Where Do I Fit in Academia?

It’s always a good idea to take a break and think about all that’s going on in life in perspective. As I approach the end of the coursework phase of my PhD program, I need to think about what’s next.

My preliminary exam…

but beyond that, I need to think about the (glorious) life after I graduate. Do I go to industry? or stay in Academia?

Currently, my duties are closer aligned to that of a scientific research software engineer. I enjoy building scientific software and tools, and enjoy doing data analysis. What I dread is writing. Mainly because I am slow and terrible at it. While this is a feedback loop that I need to break, my disdain for writing means that I am not academically “productive”. No grants, no papers.

The past year at Virginia Tech and taking the Future Professoriate Class, working in the library seems like a good academic fit for my academic toolkit, or my love for teaching has directed me into looking into Professor of Practice positions.