Hello everyone!

I’m a PhD student and over these years I’ve enjoyed investigating my projects very much! So far I’ve developed my three projects quite independently – intellectually, experimentally and writing my manuscripts. My PI has been great, leaving me completely free to explore. I’ve got a couple of collaborators but I’ve directed everything so there has not been any actual discussion with them. In addition to this, I often love to work in the night when there is just me and science! That said, recently I’ve received feedback about working too much on my own and not socialising enough. I’ve to admit that I’m quite nerd and I speak with colleagues just when I feel anxious for something and so I feel like uttering words. I do not talk about my own experiments and the biological questions that ‘burn inside’, neither I tend to ask about their projects because I’m fully immersed into my own research where I can have fun by freely leading the investigation following my reasoning and curiosity!

I’ve got clear ideas on what I would like to do in the coming years, but I’ve been warned that this not very interactive attitude might affect my future. So I’m currently working on strengthening this side by increasing the number of collaborations and being helpful to others projects.

I think it’s good ‘to hear different bells’, so I was wondering if you also have worked independently during your PhD in a nerdy way and if this can actually have a negative impact on the next steps in the world of academia?

Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences/advice.

I'd say there are a number of benefits to "networking". For example - increases your chances of getting a job or other beneficial things (directly through talking and initiating a collaboration or indirectly through your name being known), and it can broaden your view and give you better insight to your own research. Some academics don't engage in much networking, and many admit to hating it! So it is possible to be successful without doing too much of it. But it can have so many benefits on the other hand. I know one academic who did not engage in it, and had very few research collaborations, and (maybe as a result - who knows) her contract has been changed to teaching only.

It's great that you've identified it as a potential weakness. Addressing it doesn't mean you have to change your personality or let it affect your normal way of working. You can interact with others and still work independently - they are two separate activities really - so just have them in separate compartments in your head if that works for you - and tick it off each week/month kinda thing if it is not something you're naturally inclined toward. A good way to start might be to identify relevant reading groups, conferences etc to attend - and then just make an effort to talk to others (even though you don't NEED to... ). If you're not sure where to start just ask a question. It is always gratifying to be asked a question about your research...

Let us know how it goes!

enzyme, you could almost be describing me in your post.
The only thing you need to worry about right now is getting successful results.
Providing you can hold conversations in general as a functional adult, nothing else really matters in my opinion.
Dont do things you dont want to and dont feel pressured into it either.
Networking at PhD level is an overrated waste of time. You are only going to be talking to other PhD students in all likelihood. If you must network at all do it with people who are permanent academics or in a position to actually help your career. Be aware though that generally, those academics are not going to be interested in yet another PhD student reeking of desperation. Promiscuous socialising is a bad for you as promiscuous "romancing".
Honestly I wouldnt sweat this. You will know when it is time to start talking to other scientists because it will feel right.

I have a very different experience. I am just entering my final year and got into conversations with an academic from a great lab overseas. She is now willing to supervise me for a month in her lab, providing I get the funding (fingers crossed) and we are already talking about continuing the collaboration that we start on the visit. To me, this is a golden opportunity. And it never would have happened if I hadn't interacted with her at the conference and then followed it up by email afterwards.

Nothing may come of the lab visit if I don't get the funding. But she now knows my name, and I know that she would be willing to supervise me in some capacity in the future - this'll give me confidence about applying to work in her lab as postdoc. For me, networking/interacting with others has just opened up a new world of opportunity.

Continued...

Re interacting with other PhD students. This has been great for me too as it enabled me to set up a reading group that was really beneficial to me in my 2nd year. And before starting my PhD - talking to people got me RA jobs and then PhD opportunities (not the actual funding but being asked to apply and given support in doing so). So in my experience, the benefits of it cannot be overstated.

However - I think that if you have strengths/things that come easy to YOU - then this is the way to go. For me, networking is just completely natural and totally rewarding. But on the other hand, things like widening participation and public involvement are not my strengths. Frankly, I just do not feel at all motivated by them/find them interesting. But I think that for those people who are good at it and find it rewarding, it is the way to go. It will help them in their careers and is important for science. I might get a bit involved from time to time, but I don't worry that I am not doing it much. This is just what works for me.

So after bigging up the great benefits of networking, I do agree with pm133 as well. Don't sweat about it. Do what feels right for you/is a strength (as is your ability to work independently and be entirely focused on your research) and reap the benefits of that.