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  • CAREER COLUMN

How a part-time fellowship enticed a scientist back to academia

Rachel James wasn’t sure whether she would be able to return to academic research after leaving it when her children were young.
By
  1. Rachel James

    1. Rachel James is a recently returned postdoctoral researcher working at the University of Edinburgh, UK, who has an interest in mitochondria and neuroscience. Her Daphne Jackson Trust fellowship is sponsored by Medical Research Scotland.

Deciding to have children meant I had to become agile in dealing with the balance between family life and a career in science. Sixteen years later, I’m back in academia, and maintaining that balance has taught me a lot about myself and my attitudes to work.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00042-5

This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged.

Competing Interests

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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