What have you discovered? I need to know to write this letter!

Why is it so hard to find out what a scientist has discovered from a letter of recommendation for her, from her web page, from nearly anywhere? If I am going to nominate you for something, if I am going to write my own letter, if I am going to talk you up to someone else, I need to know what you have discovered. Of course, at this point I already have an idea, but help me be accurate and up to date.

All of our web pages talk about what we are working on, what questions we find important, even what organisms or tools we use. Please, please tell me what you have already  discovered! Better yet, tell me at least 3 things you have discovered. I may have to write 100 to 300 words on you. Make it easy on me. I can read your paper abstracts, but it is better if you tell the world what is most important on your web page. If you don’t have a Wikipedia entry for yourself, get someone to make one. And be sure to tell what you have discovered. I also like to know if you have received any awards, but most of all I want to know what we did not know until you figured it out. Help me out so I can nominate you!

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About Joan E. Strassmann

Evolutionary biologist, studies social behavior in insects & microbes, interested in education, travel, birds, tropics, nature, food; biology professor at Washington University in St. Louis
This entry was posted in Managing an academic career and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

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