From US Scientist to Lithuanian Contentment: A Better Work-Life Balance Keeps Me Staying

• Stephen Knox Jones Jr. never believed he could afford time off during his scientific career in the U.S.
• He experienced guilt over going on vacation, and his equilibrium between work and personal life was off-kilter.
• Everything shifted once he relocated to Lithuania, significantly improving the caliber of his work as a result.

This essay, compiled from an interview with Stephen Knox Jones Jr., a 37-year-old researcher residing in Vilnius, Lithuania, has been condensed and clarified for brevity.

Growing up in New Hampshire I never doubted the demanding 16-year journey required to follow my zeal for biotechnology.

I obtained my doctoral degree in Rhode Island and carried out my postdoctoral work in Texas. Throughout these various phases of my career, I refrained from taking vacations due to feeling culpable about being away from work.

I would consistently move to the following position within a week after departing from my prior role since that was what was expected.

Regardless of your level of success, there's often an urge to achieve even more and aim higher. This isn’t to suggest that such pressures pervade every corner of the U.S., but it has certainly been part of my individual journey.

Following my time in Texas, I relocated to Europe and now experience considerably less stress.

I'm a full-time biotech research team lead and chief researcher based in Lithuania. In this place, individuals understand the importance of stepping back from their jobs for personal wellness — so now, taking time off doesn’t make me feel bad anymore.

People frequently inquire of me, "When are you going to returning to the US ?"

Right now, I'm not even considering that option. Although I have had wonderful times in the U.S., I believe this choice aligns more closely with my current way of life.

I'm allowed to bring my dog to work, and I keep a guitar in my office that I strum almost every morning. Allocating some time to write and play music gets me into a more inventive mindset for my research. It means a lot to be able to do this here.

I might be able to accomplish those actions in the US as well, but I believe the distinction is that they're seen here as essential for preserving my health and happiness, not merely as eccentric behavior.

Stephen decided to move to Europe during the 2020 US election

When the 2020 US election When this happened, it caused my spouse and me to deeply reflect on our individual principles concerning societal structure, the valuation of individuals, and the availablesupport systems.

That was when we began focusing our attention on Europe.

We recognized that our values were more closely aligned with those of Europe rather than the US concerning this issue. society-wide healthcare , food quality, regulations focused on welfare rather than profits, public transit systems, and emphasis on privacy with restrictions on data sharing.

We settled on Lithuania Since the institution where I am employed collaborates with a prominent research entity known as the European Molecular Biology Laboratories, a name I was quite familiar with due to its stellar reputation for scientific brilliance and its long-standing contributions to my area of study—gene editing—I had heard of this organization before.

Stephen believes that the caliber of his research exceeds what it would be had he been based in the US.

As I explored full-time positions in academia within the U.S., these roles often entailed substantial teaching responsibilities alongside an emphasis on scientific research and consistent publication. Let’s clarify: teaching holds significant value, yet excelling across all areas proves challenging.

A positive aspect of academic positions here is that although many opt for balancing both teaching and research, you also have the choice to concentrate solely on one area.

Similar to me, I tend to concentrate more on research. This is why I believe the caliber of my work could be superior in Lithuania compared to what it might be in the US.

Because I'm less stressed I now have some breathing space to ensure my research is headed in the correct direction and that my team has all necessary resources, aiding us in elevating our scientific efforts to new heights.

It matters significantly to me since ultimately, my work relies on taxpayers' money, and this comes with an unspoken commitment that we will utilize these funds effectively to enhance the quality of life for everyone.

Occasionally, obtaining specific items can prove somewhat difficult in this region. The bureaucratic processes involved in purchasing scientific gear from different areas might lead businesses to question whether the effort is worthwhile.

I similarly struggle with locating corn masa flour for homemade tortillas and specific vegetarian items such as seitan.

Even though I might not be around indefinitely, at this point in my life, things are truly great.

Jessica Orwig is covering stories about professional journeys within the field of science. Have you ever been involved in such a pursuit yourself? Perhaps your career took a turn due to personal beliefs or other reasons. If yes, she would be interested in hearing from you. Kindly reach out via email: jorwig@GudangMovies21.

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