Life as an Academic

Life as an Academic

One of the main themes of this session was that 'life as an academic' is not a homogenous category. The experiences of an academic who teaches and researches will different to those who are primarily research orientated. Even as you might move through different stages of academic life and life outside academia your focuses and experiences will vary. For example, starting a teaching/research job will demand a lot of time on teaching as you deal with new courses; small grants and teaching relief might allow more of a focus on research.

The audience was very interested in transition from postgraduate to academic: managing a shifting sense of identity, dealing with changing collegial relationships, the different skills required (like grant writing) and researching without the framework of the PhD and supervision. Dr Tanya Dalziell, the presenter, emphasised that the pleasures and passions of an academic life risk overwhelming 'having a life'. However, there is increasing institutional support for work/life balance and working as an academic enables you to pursue ideas and intellectual exchange in a way not possible elsewhere.