- Stephen Knox Jones Jr. always felt pressured to keep going without respite during his pursuit of a scientific career in the U.S.
- He experienced guilt over going on vacation, and his equilibrium between professional duties and personal life was off-kilter.
- Everything shifted once he relocated to Lithuania, significantly improving the caliber of his work.
This essay, presented as told to the author, is based on an interview with Stephen Knox Jones Jr., a 37-year-old researcher residing in Vilnius, Lithuania. The content has been condensed and clarified for publication.
Growing up in New Hampshire I never doubted the demanding 16-year journey required to chase my enthusiasm for biotechnology.
I obtained my doctoral degree in Rhode Island and pursued my postdoctoral studies in Texas. Throughout these various phases of my career, I refrained from taking vacations due to feelings of guilt over being away from work.
I would consistently move to the following position within a week after departing from my prior role since that was what was expected.
Regardless of your level of success, there's often an urge to achieve even more and aim higher. This isn’t to imply that such pressure exists universally across the U.S., but it has certainly been part of my individual journey.
Following my time in Texas, I relocated to Europe where I experience much lower levels of stress.
I'm a full-time biotech research team leader and chief researcher based in Lithuania. In this place, individuals understand the importance of taking time away from their job for personal wellness — so now, I no longer feel bad about using my vacation days.
People frequently inquire of me, "When are you going to returning to the US ?"
Right now, I'm not even considering that option. Although I have had wonderful times in the U.S., I believe this choice aligns more closely with my way of life.
I am allowed to bring my dog to work, and I keep a guitar in my office that I strum almost every morning. Taking some time to write and play music helps me enter a more creative mindset for my research. I'm grateful to be able to do this at my workplace.
I might be able to accomplish those actions in the US as well, but the distinction seems to be that here, it's seen as essential for taking care of myself, instead of me merely coming off as the oddball.
Stephen chose to relocate to Europe during the 2020 US presidential election.
When the 2020 US election When this happened, it led my spouse and me to deeply consider our individual principles regarding societal setup, the valuation of individuals, and the available support systems.
That's when our focus shifted towards Europe.
We discovered that our values were more closely aligned with those of Europe rather than the US. society-wide healthcare , food quality, policies focused on well-being rather than solely profits, public transportation systems, and emphasis on privacy with restrictions on data sharing.
We settled on Lithuania Since the institution where I am employed collaborates with a prominent research entity known as the European Molecular Biology Laboratories, a name I was quite familiar with due to its stellar reputation in scientific circles and its long history of contributions to my area of study—gene editing—I had heard of it before.
Stephen believes that the caliber of his research exceeds what it would be had he been based in the US.
As I explored full-time academic positions in the U.S., I noticed they often entailed substantial teaching responsibilities alongside an emphasis on scientific research and regular publication. Let’s not overlook the importance of teaching, yet it can be challenging to excel in every area simultaneously.
A pleasant aspect of academic positions here is that although numerous individuals opt for a combination of teaching and research, you also have the choice to concentrate solely on one area.
For instance, I tend to concentrate more on research. Therefore, I believe the caliber of my work is superior in Lithuania compared to what it might be in the United States.
Because I'm less stressed I now have some breathing space to ensure my research is headed in the right direction and that my team has everything they need, which aids us in elevating our scientific efforts to new heights.
It matters significantly to me since ultimately, my work relies on public funding through taxpayers' contributions, and this comes with an unspoken commitment that we will strive to utilize these resources effectively to enhance the quality of human life.
Occasionally, obtaining specific items can prove somewhat difficult in this region. The bureaucratic processes involved in purchasing scientific equipment from different areas globally might lead businesses to question whether it’s worthwhile dealing with the inconvenience.
I similarly struggle with locating corn masa flour for homemade tortillas and specific vegetarian items such as seitan.
Even though I might not be around indefinitely, at this point in my life, things are truly great.
Jessica Orwig is covering stories about professional journeys within the science field. Have you ever been involved in such a pursuit, either now or in the past? Were your career shifts influenced by personal beliefs or perhaps another factor entirely? If yes, she would be interested in hearing from you. Kindly reach out via email at jorwig@Pawonation.com.
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