Passion Projects for Smart People: Turn Your Intellectual Pursuits into Fun, Profit and Recognition
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Author: Michael R. Wing Ph.D.
Publisher: Quill Driver Books
Paperback:
ISBN 10: 1610353064
ISBN 13: 978-1610353069
You loved your college major. You worked hard to earn your degree. And now your day job doesn’t fully use your education, engage your mind, or feed your soul. But there are still limitless opportunities to do intellectually serious work―work that will win you professional recognition, travel opportunities, and even publication in peer-reviewed journals. All you have to do is create your own academic opportunities, and Passion Projects for Smart People will show you exactly how to do it.
The perfect career guide for the era of the Ph.D. barista, the underpaid adjunct, and the gig economy, Passion Projects for Smart People will help you take charge of your career and your life. Written by a high school science teacher who has done field work on five continents, published in professional journals, and worked with NASA, Passion Projects for Smart People details how to turn side projects into career-development opportunities. Passion Projects for Smart People shows you how to develop your own research and creative projects; form collaborations with universities and public agencies; apply for grants and professional experience opportunities; travel around the world for free; and develop your career as a teacher and mentor.
Review
"Every science teacher with a pair of hiking boots should read this book!" ―Chris McKay, NASA planetary scientist
"Passion Projects for Smart People is inspiring! Its proposals of interesting ventures and its profiles of dynamic individuals will be motivating to anyone seeking a greater sense of accomplishment and fulfillment in their lives." ―David R. Lapp, physics teacher, Tamalpais High School and author of The Physics of Music and Musical Instruments
"Unique, effective, informative, expertly written, effectively organized and presented, Passion Projects for Smart People is extraordinarily user friendly and unreservedly recommended." ―Midwest Book Review
"A book that celebrates and demonstrates creativity ... provides a lengthy section of resources ... unfailingly positive." ―Foreword Reviews
"Dr. Wing is a smart man with diverse experience following his passions. His easy-to-read book is full of relatable anecdotes and practical information for anyone looking to pursue a more enriching life." ―Joe Stewart, high school science teacher leader
"Essential reading for any business or career professional who wants to put their skill sets and interests into a career ... Those looking to recharge careers or foster new careers will find Passion Projects for Smart People a powerful set of connections between intellectual pursuits and career-building strategies." ―Donovan's Bookshelf
"This up-beat, can-do book is delightful to read and energizes you to get up and out to learn and teach science. The book is a guide that provides much practical advice on where to start and become involved in a myriad of ways to make the world a better place, and have fun too! The book has great detail with step by step guidance on how to maximize opportunities, where to seek support and how to cultivate your passions." ―Sarah Allen, Ph.D., wildlife biologist
"A helpful and insightful how-to guide to living your life to the fullest." ―from the Foreword by Pascal Lee, Director, NASA Haughton-Mars Project
About the Author
Michael R. Wing earned his Ph.D. in earth sciences at the University of California at San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He is currently a science teacher at Sir Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo, California. Wing’s research projects include running North America’s highest altitude garden; designing a desert microbiology project that has been deployed on five continents; a study of elephant seals; and several other projects. Wing has done fieldwork in the Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica, Finland, Alaska, the Canadian Arctic, Namibia, and the United Arab Emirates. He has worked in collaboration with NASA, the University of California, the Mars Institute, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Park Service. Wing lives in Kentfield, California, with his wife and children.