Ask A SciencceBlogger, December 15

What's a time in your career when you were criticized extremely harshly by someone you respect? Did it help you or set your career back?

Tags

More like this

Our mission is to re-invigorate the interest of our nation's youth in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by producing and presenting the most compelling, exciting, educational and entertaining science festival in the Unit
Do you know a woman in science or engineering who has taken a career break
This is relatively accurate, as online quizzes go. What are your results?
The second line of that quote, you know is "Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King".

I once took a class from Elvin Kabat, the grandfather of antibody structure. I was a mere technician at Columbia University, unsure of my graduate plans. He was reluctant to admit me to class, saying that technicians generally didn't make good graduate students, but I persevered. Then I had to give an oral presentation. He asked me a question I couldn't answer, and I tried to BS him (stupid, I know). He told me to "shut up and sit down". I thought I would die right there. After class, I looked up the correct answer, and since I worked at Columbia as a technician, I saw him later that day. Before even "hello" passed his lips, I blurted out the correct answer. After that, I could do no wrong, and boy, did I ever learn not to BS the greats!

I subsequently went on to graduate school at Cornell-Sloan Kettering, and a (more or less) successful career in research.

Go figure
SG

By Science Goddess (not verified) on 18 Dec 2006 #permalink