Research drift doesn’t happen through one big wrong turn. It happens through a series of reasonable decisions based on funding, relationships, and practicality. Each makes sense at the time. But cumulatively, they pull you away from what originally drew you to research. Once you can see the pattern clearly, you can start making different decisions. This template helps you do that.
You’ll map your career stages and identify:
- What you actually spent your time on (not what you wish you’d worked on)
- Why you were doing it (curiosity, funding, relationships, practicality)
- When and where the drift happened
What you’ll discover:When curiosity became secondary. What interests you tried to keep alive on the side. Where the biggest gaps are between what you’ve done and what you actually care about. This template shows you WHERE the drift happened. If you want to go deeper, I work with postdocs and early-career researchers through individual sessions and group workshops.