Whether you are early in a Ph.D. program or further along in your graduate studies, an undergraduate contemplating graduate school and a career in science, a recently anointed Ph.D. embarking on a scientific career, or are somewhere beyond in mid-career, our hope is that various of the suggestions offered in this book can be of help toward your goal of a successful and satisfying professional career.

Much of the advice on doing research contained in this book involves practical skills. Regardless of the practicality of this advice, neither this nor any other book can provide a recipe that guarantees success. As argued in Chapter 2, despite its foundation in logic, science is driven by inspiration, insight, intuition, and creativity, all combined with technical expertise. No cookbook-style set of instructions based on a combination of just these skills, however, can offer a young scientist the guarantee that these ingredients, when mixed, will yield a fruitful and satisfying professional career. Our careers depend on not only our scientific talents, but also our personal ones and our attitude in life. In closing, we offer advice on the development of a mentality that helps foster success in the professional and personal aspects of a career in science, engineering, or humanities.