25 Rules for Research Professors

 By Richard B. Primack

 

“In the long run [people] hit only what they aim at. Therefore, though they should fail immediately, they had better aid at something high.” Henry David Thoreau in Walden.

 

I recently published a list of 25 “rules of conduct”—guidelines that have contributed to my academic longevity, successes, and satisfaction during my 45-year career. 

I recognize that some of these rules reflect my particular discipline and experience, but I believe most of them are widely applicable. 

Perhaps the most important one is to spend time doing what you love; it will help prevent burnout. I am a botanist and love plants, so from March to October I spend time outside every day studying and enjoying plants. Keeping in touch with what you value can help sustain you over the long haul of your career. 

Figure 1: These rules are like the steps on a staircase helping you reach greater success.

Also important is “The Golden Rule of being a professor.” Treat students the way you would like professors to treat someone in your family or how you wish you had been treated when you were a student. 

And a third central rule is to keep in regular touch with colleagues and spend time talking with people, including younger colleagues. And by that, I mean broadly—in your department, other departments, and the university administration, at other institutions, and at professional meetings and seminars. This is a valuable way to grow your research network and gain new information and insights. 

I hope these will help you on your career journey as they have helped me. 

Here is a link to the article with all 25 rules: LINK