After retiring some ten years ago at the age of 65, I still wanted to do some worthwhile research (Nature 521, 20–23; 2015).
I had only a chair and a table for support. These props came courtesy of my former employer, along with online access to the scientific literature. I was originally a researcher in two very different fields — surface science and nanoparticle-related health effects — so I set about re-evaluating publications in both areas. New ideas emerged, sparking successful collaborations with former colleagues who had the necessary equipment to investigate them.
I have written and published 30 mostly single-author papers since retirement. Most notable is a 123-page review that took me almost 2 years to prepare, allowing me to invalidate a theory that was more than 30 years old (K. Wittmaack Surf. Sci. Rep. 68, 108–230; 2013). I reckon that I have learned more per unit time during this phase than I did during my 'active' career. And still I keep going.
Colleagues with retirement in sight should give up the idea that science can only be advanced with a sizeable research team. Sit down and take the literature to pieces, then put the puzzle together again in light of your newly gained insight. Gratifying work awaits.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wittmaack, K. The joys of research in retirement. Nature 522, 156 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/522156a
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/522156a