About This Course

Being successful requires more than acquiring knowledge and developing experimental skills. It also requires: (1) asking a good scientific question, (2) establishing a clear plan of action, and (3) seeking advice along the way. These three topics are the focus of this course “Planning Your Scientific Journey,” which is aimed primarily at life science graduate and undergraduate students, but also useful for postdocs, staff scientists, and others who could benefit from learning or reviewing these topics. (If you are interested in requiring this course for your own trainees, please click here for more information.)

By the end of the course, you will have:

Criteria to evaluate a research question. A plan for how to approach your scientific question and other research goals. An agenda for a meeting with your mentor to get feedback on your plan.

Planning Your Scientific Journey is an innovative online course. Engaging videos, along with reflective exercises, offer concrete tools and practical advice to help you navigate the most challenging aspects of developing and planning a research project. Instruction is led by a diverse group of leading scientists, such as Nobel Laureates, accomplished faculty, and junior scientists, who think about different aspects scientific training in deep and meaningful ways. Our hope is that you will end our course feeling more prepared and confident in your own scientific journey!

As you will learn from this course, there are no universal, easy-to-memorize rules for executing a successful research project. But this is good news. Scientific research embraces many styles, personalities, interests, and motivations. The key to success is defining your own niche and, most importantly, taking responsibility for your project and scientific journey. This course challenges you to think about these issues.

Whether you have yet to decide on a research question or are well-immersed in a project, this course will help to crystallize your research ideas and goals. So, take charge of your training and enroll in this course now!

If you have any problem starting and using this course, or just want to comment on your experience or offer a suggestion, please email us.