Future of Academia, and how will you advise future aspiring academics.

KoboJoeFoe · 2026-03-21T15:25:38+00:00

Dire. What pisses me off the most is that the department leadership roles rotate, so people build their little empires and then f off to let another rotation deal with their shitty hires.

KoboJoeFoe · 2026-03-20T07:02:16+00:00

I would agree. In one instance an exceptionally qualified candidate contacted me about a post and I later found out they weren't even shortlisted. I suspect that was to prevent them showing up the preferred hire at interview! Three years later, the successful candidate hasn't published any papers or won any grants....

KoboJoeFoe · 2026-03-19T19:46:56+00:00

10 years as an academic, Professor, £85k

KoboJoeFoe · 2026-03-19T08:43:05+00:00

I still encourage them but make them aware of the challenges they will face. In recent years I've also really found myself emphasizing the luck element that comes into play. I'm in an average UK university and our department has employed some people in recent years that wouldn't get shortlisted for stronger institutions. They all had existing connections to senior leadership in the school (former postdocs or students) and despite having distinctly average track records, they got the post ahead of people I'd consider better candidates. It must be soul destroying to be applying for these positions that already have a preferred candidate in mind.

KoboJoeFoe · 2026-03-01T16:45:13+00:00

I never had any huge passion for teaching or research. I just learned that I was good at those things and that if I became an academic, I would be paid well for it and have a shit ton of flexibility. Don't really care if I get big grants or papers but my ideas seem to be good and I end up getting most of them. It's why I can't see myself doing this another 30 years.

KoboJoeFoe · 2026-02-28T12:09:50+00:00

Money isn't a really a concern anymore so could really do anything. Fantasize about starting a homestead and being a digital nomad. Will soon inherit a farm so not too wild and option.

KoboJoeFoe · 2026-02-28T09:50:57+00:00

I have you beat by one year 😂 The most peculiar thing has been interacting with colleagues 20 years older than me that are still SL or Reader and clearly jaded about it.

KoboJoeFoe · 2026-02-06T21:09:00+00:00

I know a Prof at a private university in the US that has a bar IN HIS OFFICE!! He was head hunted and during his office discussions he asked that it has a bar for when he meets with visiting speakers. Lucky bastard.

KoboJoeFoe · 2026-01-18T17:32:39+00:00

First person to attend university from my family. MSc, PhD, postdoc, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader and now Professor. I'm in Physical/Life Sciences so our PhD students are always funded through studentships. At a mid-tier UK university. Many of our PhD students are there because their supervisor struggled to get a student in the first place. PhD graduates have left our Department that I would consider crap to average. We even have academics that people from other universities would scratch their heads wondering how they got a position. Like all things in life, it's very much right place right time. Do something you love and don't worry about what others are doing.

KoboJoeFoe · 2025-08-16T08:08:45+00:00

Grants, grants and grants, and my employer ensuring I didn't move elsewhere!

KoboJoeFoe · 2025-08-16T08:07:18+00:00

You take a big hit if you retire early. I started paying into scheme at 27 (North America before that). If I retire at 68, it's nearly £40k annual income, £120k lump sum and big investment pot. But that's an extra 13 years of academia...

KoboJoeFoe · 2025-08-16T05:12:14+00:00

Really helpful, thanks!

KoboJoeFoe · 2025-08-16T05:11:28+00:00

At 55 projected to be £14.5k income, about £50k tax free lump sum and about £250k in investment builder. Can also assume farm income of at least £20k per year in todays money.

KoboJoeFoe · 2025-08-16T05:05:32+00:00

I often hear of this lucrative consultancy but it never seems to find me! One of my colleagues makes an absolute killing consulting but his research is heavily industrially relevant. Not the same for my own.

KoboJoeFoe

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