As a junior researcher, I noticed that I, as well as my fellow juniors, were often asked to perform tasks with no formal recognition. This ranges from grant writing to more menial tasks. Today, I try to change the very things I used to be frustrated by. I handle the administrative tasks in my research group myself as much as possible, so that younger researchers can focus on their core work. Also, they don’t write grant applications unless their names are included on them. Now that I’ve reached this point in my career, it’s my responsibility to help junior researchers advance in theirs.

My first three supervisors and role models were all women – two of them from the technical sciences. I grew up in an international research environment in Leuven, where Belgians like me were in the minority. That balance isn’t the norm everywhere. So, it’s important not to become blind to the fact that there can still be issues related to gender, ethnicity, and minorities at universities. I make a conscious effort to stay aware of differences and discrimination.

I am my own worst critic. Perhaps especially because I’m a white man nearing middle age. We can easily be seen as part of the problem in academia, even though I genuinely try to be part of the solution. That’s both a pressure and a motivation. I want to be absolutely sure that I’ve earned what I’ve achieved. The thought of the opposite makes me uncomfortable – but of course, it’s far worse for those who don’t get what they deserve.

We have a very flat structure here, and I appreciate that. Students start their first email with “Hi Ruben.” I haven’t seen that in other international environments I’ve worked in. It’s good for academic freedom and critical discussion when there isn’t a big distance between top and bottom, and when it’s okay to disagree with your superiors. 

I would never ask my employees to work in the evenings or on weekends. There’s a genuine focus on work–life balance here. It’s not just a box-ticking exercise. The Dean and my head of department set the tone for a safe and inclusive work environment. That means we can speak openly about how we’re doing without fear of repercussions. And follow-up actually happens after workplace assessments and performance reviews. I work a lot myself, but I’m fine with that. My immediate manager sometimes reminds me to take care of myself, and I know when it’s time to ease off a bit.

Our students prefer to be taught in Danish, even though they’re among the best in the world at English. I find that a bit funny. But it’s good practice for me. I really want to improve my Danish, so I insist that we speak Danish during coffee breaks. It’s like a mini-Danish class for me. At lunch, we speak English in my research group, but not many of us have Danish as our first language anyway.

I don’t care about impact factors. I am of course aware that a researcher’s value is still measured through metrics like these, flawed as they may be. At the same time, the landscape is slowly changing, especially in fields like computer science and artificial intelligence, where the focus is on getting the work out there, e.g., as a preprint, and worrying about editors and peer reviewers later. I’m a strong advocate for open science, and I really want my research to live and grow in the world and within the scientific community. Impact speaks for itself when many people use and build upon your work, no matter where or how it is published.

This is only the second time in twenty years that I’ve had a contract lasting more than one year. Job security gives me the chance to think long-term, to step off the beaten path a little and be less dependent on others. As an associate professor, I have good working conditions and confidence in my research experience. The role of research leader and supervisor is an aspect of our career where growth is possible until retirement. 

My plan is to stay here. Or at least, that’s what I’d like. I was once told that it would be difficult for someone with my profile - which sits somewhere between medicine and engineering - to find a permanent position. At the Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, interdisciplinarity isn’t just a buzzword. It’s truly practiced. They saw a role for someone like me here, and I really appreciate that. It means a lot.

This text is based on machine translation