Thoughts from the President

March 21, 2025 - Advice, Because You Asked

Dear Danforth Center Community,

I recently ran into Kong Wong, Postdoctoral Fellow in the Topp Lab, and we chatted about his upcoming move to Virginia Tech University. Kong will be an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering where he will initiate research on biochemical engineering of plant-microbe interactions to advance sustainable agriculture. Soon after the conversation started, Kong asked, “Do you have any advice for me?” I find there are three types of people who ask this question: those who seek meaningful advice and perspective; those who seek magic formulas and pixie dust; and those who seek validation of their own views. Kong clearly resides with the first group, so after a brief but tense flashback through 23 years as a university professor, here’s what I offered.

Know what you want to achieve. Thinking through and knowing what you want to accomplish, and why, goes a long way! Clearly articulating what success looks like in your research program will inspire students and trainees, help reviewers of your grant proposals, and help you set ambitious but reachable goals. I suggested to Kong that getting tenure at a university is hardly worth worrying about. Getting tenure will be a byproduct of high achievement, so if you have to worry, worry about achieving.

Stay focused on what’s important. Universities are great places, though they are loaded with distractions. Research, teaching and training are among the many important things Kong will need to do. Constantly asking and honestly answering the question, “Is the activity I’m doing really important for what I want or need to achieve?” is a pretty good way to help minimize distractions. Never confuse activity for achievement, as John Wooden once said.

Use your time well. What else could be more obvious, yet so difficult to do? Good time management is simply the process of exercising self-discipline when you have too many options for how to spend your time. Allocating enough time to do a good job on the important things, and then actually using that time wisely, is difficult because we overbook ourselves, we check devises too often, we get bored, we have emergencies that arise, and on and on. Short of having a personal concierge who enforces time management, there are many tools and techniques that help. I have a “No Friday meetings” policy that, among other benefits, ensures that the Weekly Message gets written before the week ends.

Good luck, Kong. I’m excited for you!

Jim Carrington,
President and Chief Executive Officer

Previous Weekly Messages from Jim Carrington