What attributes make an academic researcher successful?

The Center for Social Science Innovation (CSSI) asked several of our researcher affiliates, who hail from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, this question.

Their answers and anecdotes reveal how they – and others – can achieve remarkable research success.

“Seek feedback and take feedback seriously.”

Patrick Barlow, clinical associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine-General Medicine.

“I am not afraid of failure. In China, there is a saying called ‘having a thick face.’ Even if I receive failure or rejection in my research, I just keep going.” 

Bingbing Zhang, assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 

When Zhang received a rejection for a paper as a PhD student, she felt discouraged. Now, she reminds herself that she is a whole person who is not defined by one failure. 

“You have to be curious and manage your time well.” 

Brian Ekdale, professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 

“I would like some research questions to come easy, but 95% of the time my success is just the number of hours that I put in.”

Bogdan Kapatsila, assistant professor in the School of Planning and Public Affairs. 

Kapatsila points out that success in academia is often measured through the number of publications a researcher produces. On the other hand, success for Kapatsila is the ability to carefully reflect on the content and quality of his research and its impact.  

“You have to persist if you’re going to be successful in research because you get knocked down so many times.”

Katherine Britt, assistant professor in Gerontological Nursing.

“Things shift all the time, so you have to be able to continuously adapt. You have to be flexible and strategically plan.”

Julianna Pacheco, professor in the Department of Political Science. 

Research publications don’t happen overnight, Pacheco says. Instead, researchers must think ahead and strategically plan the steps and skills needed to achieve their goals. Along the way, they must be willing to adapt when things don’t go as planned.

“Get excited about a new topic or still be excited about a topic that you already spend a lot of time thinking about.” 

Samantha Zuhlke, assistant professor in the School of Public Planning and Affairs. 

“One word: initiative. You can’t wait for a research idea to come to you. It will get intercepted by somebody else.” 

Daniel McGehee, professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

McGehee likens research success to Caitlin Clark’s unstoppable basketball prowess. Researchers can’t wait for the ball to get intercepted by someone else and, like Clark, they must master the basics of their field first.

“Passion. Finding that connection to something that you truly, personally want answers to.” 

Elizabeth Menninga, associate professor in the Department of Political Science. 

“Trusting your gut. Have self-confidence to know what you are doing and to recognize the value in it.” 

David Greenwood-Sanchez, assistant professor in the Department of Political Science.

Researchers are sometimes suffocated by the pressure to publish certain types of research, Greenwood-Sanchez says. Good researchers pause, breathe, and take the research route they personally find value in.

“Great researchers are curious about the world. They’re curious about others' work and their own work.” 

Katharine Broton, associate professor in the Department of Higher Education and Student Affairs.

“There isn’t one magic recipe but be passionate and intellectually curious about what you do. You must put in the time, commitment, and dedication.”

James Wo, associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology.

Wo’s passion for his research is so potent that his research talks spill over to his family’s dinner table – so much so that they notice when he’s gone (they can finally converse about non-research topics). For Wo, this passion because he simply enjoys what he does.

“For researchers, I always say there is no such thing as being smart. It’s just a matter of being curious and persistent.” 

Caglar Koylu, associate professor in the School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability.