Comments on: Big-Shot Fright http://bluelabcoats.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/big-shot-fright/ Female w/Kids Balancing Academic Science & Home... Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:28:40 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: JSinger http://bluelabcoats.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/big-shot-fright/#comment-4641 JSinger Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:28:25 +0000 http://bluelabcoats.wordpress.com/?p=1968#comment-4641 <I>The last episode occurred when R. Losick visited my grad. department to give a talk.</i> This reminds me of the insight I had as a grad student that cured me of this affliction: my lab was at the big Drosophila conference and everyone was cowering in awe of the big names as they wandered. Suddenly it dawned on me. "This isn't Michael Jordan (1). It's X who had a couple of Cell papers. No one outside this auditorium cares who she is." And I started walking up to every "big name" (2) and introducing myself. The point being that I have no idea who "R. Losick" is, so why should you be any less unintimidated by him than I would be? 1. Youngsters, replace with LeBron James to get the point. 2. Most of whom got another Cell paper or two out the pipeline they had running at the time and I haven't (from my position in a different field now) heard of them since. The last episode occurred when R. Losick visited my grad. department to give a talk.

This reminds me of the insight I had as a grad student that cured me of this affliction: my lab was at the big Drosophila conference and everyone was cowering in awe of the big names as they wandered. Suddenly it dawned on me. “This isn’t Michael Jordan (1). It’s X who had a couple of Cell papers. No one outside this auditorium cares who she is.” And I started walking up to every “big name” (2) and introducing myself.

The point being that I have no idea who “R. Losick” is, so why should you be any less unintimidated by him than I would be?

1. Youngsters, replace with LeBron James to get the point.

2. Most of whom got another Cell paper or two out the pipeline they had running at the time and I haven’t (from my position in a different field now) heard of them since.

]]> By: drdrA http://bluelabcoats.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/big-shot-fright/#comment-4626 drdrA Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:26:02 +0000 http://bluelabcoats.wordpress.com/?p=1968#comment-4626 Microbiologist xx- I know the feeling. I encourage you to ask... and if you just can't do it with an audience... then go up to the speaker afterwards and ask one-on-one... Microbiologist xx- I know the feeling. I encourage you to ask… and if you just can’t do it with an audience… then go up to the speaker afterwards and ask one-on-one…

]]> By: microbiologist xx http://bluelabcoats.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/big-shot-fright/#comment-4625 microbiologist xx Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:39:41 +0000 http://bluelabcoats.wordpress.com/?p=1968#comment-4625 I feel the same way when talking to big shots or asking them questions after their seminars. The last episode occurred when R. Losick visited my grad. department to give a talk. I pretty much have almost every paper ever produced by that lab memorized and I had been looking forward to his talk since I found out about it. The talk was fantastic, and even though I had several questions that I wanted to ask him, I just couldn't bring myself to raise my hand and ask. Then I hear a few of my questions get asked by other members of the audience and Losick replies, oh, that is an excellent question. At that point I was ready to band my head on the back of the seat in front of me. I feel the same way when talking to big shots or asking them questions after their seminars. The last episode occurred when R. Losick visited my grad. department to give a talk. I pretty much have almost every paper ever produced by that lab memorized and I had been looking forward to his talk since I found out about it. The talk was fantastic, and even though I had several questions that I wanted to ask him, I just couldn’t bring myself to raise my hand and ask. Then I hear a few of my questions get asked by other members of the audience and Losick replies, oh, that is an excellent question. At that point I was ready to band my head on the back of the seat in front of me.

]]> By: drdrA http://bluelabcoats.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/big-shot-fright/#comment-4613 drdrA Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:05:29 +0000 http://bluelabcoats.wordpress.com/?p=1968#comment-4613 TomJoe- I'm making that interesting transition from the kids to the adults table. But that doesn't help me get over the intimidation of big-shot in my office. Although you are right 9 times out of 10 they are awesomely nice. TomJoe- I’m making that interesting transition from the kids to the adults table. But that doesn’t help me get over the intimidation of big-shot in my office. Although you are right 9 times out of 10 they are awesomely nice.

]]> By: TomJoe http://bluelabcoats.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/big-shot-fright/#comment-4612 TomJoe Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:25:26 +0000 http://bluelabcoats.wordpress.com/?p=1968#comment-4612 I will admit to being readily intimidated by some of the greats in my particular field, even though when I meet them (as I have occasion to do) they have always been very kind and thoughtful. For me, I think it's just a matter of time before I actually consider myself their peer. Perhaps it's the last vestiges of my graduate and post-doc days. I will admit to being readily intimidated by some of the greats in my particular field, even though when I meet them (as I have occasion to do) they have always been very kind and thoughtful. For me, I think it’s just a matter of time before I actually consider myself their peer. Perhaps it’s the last vestiges of my graduate and post-doc days.

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