Last week we discussed who government scientists and engineers (GSEs) are. Before you can build any relationship, it’s useful to know where the other person is coming from. This week, we will cover why you may want to collaborate with GSEs. Next week, we will cover how you can get started with this.

The major benefits of collaboration I have seen are:

1. Increased access to funding and other resources: Many lab-based GSEs also work directly with counterparts and funding organizations. They may serve on review panels; provide evaluations of individual proposals; or serve on committees that guide the funder’s investment strategy. These relationships can extend many years, perhaps 10 or more. As it becomes increasingly more difficult to get responses to ‘cold’ emails to funders, relationships with GSEs can be a back door to the organization. Further, GSEs often have access to other, less-known sources of financial support. This varies greatly across organizations. Some may be able to award grants and/or contracts to university PIs who will perform the work independently, or as collaborators. Further, government labs house some of our most advanced facilities, and you may gain easier access because relationships already exist.

2. Opportunities for technology transition: Most university researchers work in basic and, perhaps, some applied research. But what happens with the new knowledge you create can also be important to you. If you are motivated by moving new knowledge to technology development, working with GSEs has its advantages. Government labs have pathways in place to support technology development, including both financial and staffing resources.

3. Opportunities for your students’ career development: Many government labs have internships and student or postdoc programs. They vary greatly. Some may require onsite work, US citizenship and a security clearance. Others can be done remotely without restrictions on nationality. I benefited from such a program myself when I was at the University of Chicago doing my research at nearby Argonne National Laboratory. It added so much to my education and training! I effectively had two advisors, my official one at the university and my Argonne advisor with whom I worked one-on-one at a laser table for nearly two years. It was a life-changing experience. Not all of your students will choose to pursue careers in academia, so experience at a government lab can be invaluable for them.

4. Increasing your familiarity with how research is done elsewhere: Your experience now may be exclusively or largely within the university environment. But as your career progresses, you will find yourself, at some point, interacting with colleagues from industry and/or government (i.e., GSEs). Why not dive in early to start learning about how things work elsewhere? You’ll become a known and trusted collaborator and be well-prepared for opportunities down the road. Refer back to last week’s newsletter for a perspective on this.

5. Fostering long-term relationships: Many GSEs are in their jobs for the long haul. If they do change jobs, it is often to another government position. Long-term relationships in which trust has been established are priceless. As you advance in your career, you will find it easy to reach out to someone you may have worked with 5 or even 10 years ago -- but without any recent contact. Establishing and maintaining long-term relationships spares you from always feeling that you are starting from scratch again, and from having to expend the energy needed to overcome that experience.

I hope these reasons will get you thinking about the benefits of collaborating with GSEs. My one final word of caution is to make sure that your interest in the collaboration is genuine. You should be working with people where there’s (1) real synergy with the research, and (2) personalities and work styles fit together well. If you try to force either of these, it’s not going to work long-term. If you find that a great fit is not there, cut your losses and explore new opportunities and relationships elsewhere. If you approach people with a purely transactional (what’s in it for me?) mindset, that will be perceived by the other party and things won’t go as well as they might have otherwise. Be honest with yourself.

The first high-leverage skill to work on

We talked about leverage in a newsletter a few weeks ago. But I’m not the only one advocating for upleveling skills that impact all aspects of your career and life. Hear from my colleague Dr. Caroline Sangal, a PhD chemist and career coach, on what to work on first. This video was from a recent analytical chemistry conference in Raleigh.

When you are ready, here’s how we can help

Need to get your research funded, this year? Check out our 10-week program to get you there.

Ready to book a call to discuss our program or to have Dr. Barzyk provide training at your institution? Let’s chat!