that. Your parents must be so…
On March 21st, Promovendi Netwerk Nederland presented their report Four Years of Contract, Five+ Years of Work: Factors Hindering and Supporting a Timely PhD Completion at a symposium. It was a sharp and well-substantiated presentation, followed by a lively panel discussion moderated by Joeri Tijdink. The panel members were Marie-José…
Some time ago, I conducted a workshop for the PhD candidates at Amsterdam Movement Sciences. The workshop was titled ‘Taking the Helm: Strategic Leadership and Feedback Tactics for PhD Students’. Take Charge of Your PhD Journey We discussed how to take charge of your PhD journey, emphasising that the…
‘Well, everyone was quite positive about the article. But I was so annoyed by the comment of one co-author, I have been dwelling on it the whole week.’ Do you recognize this? Undoubtedly. Big chances you also suffer from the negativity bias: the brain is hardwired for negativity and so…
