Subject Resources: Careers in Science and Engineering: Print Books

This book is a career planning guide and practical tool for graduate students and postdocs in the pursuit of any career. It provides step-by-step processes for the assessment of career goals and the actions that can be taken in order to achieve them, including chapters on the basics of career planning, determining unique selling points, and navigating work-life concerns. This book also includes narratives from a number of perspectives to showcase the variety of career options available.

Are you a female engineer or a manager of female engineers? Imagine a life where you choose your own career path. You love what you do. You are an influencer, a go-to person at your company and in your field. You aren’t working ridiculous hours. You have a life outside of work. You may even have a couple of young children if you so choose, while still enjoying a well-paying, impactful career in engineering. As a fifteen-year engineering industry veteran and mom of 3, Stephanie Slocum uses a conversational and down-to-earth approach to teach you how to succeed as a female engineer: How to determine your strengths and use them for maximum influence. How to find your expert niche and use it to create the career (and life!) you deserve. Why the well-meaning career advice given to male engineers backfires for women, and how you can avoid those traps. How to have a career you love without sacrificing all your waking hours. How to neutralize gender bias while maximizing your earning potential. The one thing you must do to elevate your career to the next level. Each chapter concludes with actions you can do in 30 minutes or less for immediate results. As a female engineer herself, she knows first-hand the value of your time and has packed her years of experience, stories, and lessons learned into one concise, easy-to-read resource for other female engineers.

What is an effective scientist? One who is successful by quantifiable standards, with many publications, citations, and students supervised? Yes, but there is much more. Truly effective scientists need to have influence beyond academia, usefully applying and marketing their research to non-scientists. This book therefore takes an all-encompassing approach to improving the scientist's career. It begins by focusing on writing and publishing - a scientist's most important weapon in the academic arsenal. Part two covers the numerical and financial aspects of being an effective scientist, and Part three focuses on running a lab effectively. The book concludes by discussing the more entertaining and philosophical aspects of being an effective scientist. Little of this material is taught in university, but developing these skills is vital to maximize the chance of being effective. Written by a scientist for scientists, this practical and entertaining book is a must-read for every early career-scientist, regardless of specialty.

What's the most effective path to success in any domain? It's not what you think. Plenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. If you dabble or delay, you'll never catch up to the people who got a head start. But a closer look at research on the world's top performers, from professional athletes to Nobel laureates, shows that early specialization is the exception, not the rule. David Epstein examined the world's most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters and scientists. He discovered that in most fields--especially those that are complex and unpredictable--generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. Generalists often find their path late, and they juggle many interests rather than focusing on one. They're also more creative, more agile, and able to make connections their more specialized peers can't see. Provocative, rigorous, and engrossing, [this book] makes a compelling case for actively cultivating inefficiency. Failing a test is the best way to learn. Frequent quitters end up with the most fulfilling careers. The most impactful inventors cross domains rather than deepening their knowledge in a single area. As experts silo themselves further while computers master more of the skills once reserved for highly focused humans, people who think broadly and embrace diverse experiences and perspectives will increasingly thrive."--Jacket
Many experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. Epstein examined the world's most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters and scientists, and discovered that in most fields-- especially those that are complex and unpredictable-- generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. Generalists juggle many interests rather than focusing on one-- but they're also more creative, more agile, and able to make connections their more specialized peers can't see.

Managing people is difficult wherever you work. But in the tech industry, where management is also a technical discipline, the learning curve can be brutal--especially when there are few tools, texts, and frameworks to help you. In this practical guide, author Camille Fournier (tech lead turned CTO) takes you through each stage in the journey from engineer to technical manager. From mentoring interns to working with senior staff, you'll get actionable advice for approaching various obstacles in your path. This book is ideal whether you're a new manager, a mentor, or a more experienced leader looking for fresh advice. Pick up this book and learn how to become a better manager and leader in your organization.