Last week I submitted a paper to a top journal in my field. I have another two in the pipeline, a request from an editor to referee an article and a conference talk to prepare. So far, this probably sounds like the typical life of an academic.
But I’m not employed as an academic. Actually I’m not employed at all. I have a chronic illness that has left me almost completely housebound. So am I still an academic?
Until a few years ago, my status was undisputed. I held a fellowship position which would have led to a much coveted permanent academic position. After years of short-term post-docs I had, finally, made it.
Then overnight, my world collapsed. A relapse of severe ME left me housebound. I lost my job and my income, my independence and my social life – but probably the worst loss of all was of my identity as a science academic.
...Yet, to my great surprise, I’ve been doing research again. It hasn’t been easy, but I’m now an academic who is not an academic – and it turns out that I’m not alone.
