As an early-career researcher, I loved doing outreach. So I made it my career

From ScienceMag:

When the call came for volunteers to visit local schools for Brain Awareness Week, I jumped at the opportunity. I had spent the past 3 years with my head down, focused on my neuroscience Ph.D., and I liked the idea of getting out and sharing what I was learning. The other graduate students and I brought a real human brain, using it as a guide to talk about the frontal lobe, hippocampus, amygdala, and other brain regions. “Where is creativity located?” one student asked. I found it deeply satisfying to help them understand even just a little bit about why their grandparents might not remember things or why the brains of their autistic brothers or sisters might work differently. The next day, I went back to my normal lab routine. But the experience planted a seed, eventually leading me to a new career.

I entered grad school with the same hope as many other students: to become a professor. I imagined myself running a research lab while teaching undergrads, inspiring them to become passionate about discovery.

I wasn’t required to teach, but I lobbied my department to make me a teaching assistant. I also volunteered here and there for outreach activities by judging science fairs, giving lab tours, and visiting classrooms. But mostly I focused squarely on research, which I was told should be the priority if I wanted an academic job.

I was perfectly happy with that for many years, as I loved making discoveries and publishing papers about them. But after I became a postdoc I realized something was off. I felt lost in the fine details of the research and yearned to see the big picture impact.

Amid my struggle, flyers and emails popped up announcing that my institute was going to hold its first ever career symposium. My curiosity was piqued. Could I find a meaningful career outside academia?

I have loved finding ways to break down complicated concepts into simple parts.

• Catherine Croft
• the Nysmith School and Catlilli Games

The education panel captivated me. It was eye opening to hear scientists describe how they had transitioned to positions at museums or research institutes, where they shared scientific knowledge with children and other members of the public. It was my first inkling that science education could even be a career. Afterward, I asked the panelists for advice on how I could follow in their footsteps, although I admitted, “I don’t know if I’m brave enough.”

The panelists convinced me I could make a career out of my interest in outreach. But after my fellowship ended I faced a new set of obstacles. I quickly realized my new path wasn’t as straightforward as the academic route. “How do I find these jobs?” I wondered. I also worried about having to face the condescending looks of former colleagues, who I feared would view me as a failed postdoc. But, close to 40 years old at that point, with two young children, I chose to be courageous and do what was best for me.

I ended up following a winding path. Initially, I wrote about scientific discoveries for the public and worked at a science enrichment center. Eventually I found my way into a job teaching biology to public high school students. The first year was difficult, because I had to learn classroom management and best teaching practices. But I soon navigated my way through the ins and outs of my new profession and became confident in my choice.

In the 10 years I’ve spent as a teacher, I have loved finding ways to break down complicated concepts into simple parts. My science training has come in handy when guiding students through labs and helping them realize there is no “correct” answer to be found. And I have enjoyed telling them about my research experiences, including how often experiments fail. It’s gratifying to think I’ve done my best to guide their lives in new directions, however big or small.

I sometimes look back wistfully on my research career. But when I see the immediate impact that I am making on young people’s lives, I know my new path is a good match for my skills and passions. Scientists come in many forms and can serve society in different ways. It took me a long time to realize that, but I am at peace with it now.

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