Who is this book for?

This book has been written for people serious about science: students, postdocs, professors, trainers, and support and other staff. So what's in it for you? I'll outline this briefly in the next three paragraphs. You could read only the paragraph relevant to your involvement in science but why not read the other paragraphs as well.

• You're a student. As a Bachelor, Master's, or PhD student you take classes in science subjects. You are (for now) at the bottom of your career ladder, but it's good to know what's going on higher up the ladder, so that you can better understand, appreciate, and communicate with your teachers and supervisors in that special type of organization called a university. It may also help you in deciphering whether a career in science in a university or in a company would be attractive if it's not your vocation. Some of you will already be involved in research projects and indeed feel you want to become a scientist at a university. Many of you will look for jobs outside the university and perform tasks in which you will nonetheless benefit greatly from having developed your talent for science as much as possible. So if you are a student, starting off on the road to becoming a scientist or something else, you will likely benefit both personally as well as professionally from reading this book.

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