Motivated Academic

Most researchers and academics I know are in a race against time. - Juggling research with teaching and admin - Striving for that prestigious journal publication or grant - Wishing for more than just a "pat on the back" And yet, many feel like they’re shouting into a void. - Invisible outside their niche - Their groundbreaking insights often overlooked by key stakeholders - Expert branding not even in their vocabulary Then, a revelation struck me: I realised that being a professor in decarbonisation isn't just about my own work. It's about empowering others to break out of the shadows. 1. Sharing insights with a broader audience → Elevates our field and fuels career progression 2. Building an expert brand → Transforms academics into thought leaders 3. Engaging with the wider community → Foster mutual growth and inspiration 4. Overcoming the imposter syndrome → Because your expertise deserves the spotlight If you're an academic yearning for visibility and influence, what strategies have worked for you? P.S. For me LinkedIn has been a go to place to engage and explore opportunities! #HigherEducation #ThoughtLeadership #Publishing #Academia #Career #Science #PhD #Professor #Scientist #ChemicalEngineering

If your paper is getting rejected, it isn’t necessarily the science that’s the problem (it’s likely the journal fit that’s off!). Here’s how you can be be strategic about journal selection. How do I choose the right scientific journal? ? Analyze your citation list and target relevant publications. Can impact factor really determine journal quality? ? Look beyond numbers, focus on specialized audience fit. How to avoid predatory journal publication traps? ? Verify journal reputation before submitting your research. Will editors help improve my manuscript? ? Follow author guidelines meticulously. Navigating the academic publication landscape can feel like traversing a complex maze. As a professor, I've learned that selecting the right journal is both an art and a science. Here's a game-changing approach I've developed: 1. Conduct a citation audit: Count journals you've referenced most frequently. These are likely your ideal publication targets. 2. Beyond Impact Factor: Don't get fixated on numbers. A lower-ranked journal with a specialized audience might be more valuable than a high-impact generic publication. 3. Beware of predatory journals: If an unsolicited email promises quick publication for a fee, run! Legitimate open-access journals conduct rigorous peer review. 4. Craft a strategic cover letter: Suggest credible reviewers, highlight your paper's novelty, and demonstrate professionalism. 5. Patience is key: Most journals reject approximately 50% of submissions. Don't be discouraged - each submission is a learning opportunity. Pro tip: Always read and follow the journal's specific author guidelines. This shows you're a detail-oriented, professional researcher. Have you ever struggled with selecting the right scientific journal for your research? What challenges have you encountered? #science #scientist #ScientificCommunication #publishing #phd #professor #research #postgraduate

Is digital content, like blogs and posts, equally important to academic papers? Yes and no! Yes, digital content can: - amplify the key messages of your research - share your research with wider audience - improve visibility of your research - get you speaking invitations - get you consulting projects No, digital content won’t: - (still) get recognised for promotions - get peer reviewed as academic papers - demonstrate your expertise on proposals In my experience, it’s definitely worth doing digital content in addition to academic publishing. But you need to find balance and stay away from distractions. How do you use digital content to amplify impact of your research? #scientist #science #nature #chemicalengineering #phd #professor #research

Is digital content, like blogs and posts, equally important to academic papers? Yes and no! Yes, digital content can: - amplify the key messages of your research - share your research with wider audience - improve visibility of your research - get you speaking invitations - get you consulting projects No, digital content won’t: - (still) get recognised for promotions - get peer reviewed as academic papers - demonstrate your expertise on proposals In my experience, it’s definitely worth doing digital content in addition to academic publishing. But you need to find balance and stay away from distractions. How do you use digital content to amplify impact of your research? #scientist #science #nature #chemicalengineering #phd #professor #research

90% of PhD programmes will subconsciously teach you that publishing is the ultimate goal of being an academic. (Yet this is just the first step to achieving impact with your work…) From my experience, it was my activity on LinkedIn that led to speaking, consultancy, and joint research opportunities, not my academic papers. Sharing your research with other audiences will help you to: 1. Amplify your research impact beyond traditional academic circles 2. Build an expert brand in your specialized domain 3. Create valuable networking opportunities with global professionals 4. Transform academic expertise into influential industry insights 5. Generate potential consulting and speaking engagement opportunities Best case, you establish yourself as a recognized expert nationally and internationally. Worst case, you expand your professional visibility and career prospects. That's a win-win. As an academic, your deep knowledge is a goldmine waiting to be shared. Thought leadership isn't just about publishing papers — it's about making your expertise accessible and relevant to broader audiences. Here's a simple roadmap to transition from an academic expert to a respected thought leader: ? Develop a consistent online presence ? Share original insights on LinkedIn and research platforms ? Create content that bridges academic research and real-world applications ? Engage with professionals outside your immediate academic network ? Speak at conferences and webinars Remember, thought leadership is about storytelling, not just data. Your research can inspire, challenge, and transform perspectives. Have you started your thought leadership journey? What's stopping you from sharing your unique academic insights? #Science #Scientist #Research #ChemicalEngineering #Professor #PhD #Publishing

