Life Skills for Young Scientists (LiSYS)
A yearlong online mentorship program, January—December, 2027
mindfulness ○ meditation ○ self-compassion ○ assertiveness ○ conflict resolution
With Jonathan Lilly and guest experts
Registration open until October 31
A water droplet, representing an effortless resilience to perturbations
A career in science is enormously rewarding, and it is also challenging. It is a fact of life that we will encounter daily challenges in our interactions with ourselves and with others. Despite the fact that this is quite predictable, our academic training is simply not designed to equip us with the skills we need to face these challenges. We are unprepared. This will take a toll, and perhaps already does, on our well-being and even on our productivity as scientists.
Life Skills for Young Scientists attempts to fill this gap. It is a rigorous, methodical, and comprehensive program for cultivating essential life skills, oriented toward the particular needs of young scientists. It equips us with what we need for a happy, balanced, and meaningful scientific career. It prevents our future suffering and frees us to be more dynamic and creative. It is unique.
The LiSYS program is geared around five essential skills: mindfulness, meditation, self-compassion, assertiveness, and conflict resolution. Participants will learn these skills through monthly meetings, readings, and practice assignments. Peer group check-ins and one-on-one time with the instructor provide additional support. Three weekend workshops with esteemed guests allow us to learn directly from global experts in the program topics.
Registration is now open for LiSYS 2027 and will close on October 31. You can find complete details on the Program page. This will be the 4th iteration of LiSYS. Here is what previous participants have to say:
From past participants
“I fully believe taking this course has been the single best investment I have made, not only in my career but also in my personal well-being.”
“LiSYS changed how I see academic life. For the first time I felt a truly human side to science.”
“Reflecting on what I learned in LiSYS, it’s shocking that such skills which are so widely beneficial are so rarely touched on—let alone taught in a dedicated way—as part of mainstream scientific training.”
“Taking part in LiSYS was an incredible experience. It not only taught me powerful methods for navigating academic life but also connected me with inspiring scientists and friends, who reminded me I am not alone on this journey.”
“I bring up LiSYS in conversation around once a week. The lessons I learned about myself and about other, more systematic approaches to the issues that arise in my life have been invaluable.”
“The insights I gained into self-compassion continue to be things that I think about and which improve my mental wellness on a daily basis.”
“LiSYS has introduced me to meditation practices and ways of thinking that have helped me experience more peace and focus in my day-to-day life. This program has also been a wonderful way to connect with other students and researchers who face similar stressors and are trying to cultivate some inner stability in an unpredictable world.”
“From LiSYS, I feel I have developed a stronger emotional buffer when facing challenges and stressful situations—I am not as likely as before to be carried away by emotions.”
“LiSYS offered a community of support based on a shared value of caring deeply for science and the way we do science by caring deeply for ourselves and each other.”
“Being part of LiSYS opened me up to a lot of resources and techniques that I probably would not have come across otherwise. These are usually not part of the conversation in academic circles, but they absolutely should be.”
“One of the greatest things I took away from the LiSYS experience was a felt sense of companionship in this work of caring deeply for science, for ourselves, and for others that has been a source of courage for me.”
“The meditation practices were especially transformative: they help me manage stress every day and bring clarity to what I do, which in turn has improved both my efficiency and the quality of my work.”
“If you’re thinking about joining LiSYS, expect a warm, personal experience that gives you useful skills and shows how a different, kinder academic culture can be.”
“I’d recommend this program to anyone, at any career stage.”