11
Go for what you know, with a
mix of what you like
Using your expertise in a particular methodology as a decision-making compass can be a
good strategy. But, your research doesn't have to simply stick to what you know. You can
also add what suits your taste or piques your interest.
I almost have no connections between my postdocs and what
I do now, except that I use a methodology to study a particular
set of questions. Some things just happened. [I was part of] a
collaboration that was very fruitful at the time, and I liked it.
The topic was interesting enough to wake me up in the middle
of the night and keep me going the next day. So basically, it
satisfied my scientific curiosity. I'm a big believer of curiosity-
driven research. That's how I pick projects, not on potential
return of investment. I think, does the question suit my taste?
Can I tackle it? Can I answer it?
Miljan Simonovic
Miljan Simonovic considers himself an unusual case. There are hardly
any connections between his PhD, postdocs and current research
topics. Nevertheless, he used his expertise in a particular methodology
to choose the focus of his lab. He applied what he knew.
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