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Credit: Mo Riza

033: It’s Tax Season – Here’s What You Need to Know

You might believe that because you’re in grad school and receiving a research stipend, you don’t really need to worry about paying an income tax.  You don’t have a ‘real job’ and no one asked you to fill out any paperwork so you’re off the hook, right?

Wrong.  Utterly, expensively, illegally wrong.

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031: Making PowerPoint Presentations That Don’t Suck

Great science speaks for itself, right?

So the next time you need to give a lab meeting or seminar, just drop a couple of figures into the prettiest PowerPoint template you can find.

Make sure to take detailed bulleted notes so you won’t forget anything!

And if you’re feeling cheeky, add one of those cool boomerang animations with a star wipe to get the audience’s attention on slide 28.  People love that!

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Carrots by ILoveButter

030: Baby carrots, prime numbers, and invisible planets

If you are a scientist, then I know a little something about your personality.  Almost by definition, you are curious about the world.  And I’ll bet that extends beyond your particular laboratory or field of research.  If there’s something intriguing and knowable, you want to know it.

Well, we are scientists too, and sometimes we get carried away.

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029: Tenure Tracker – Choose a Mentor, Not a Lab

Choosing a lab for your graduate or postdoc research is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Most people read papers and abstracts to find the coolest science.  Or they favor the big labs with lots of people and solid funding.

But those features can distract you from the real secret of scientific success.
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