Biophysical Society Bulletin | March 2020

Career Development

What (Not) to Share Online Dear Molly Cule ,

“potentially” public posting). It goes without saying that you do not want offensive content to show up under your name. This also extends to inconsiderate or “edgy” jokes that you would not want your (future) boss to see associated with your name. It is also important to keep in mind other consequences of online postings being public or semi-public. Even on public social forums it can feel like you’re just chatting with your cir- cle of friends, but anyone can stumble across your comments, now or even years later! You also should consider potential issues associated with sharing new scientific results and experiments that are not yet published or made public. It is good to make sure that exciting new findings or experimental ideas are properly validated and tested; therefore, it is wise to have a chat with your advisor and lab mates before sharing cutting-edge results. Some approach the above challenges by separating their personal and work personas online. The personal account may then be kept largely closed off from the public internet, and the other kept fully open and public. There is one caveat — if you are sharing your science in the hope of engaging as many people as possible, you quickly find that “dry” science postings get a lot less attention than witty or otherwise more personal images and messages. If you look at the scientists that are popular and well-known in social media (some anon- ymous, but many openly identified), you see that they often imbue their online presence with a recognizable and clear personal outlook and style. So it may be best to find a balance between a personal touch and an appropriately professional approach. In the end, no one solution works for everyone. This is ulti- mately a personal choice, with each approach offering both risks and opportunities. — Molly Cule

I am an honors student in a biophysics lab. I am very excited about science and research and like to share my excite- ment with other students and indeed the whole world! I have started doing that by talking about my experiences and research on social media (Face- book, Instagram, Twitter). Recently a professor made a point of warning me about risks associated with over-shar-

ing on social media. I was disappointed to get this discourag- ing message, as I really enjoy sharing my life in and outside of science. It is nice to see how it can get my family and friends interested in what I do (and biophysics and science in general). What is your perspective on this? Should I really stop sharing things online? Sincerely, An excited but torn biophysicist in training . Dear Excited , I think it is great to hear of your enthusiasm for biophysics research and for sharing it. In my view, it is important for scientists of all sorts to communicate to and with the public about what science (and biophysics) is all about. Also, the Bio- physical Society itself takes things like social media outreach and communication with the broader public very seriously. That already gives an indication that not everyone is inclined to discourage public sharing and communication. The reasons for moderation are several. One of the more concrete potential issues relates to the fact that employers often examine your online profile. Whether this involves a basic web search or a more in-depth analysis, you don’t want an ill-advised posting to have negative consequences for their opinion of you as a potential new employee or a graduate school applicant. You may argue that personal things should not affect your professional status, but in reality employers, colleagues, and PhD advisors may worry about such things reflecting on your judgment and professionalism. Moreover, they may feel that your (online) behavior would reflect badly on them, indirectly. So, it is not a bad idea to keep this in mind in context of your online activities. On the other hand, a demonstrable enthusiasm for your science and your work can be seen as a great strength that sets a certain applicant or candidate apart from the rest. In this context, the right kind of online profile would not hurt and may even be an asset. So how to balance this? The most general answer is sim- ply that one should be considerate in any public posting (or

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