Ten Reasons Why Grad Students Should Blog

NYU PhD student Drew Conway has compiled a very nice list of 10 reasons why grad students should blog. I've been writing GGD for a little over a year now and it's been a great way to extend my own network past the Vanderbilt walls, participate in lively discussions with other scientists oceans away, and to write stuff that people actually read and find useful. Especially for grad students (and postdocs as well), one of the most important points in Drew's post is on using a blog to establish an identity:

If you are in graduate school to be the “best kept secret in academia,” you are making a fatal mistake. As with any other job market, getting the proverbial foot in the door for a job talk at a university is a critical first step. As a graduate student it can be incredibly difficult to navigate the sea of senior faculty, their research agendas, and how that fits into your career goals. Having a blog provides you an independent beacon upon which you can broadcast your own ideas.

Another reason I can add to the list is related to #4 - extending your network. It's very gratifying to go to a meeting or conference and meet someone who regularly reads your blog. In a way they already know who you are, and you immediately have a starting point to launch a conversation. Check out the full list at Drew's blog, Zero Intelligence Agents, at the link below.

Ten Reasons Why Grad Students Should Blog