Born and raised in Turkey, Osman moved to the United States in 1982, earned a PhD in physical organic chemistry, and built a successful life, with a stellar scientific career, cerebral hobbies, and two wonderful children. However, a sudden layoff at age 50 and a dysfunctional marriage caused him to question both his professional trajectory and his personal lifestyle. The resulting gradual awakening caused him to change his attitude and approach to life as he navigated the next stages of his life after 50.

Osman’s narrative details the evolution of computational drug discovery (his professional field) along with his personal life story. Both are told with exceptional honesty and insight, including his internal struggles and thought processes at professional and personal crossroads.

His adventures included navigating multiple corporate cultures; starting his own consulting business (on two continents); being a competitive bridge player, teacher, and director; teaching chemistry at a community college; and circumnavigating the globe on a cruise ship while teaching bridge. He checked off many of the items on his personal bucket list and became a more peaceful and self-aware person who recognizes what truly is important in life.

This example of a life fully lived will be inspirational for any mid-career professional starting to think about retirement, especially scientific professionals navigating complex career choices.

Exploring Osman’s story, and why he made the choices that he did, may well provide insights into your own choices and help you craft a life that is both relevant and personally satisfying.