“Because of your world-leading expertise in X, we offer you a voluntary editor position at our journal Y” - I’m (usually) not convinced! I think the academic publishing system has been created on the right premise - the academics providing reviews and editorial support to other academics on a voluntary basis. And that would have been OK, if it weren’t for the excessive profit margins set by some of the publishers. Otherwise, I don’t see any other profession that would offer to do consultancy in voluntary basis. That being said, there are instances where I accepted to be on the editorial board. A good example of this is journal of Clean Energy, published by Oxford University Press. Here is why I decided to join them: - Journal published by the University, not for-profit publisher - Diamond open-access, meaning no APC for authors and no access fees for readers - Integrity of the editorial and management team It just felt right. And the journal is slowly but steadily gaining recognition in the area. At the end of the day, the decision is yours. If you feel it will advance your career - do it. You can always resign if it doesn’t work for you anymore. #science #publishing #research #professor #scientist #phd #academia

As early stage academic, I was lead to believe that being an academic boils down to these 3 things: 1. Projects you deliver 2. PhDs/Postdocs you mentor 3. Publications you write in journals Sure, these are important aspects of our daily work as academics. But as I gained more experience, I’ve started realising that there’s much more to these 3 items than their explicit meaning. 1. It’s not just the projects you deliver, it’s the impact you have with these projects. For example, I’ve done multiple techno-economic and market assessment studies to support organisations decide whether to invest in specific technology or field. 2. It’s not just the number of PhDs/postdocs you mentor, it’s how you share your experience with wider community. For example, the work I’m doing here to support researchers and academics build expert profile and enjoy sharing their research with wider audiences. 3. It’s not just the number of Q1 paperd you publish, it’s how you then make your research visible to other communities who may benefit from it. For example, I’m advocating for open science and fee-free open access, plus digital dissemination of research to maximise reach and potential impact. I know it’s easier said than done, especially since it’s very straightforward to narrow down our focus on projects, PhDs, and publications. But I hope more people will see value in going beyond these, truly focusing on knowledge and experience sharing. What’s your favourite aspect of being a researcher or an academic? #science #scientist #research #researcher #professor #chemicalengineering #phd #academia

It costs ￡9,190.00 to publish an open access paper at Nature. Instead, this can pay for: - annual tuition fees for 3 part-time PhDs - bench-scale lab equipment for new research - dissemination and communication training for the research team - LCA & process modelling software for the research team - carbon literacy training for the entire department - few away days for research team building I think it is down to priorities, but I'd rather spend such a budget on team building & development and publish the paper via the green open access route (pre-print+post-print+subscription publishing) rather than making a single paper gold open access. What would you do? #science #scientist #nature #publishing #chemicalengineering #research #professor #openaccess #highereducation

“You professors require us to publish X to even get PhD; then say we publish too much.” I’ll be honest, it sickens me to see some countries still require PhDs to publish their work to even get PhD. Why - because it drives the publish or perish culture, essentially saying if you don’t publish you don’t get your PhD. Your PhD thesis should be novel and original, and thus contain material worth publishing. But publishing shouldn’t be a requirement: - PhD programme is 3-4 years - journal turnaround time 3-6 months This promotes low risk, popular topics that specific journals like to publish. If I were in such position again, I’d do this: - don’t fight the system (yet), publish - use the outcomes to build recognition - promote open science - develop your own voice - promote good practice within your team - promote good practice externally Meaning: you don’t need to fight the system to change it. It’s too big. What we can do is make it redundant by promoting open science. The value of overpublishing, h-indices and citations is already diminishing throughout the world. So next time before you publish something, put it on open access depository, your website or use other format to tell us about your work. #research #science #publishing #phd #professor #scientist #chemicalengineering

These are 3 secrets successful scientists & profs know about research careers… …that no PhD programme will teach you. Want them? Here they are: Successful scientists share their work beyond academic journals to build visibility and impact. PhD programme tells you to focus solely on publications, missing the chance to grow their expert brand. Successful scientists prioritise collaborations with industry and policymakers to create real-world impact. PhD programme encourages you to stick to siloed academic circles, limiting opportunities for collaboration. Successful scientists invest time in strategic networking on platforms and events. PhD programme directs you to spend too much time perfecting papers without connecting with your audience. So remember. You’re working 40-80 hrs a week. Spend a few minutes making sure your efforts aren’t invisible outside academia. Share your ideas, build connections, and position yourself as a thought leader. What else do you want to know? Drop it in the comments. #science #scientist #research #academia #professor #chemicalengineering #leadership #career #phd