Fellowship experiences

Ewald Hettema

Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

Overview

• Background

• My research

• Career plan

• Why I applied for a fellowship

• How I got the fellowship

• Some considerations

• How I ended up in Sheffield

Background/Career

• BSc/MSc in Medical Biology, Free University of Amsterdam

• PhD, Dep. Biochemistry, University of Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center (1998)

• Postdoc in same place (June 2000)• Postdoc in Cambridge (Oct 2000- Jun. 2004).• Career development fellow (2004, MBB)

My research

• Molecular Cell Biology– How organelles are formed and maintained in

eukaryotic cells– Yeast as model system– Medical relevance– Expertise: genetics, molecular biology, cell

biology and biochemistry– Extend research to animal cells

Career goalBecome a leader in the field

• Postdoc in prestigious place– Got own funding for doing Postdoc– Get High-Quality papers regularly

• Set up own group in a good place

• Become established (work in progress)

Why I applied for a fellowship

Set up own group• Two career options: lectureship or fellowship• Fellowship provides

– Independence– Generous funding– No teaching obligations

Kick starts academic career

How I got the fellowship

• Found a host institute– Didn’t stay in same institute– Seek advice about candidate departments– Talk to HoDs

• Does research fit in• How much space is offered and are you allowed to expand• Shared equipment and facilities• Prospects at end of fellowship• How much teaching is expected• Scientific standing of department

How I got the fellowship

• Applying for fellowship– One day course on grant writing – One day course on job interviews– Decide on the funding bodies

• Eligibility• Relevance of the research

Take time to write it

• Most difficult– Financial part of the application– Justification of support

– INTERVIEW• Prepare well• Mock interview with colleagues

How I got the fellowship

Considerations

• Work on your CV– Publish in good journals– Postdoc with leaders in their field– Work in various institutes

• Find a good host institute

• Know the competition

• Have a plan B (lectureship)

Why I ended up in Sheffield• Wellcome Trust CDF was awarded for Cambridge.

• Sheffield offered better working space, and prospects for after the fellowship.

• MBB 5* RAE department, various yeast and cell biology groups.

• Wellcome Trust agreed on transfer from Cambridge to Sheffield.