Something I am constantly struggling with is the balance between competition and care. I enjoy research and writing, and if I am to ever to land my dream job of a professorship (or permanent academic post) I recognise the need to publish and take credit for leading or collaborating in various activities. I choose to focus on doing what I feel is worthwhile first and foremost, rather than building a CV for myself.

In the past (as a molecular biologist) I have gotten carried away and ultimately burned by the ugliness of academia. At some point I realised what I was doing really meant nothing other than building a career and navigating and negotiating with egos in a toxic environment. I choose anthrozoology because I wanted to address questions that felt like they had meaning beyond being simply an academic exercise.

My primary motivation is to make the world a better place for all animals (including humans). I’d love to empower non-traditional students to succeed and help those who care about animals. I am most comfortable working behind the scenes, and I feel like the research or the cause should be the primary focus. However, I need to stay in the game (take credit and self-promote) if I am to carry on doing what I love (I need a paid job!).

Does anyone else struggle with this internal conflict?  And how can we work together to prevent anthrozoology from becoming like other subdisciplines, where backstabbing and egos hold back progress?