Stephen Dubner

Even though Stefan did eventually get the career she hoped for, all that failure stayed with her. Years ago, she was rejected for a fellowship on the same day that the Brazilian Soccer Federation announced that they were leaving Ronaldinho, their longtime superstar, off the World Cup squad. At the time, Stefan wrote, cool, I am like Ronaldinho. Here's how she sees it now.

Even though Stefan did eventually get the career she hoped for, all that failure stayed with her. Years ago, she was rejected for a fellowship on the same day that the Brazilian Soccer Federation announced that they were leaving Ronaldinho, their longtime superstar, off the World Cup squad. At the time, Stefan wrote, cool, I am like Ronaldinho. Here's how she sees it now.

That's right. Melanie Stephan created the idea of a CV of failures, a record of every rejected application, grant proposal, etc.

That's right. Melanie Stephan created the idea of a CV of failures, a record of every rejected application, grant proposal, etc.

That's right. Melanie Stephan created the idea of a CV of failures, a record of every rejected application, grant proposal, etc.

She published an essay in Nature, a top journal, by the way. It was called A CV of Failures. My CV, she wrote, meaning her regular CV, does not reflect the bulk of my academic efforts. It does not mention the exams I failed, my unsuccessful PhD or fellowship applications, or the papers never accepted for publication.

She published an essay in Nature, a top journal, by the way. It was called A CV of Failures. My CV, she wrote, meaning her regular CV, does not reflect the bulk of my academic efforts. It does not mention the exams I failed, my unsuccessful PhD or fellowship applications, or the papers never accepted for publication.

She published an essay in Nature, a top journal, by the way. It was called A CV of Failures. My CV, she wrote, meaning her regular CV, does not reflect the bulk of my academic efforts. It does not mention the exams I failed, my unsuccessful PhD or fellowship applications, or the papers never accepted for publication.

At conferences, I talk about the one project that worked, not about the many that failed. Interestingly, this essay did not make a lot of noise. Perhaps it was because Stephan just wasn't a big enough name. But years later, the idea got a boost from a prominent economist.

At conferences, I talk about the one project that worked, not about the many that failed. Interestingly, this essay did not make a lot of noise. Perhaps it was because Stephan just wasn't a big enough name. But years later, the idea got a boost from a prominent economist.

At conferences, I talk about the one project that worked, not about the many that failed. Interestingly, this essay did not make a lot of noise. Perhaps it was because Stephan just wasn't a big enough name. But years later, the idea got a boost from a prominent economist.

It's hard to say if this idea of publicizing your own failures in academia has really caught on. From the outside, I don't see much evidence. I still see a lot of academic lectures that make no mention of mistakes or false steps or unproductive rabbit holes. Why is that? Well, consider how tenuous an academic career can be.

It's hard to say if this idea of publicizing your own failures in academia has really caught on. From the outside, I don't see much evidence. I still see a lot of academic lectures that make no mention of mistakes or false steps or unproductive rabbit holes. Why is that? Well, consider how tenuous an academic career can be.

It's hard to say if this idea of publicizing your own failures in academia has really caught on. From the outside, I don't see much evidence. I still see a lot of academic lectures that make no mention of mistakes or false steps or unproductive rabbit holes. Why is that? Well, consider how tenuous an academic career can be.

Here is another story from someone in academia, at least someone who planned to be in academia.

Here is another story from someone in academia, at least someone who planned to be in academia.

Here is another story from someone in academia, at least someone who planned to be in academia.

Ridgeman taught English, and he loved it. So he decided to keep climbing the ladder.

Ridgeman taught English, and he loved it. So he decided to keep climbing the ladder.

Ridgeman taught English, and he loved it. So he decided to keep climbing the ladder.