The Risk of Starting a Career in Science

[KMan2676]

She looks beautiful

[BasileAlberto]

Hi Zeila,

it's true... but just think of Grisha Perelman, the famous russian mathematician, that after being awarded the "Nobel" prize for mathematics a few years ago, showed a bit of that same kind of disaffection with the academic world, by quitting his position. I don't think that was the right response, anyway.

Ciao.

[Max11551]

So Zeila, would you say it's worth it?

PS. You look like Monica Bellucci

[LinoMil]

Il faut toujours avoir confiance; ça peut sembler de la rhétorique mais on n'a que notre savoir, notre savoir faire, nos expériences ... et parfois ça suffit pour gagner! Bon courage à tout le monde.

[portlandorinda]

im pursuing a B.S. in the chemical sciences. im having trouble deciding choosing between biochem or general chem. my goal is to attend graduate school studying nano chem. likely applications of carbon nano tubes, filters, nano medicine. any advice?

[marcriganoskate]

ever consider chemical engineering?

[nano2hybrids]

(part 1)

It is not sad, it is just real life.

Many good post-docs I know are facing this situation.

And, I can tell you, it is not easy to have real life if you don't know where you'll be living the next year.

We usually move from one country to another every two years, leaving behind family and friends.

Each time, you start over your life from scratch.

This cannot be afforded forever.

In addition, not everything depends on you.

And who starts a PhD should be aware of that.

[nano2hybrids]

(part 2)

Nobody can do science completely alone (we get only a few genial people per century).

At the beginning, you don't even know which are the 'hot' topics, and where there are good experimental and/or theoretical facilities to perform a high level study.

When you start working in a group, you rely on the scientific connections and experience of that group (you will build up your own with time).

[nano2hybrids]

For this reason it is important to be in a collaborative group, to have the opportunity of visiting other labs to learn from the expert in your field, to have the technical means to perform your research and to be granted freedom in research.

It is not difficoult to imagine that these conditions are not found everywhere!

[borninger]

Oh, it sounds so sad. ;-)

[nano2hybrids]

Feel free to comment on this!

Zeila