On the Process of Becoming a Great Scientist

Abstract

In the Editorial ''Ten Simple Rules for Doing Your Best Research, According to Hamming'' [1], Erren and colleagues discussed ten ideas originally presented by Hamming for how to do great science.I am grateful that the authors started this discussion.Scientific careers are very challenging, and there is a lack of training in many graduate programs to provide this kind of career meta-advice.Such discussions are a good starting point, and young scientists should take them seriously.In the vein of promoting further debate and discussion, I provide here a different and perhaps deeper look at what makes a successful scientist.While I can't claim to have the reputation of Hamming, I grew up in a family of well-known scientists, and have had plenty of chances to observe the trajectories of scientific careers over my lifetime.Based on that experience, I propose the following as a somewhat distinct set of guidelines for doing the best research:

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