Schmoozing for your peers

Had a recent interaction with a BigCheez type recently that reminded me I wanted to discuss altruistic schmoozing. Networking on behalf of someone else, that is. This applies all up and down the career ranks if you think about it. But it is most focused on my usual targets, the transitioning and recently-transitioned scientists.

You should already be familiar with the concept. After all an essential part of good mentoring is basically altruistic schmoozing. Introducing your postdocs or other trainees to the members of your scientific community in person at meetings is obvious. It is also done by referring to their contributions as frequently as possible in your own presentations. And don’t forget to mention to the editor that s/he helped on that review.

In my recent interaction with the BigCheez though, I realized we have broader generational responsibility. It will come as no surprise to readers that I believe we need to think about the delayed and disappearing careers of a whole “next generation” of scientists in our respective areas. Most of you know the drill but with increased concentration of research dollars in the hands of the same aging population of boomer and pre-boomer scientists we are eventually facing a big retire/die off. The lack of transition for the next generation means that we will not have a properly experienced group to take up the reins of big laboratories and projects. It follows that we need to do what we can to foster those careers.

Just because I happen to know who I think the 5-10 most promising scientists-in-transition in my subfield are, doesn’t mean everyone knows them. In this recent case, I was more than a little startled that the BC didn’t know Dr. Youngster who I mentioned in passing. Dr. Y is by most objective criteria I can think of and the usual subjective benefits of training relationships a clear PI in waiting. Which is why I was a little startled the BC didn’t know the name. After expanding on Dr. Y’s virtues briefly the conversation moved on but I came back to this later and realized I’d just done some altruistic schmoozing.

So think on it. Many of us know a BC type or two quite well, either because we trained with them or work in departments with them. We also have, at least in the back of our minds, the recognition that we could stand to be better known in the field, particularly by the Luminary class. A classic case for self-interested altruistic behavior. If we all remember to give our transitioning scientists (and lateral rank peers) the props they deserve in conversation with our local Luminary types, we all gain.