CV of failures
Some good advice from Stefan (2010):
As scientists, we construct a narrative of success that renders our setbacks invisible both to ourselves and to others. Often, other scientists' careers seem to be a constant, streamlined series of triumphs. Therefore, whenever we experience an individual failure, we feel alone and dejected. [...] So here is my suggestion. Compile an 'alternative' CV of failures. Log every unsuccessful application, refused grant proposal and rejected paper. [...] It will probably be utterly depressing at first sight. But it will remind you of the missing truths, some of the essential parts of what it means to be a scientist — and it might inspire a colleague to shake off a rejection and start again.
Here's mine.
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Unsuccessful PhD applications
- Universities of Florence, Siena, Genova, Trento (my personal highlight: tenured professor asking "what are you gonna do with these computers, exactly?"), Verona, Padua (left by the door and sneaked back in by the window, as the Italian saying goes), Pisa, Parma, Modena-Reggio (actually got an offer but without scholarship, thus I refused)
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Rejected papers (conferences & journals)
- Short paper, CHR 2023, Paris
- Lightning talk, CHR 2024, Aarhus