Luke F.
About me
| Luke F. | |
| Physics | |
| Physics | |
| Research Postgraduate | |
| Goodricke | |
| 2004 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Chief of Staff to the CEO | |
| Stealth mode startup | |
| Italy | |
| Science and research | |
| Small business (0-49 employees) | |
| 2021 |
More about Luke
Like this profile?
Add this profile to your favourites so you can return to it later from your account.
A day in the life of a Chief of Staff to the CEO in Italy
I'd say my career path was mostly good fortune but it helped that I was curious and was always looking for ways to challenge myself and to learn new things.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
I used to work as an editor for Nature, reading and writing about the cutting edge of physics, electronics & AI, but I’m now working at a semiconductor startup based in San Francisco — although I work remotely as I live in Italy. I unfortunately can't say too much about the company I currently work for, as we're still in stealth, but Nature is a weekly international journal that's been publishing peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology since November 1869.
https://www.nature.com/
What do you do?
As Chief of Staff, I do whatever I can to make the CEO's life a little easier. This could be overseeing strategic business initiatives and special projects, working with other executives to determine and prioritise business strategies, managing external relationships, preparing investor updates and board materials, assisting with the recruiting and onboarding of new hires, attending or facilitating meetings or events on behalf of the CEO, helping with internal and external communications, or performing an array of administrative tasks, amongst other things.
As an editor, I spent my days reading and writing about the cutting edge of physics, electronics and AI, interacting with scientists from around the globe.
Prior to COVID-19, I was a regular traveller and have given many talks/workshops on academic publishing, writing & science communication. More information about me can be found on my website: https://www.lukefleet.com
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
My career path wasn't planned. I chose to do physics at University because I found it interesting and wasn't sure what else to do to be honest. The longer I studied, the more fascinating it became, and I was fortunate that I was able to find funding for a PhD, and to spend time in Japan during those years. This had a big impact on me as I'd never really traveled before, and so I grew a lot during my PhD, both scientifically and personally — thanks also to the great support and mentoring I received from my supervisors. I was lucky that a postdoc position at Imperial & UCL opened-up in a related (although somewhat different) field just as I was finishing. I loved interacting with new people and science communities and so when I stumbled across an advert for an editor at a science journal, I was curious as to what that would entail. I found out a little more and thought it could be a good fit for me so decided to take what felt like a terrifying jump from academia to the outside world. This turned out to be a very good move, as I think I was a much better editor than researcher, and I loved my time working at Nature. It also gave me many opportunities to grow and develop many new skills, and to meet lots of new people, which ended up opening the door to my current role. So I'd say my career path was mostly good fortune but it helped that I was curious and was always looking for ways to challenge myself and to learn new things.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
I didn't even know my current job existed when I was a student and I certainly wouldn't have envisaged working for a Silicon Valley startup — but I also neither would've seen myself working for an academic publisher.
Describe your most memorable day at work
I can't disclose anything about my new role, but I was the editor that handled the landmark paper reporting Quantum Supremacy:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1666-5
Seeing all the press coverage and excitement when that result was announced, and published on our cover, was pretty special.
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
There are lots of challenges when working at a startup but I love that things can move so fast — very different to working at a large multinational company like Springer Nature.
What’s your work environment and culture like?
The culture at the startup is great as we've hired a wonderfully talented team and it's exciting times for us.
Working for a big company had positives and negatives, but the culture at Nature was pretty good as I mostly interacted with enthusiastic science lovers. It was fairly intense and fast-paced, but also somewhat laid-back as the editors have a lot of freedom. I never struggled to fill free time as there was always projects and activities to get involved with, although this was dangerous as I have a tenancy to get involved in too many activities.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
During my time at York, I was the first team captain and manager for the pool & snooker club, which was one of the most successful sports clubs at the University at the time. Developing leadership and communication skills takes time, but this certainly put me on the right path.
What would you like to do next with your career?
Not sure what I'd like to do next, and I'm not sure it's best to plan so far ahead — I tend to focus on my own personal development and then just seeing what doors open.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Going into the job market is terrifying, so I first send my thoughts out to all those looking for new ventures after University. Unfortunately, a lot of good fortune is required but you'll be amazed at how far a good network can get you, so don't be afraid to reach out to people. And don't be disheartened if you're dream job isn't there just yet, as you might stumble into something better suited for you that you'd never thought of — or just need to take a few stepping stones before reaching your goal.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
Startups, Science, Publishing, Volunteering
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
In my spare time, I used to sit on the executive committee for Urban Partners, which is a voluntary business partnership made up of organisations in the Euston, King’s Cross and St Pancras area, that represents over 10,000 employees from companies such as Google, the Guardian, Eurostar, the Institute of Physics and Springer Nature (my former employer). Each of the partners commit funds, expertise and time to deliver initiatives that benefit our neighborhood for those working and living in the area.
https://urbanpartners.london/
Next steps...
If you like the look of Luke’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Luke a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask Luke to be your mentor.