Can Returning to Academia Reignite a Former Consultant's Passion for Science?

[ateixeira]

I finished my degree in 2007, drifted away into management consulting and the financial world. Now in 2024 I decided to return and do a PhD in particle physics (lattice QCD and mesonic physics to be more exact.)

Hence I defined a study plan to get me into basic shape until September. Besides this hard study I also like to review some more light matter and the other I remember a talk that I read way back and I would like to read again. The problem is that I only remember bits and pieces on it.

I will share these bits and pieces with you. Maybe one of you can glue up these fragmented memories and know what I am talking about and guide me to it.

1. The topic was what you need to do to be a good scientist (maybe it was about being a good theoretical physicist but I honestly don't remember)
2. The talk existed in text form and also in video form on youtube
3. One of the things that the orator mentioned is that one need to be selfish. He even said that he hoped that his wife wasn't listening because plenty of time he had to neglect her to good work in science and hence he was being selfish with her
4. He also mentioned a physicist that was really good but dressed poorly that nobody gave him any credence until they listened for a couple of minutes and realized he really knew what he was talking about.

This is it. This is all I remember. I even have the name of the guy on the tip of my tongue but I just can't get it out so that I can do a very basic google search and I find the talk I am talking about.

If you have any ideas of what the talk is please share it here and I will see if it is the one or not.

Thank you in advance

 

[ateixeira]

I think I found it:
and also for the two print version:

1. https://d37ugbyn3rpeym.cloudfront.net/stripe-press/TAODSAE_zine_press.pdf
2. https://www.cs.virginia.edu/~robins/YouAndYourResearch.html

I will read to see if I got it right.