Having a job is a horrid way to make money. You shouldn't work onless you enjoy doing it and are willing to trade your life for whatever it is you're doing.

eSen1a

Australia1058 Posts

May 16 2010 03:30 GMT

#62

no shortage of jobs in science here - in fact my degree cost half the normal amount because australian government wanted more scientists

Jacobs Ladder

United States1705 Posts

May 16 2010 03:47 GMT

#63

Personally, my biggest issue with both the idea of academia and getting a graduate degree is it looks like doing that will hurt my career. I'm halfway through my BS EE and I've been told several times that instead of spending 5ish years getting a PHD I should use that time to get real world experience. The career center at my school actually tells us you will make more money and advance higher in most companies with a BS and experience than a Masters or PHD.

Plus, I've seen my dad (who has a BS EE) get job offers from serious research centers (like JPL) due not to his degree, but experience. It just seems like the root of Academia is counter productive when it comes to science, profit, and enjoyability.

phyren

United States1067 Posts

May 16 2010 03:47 GMT

#64

I'm just starting my first summer of graduate research in theoretical physics.

.....I didn't need to see this article now

Katsuge

Singapore7730 Posts

May 16 2010 03:58 GMT

#65

be a progamer!

JadeFist

United States1225 Posts

May 16 2010 04:02 GMT

#66

My brother just got a science job straight out of college with an undergrad Biology degree. And he actually had a low 3 GPA and his college was not ivy league.

But, he had some good connections I think. The job has low pay but I don't think it's dead-end.

Rho_

United States971 Posts

May 16 2010 04:19 GMT

#67

I find it kind of interesting that he touts law as a field that is not in a similar situation. From what I've heard and seen, newly minted lawyers are in a similar situation.
[image loading]

Thats a pretty big spike at about 35k/yr. There is a glut of lawyers as well.

starcraft911

Korea (South)1263 Posts

May 16 2010 04:35 GMT

#68

I have 2 brothers, done has a phd in chemistry and is a college instructor. The other is a truck driver who didn't graduate high school. The trucker makes over twice as much.

Drowsy

United States4876 Posts

May 16 2010 04:36 GMT

#69

I'm just now finishing undergrad and I've already decided to pursue a career in academia (economics, not a physical science). To be honest teaching classes maybe 16 hours a week+grading papers+research obligations and a ton of time off sounds like a really good and enjoyable life, especially if you're in a field you genuinely like. A lot of my professors really seem to have active lives and get plenty of time to do stuff they love outside of work, who cares if you don't make much money? One of my professors was running marathons well into his 40s while still teaching.

hixhix

1156 Posts

May 16 2010 04:55 GMT

#70

On May 16 2010 13:36 Drowsy wrote:
I'm just now finishing undergrad and I've already decided to pursue a career in academia (economics, not a physical science). To be honest teaching classes maybe 16 hours a week+grading papers+research obligations and a ton of time off sounds like a really good and enjoyable life, especially if you're in a field you genuinely like. A lot of my professors really seem to have active lives and get plenty of time to do stuff they love outside of work, who cares if you don't make much money? One of my professors was running marathons well into his 40s while still teaching.

Well, the problem is that, in order to enjoy that "dream life of a professor", you have to be tenure and have good funding. And it's really hard to reach that point.

Blenderhead

United States29 Posts

May 16 2010 05:02 GMT

#71

I'm bummed to hear this. Next year, I'll be receiving my BS in Physics, and had hoped to go through graduate school and enter into academia. I'm surprised by the article, because even at the undergraduate state, pursuing a scientific career has proven lucrative as opportunities for research and internships abound. The article appears to have been written over a decade ago, which most likely means that the situation has worsened. Perhaps turning towards the private sector or government employment is the way to go, although there is less "purity" in that.

lowbright

308 Posts

May 16 2010 05:05 GMT

#72

On May 16 2010 13:35 starcraft911 wrote:
I have 2 brothers, done has a phd in chemistry and is a college instructor. The other is a truck driver who didn't graduate high school. The trucker makes over twice as much.

...
seriously?
i thought college professors make like 80k plus whatever they get from consulting and research or whatever

Terranist

United States2496 Posts

May 16 2010 05:08 GMT

#73

wow what kind of cargo is he driving?

Servolisk

United States5241 Posts

May 16 2010 05:11 GMT

#74

He said college instructor so he probably did not mean tenure track professor. And who wouldn't prefer being a professor even if the salary were 1/10 of a truck driver's.

ray1234

Canada679 Posts

May 16 2010 05:14 GMT

#75

i am doing my phd in experimental physics as well. lol didnt know so many TLers are n similar situations.

I work with lasers and feel like a kid going to a candy shop everyday when i wake up. I feel many of my friends in industry hate their jobs and certainly cant find happiness in their work. So on the one hand if you are someone who loves intellectual freedom and dont want to be a hamster in the corporate wheel, then science is not a bad choice at all. The price to be paid is potentially deadend career with no money...
This I have no experience with because i am still a grad

So like many, I am too afraid and uncertain future, especially the "postdoc trap".
so is it a myth or fact that its easier to get a job right after PhD than after a few years in postdoc? Maybe Catyoul you have some comments about this?

I think my current of strategy is, if I have a ton of publications by the end of my PhD, I will try a postdoc and professor.. if not Im gonna stay the hell out of the loop and go for industry...

thedeadhaji

39489 Posts

May 16 2010 05:15 GMT

#76

Thanks for your great posts Catyoul

ziz

203 Posts

May 16 2010 05:17 GMT

#77

this man speaks wisdom

that's why i'm pre-med!!!!!!

T.O.P.

Hong Kong4685 Posts

May 16 2010 05:26 GMT

#78

The article is written in 1999. Is it still relevant?

ray1234

Canada679 Posts

May 16 2010 05:30 GMT

#79

On May 16 2010 14:26 T.O.P. wrote:
The article is written in 1999. Is it still relevant?

lol just noticed, i guess that was before the dotcom bubble and the fiber optics fail.

and with the shitty economy, now getting a industry job straight from undergrad doesn't seem like a much better option.