I would like to point out that, based on what I read in some online academic career discussion forums and heard through words of mouth, some sort of research positions in government agencies were the "thinking outside of the box" strategies for EEB PhD's as recent as two years ago. And a few years before that, a teaching position was the sensible alternative to the standard tenure track faculty position at R1/R2 universities.
So now according to Aaron's message, the "box" has been expanded to include government positions (and very much teaching positions based on my own experience), and forming one's own business has become the current career alternative for scientists. For me, it's not hard to imagine that a couple years down the road, the scientific entrepreneurial sector would also become glutted, the "box" would be further expanded, and EEB PhD's would need to come up with another "innovative career strategy du jour". What I am wondering is that are these "outside of the box" career options truely viable alternatives for PhD's, or are they merely manifestations of the "grass is greener on the other side" mentality? Of course, I realize that by far most of these discussions are anecdotal, which further questions the real feasibility of all those supposed scientific career alternatives. On Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:39:08 -0400, Aaron T. Dossey <[email protected]> wrote: >I know this sounds like a flippant idea with no basis in reality, and >maybe a little like "let them eat cake"... BUT, I am in nearly the exact >same situation as you, so... > >Are you sure that just another postdoc/postech/postemp is all you can >do/get? Are you sure that these will lead to a career? In my >experience, I can use this analogy: If you're in a hole, and your >career is somewhere outside of it, a postdoc/postech/postemp position is >like a shovel - it can only dig you deeper in the hole, and farther from >a career. > >Have you considered something outside government or academia? Maybe >starting your own business doing some version of what you love that is >marketable? > >I recently started my own company and, with some seed money from the >Gates foundation, this will be my only job starting in July. I am oddly >optimistic about it actually! > >Do you know anyone involved in a startup who would work with you as a >partner to get the thing off the ground? > >I don't like that the private sector or entrepreneurial track are the >only career options for most Ph.D. scientists to stay in anything >resembling science - but sadly that's the reality. Academia is in >scenescence (a prof at Berkeley I know recently taught me a great and >quite accurate phrase "the Anemia of Academia"), and government agencies >are shrinking by the day. I don't like it but I also am not impressed >with much of what I have observed in the public sector, particularly for >academia. The corruption and what I call "race to the bottom" I have >observed in the ivory tower do not inspire much sympathy from me on the >funding issue or anything that expands the current system/status quo. >Academia and the science funding structure (including government >agencies) need a tremendous amount of reform - particularly in the area >of providing careers (and thus, diversity of innovation) for young >scientists. Why aren't kids as excited about science anymore and doing >well in it? No one from the undergrad level on up wants to teach them >and there aren't any careers to be had in it anyhow. Those are the >things that need fixed before the whole "STEM" educational system will >be more fruitful. > >So, in summary, my advice to you is to start looking and thinking WAY >outside of the "box". There are no career opportunities in the >traditional box (well, aside from what can be garnered through >nepotism), and it's dusty and stagnant in there anyhow. Best to seek >greener pastures! :) Also, don't forget to give back to the community! >Spend some time talking to the undergrads you know about whether or not >they truly should go to grad school! > >That's my 2 cents. .. > >ATD > > > >On 6/11/2012 11:06 PM, Jeremy L. Conkle wrote: >> Good Evening Ecolog, >> >> I am potentially approaching a crossroads in my early career and I >> would appreciate some feedback from those of you who may have been >> through a similar situation or just have some perspective to share. I >> have recently finished my second year as a post-doc and have the >> opportunity to transition onto a new grant here at the same >> institution in California in an amazing lab that will provide me >> funding for another 1 or 2 years. I would generally continue the same >> research, but also branch out into a slightly different arena. >> However, I am also waiting to hear back from a position in England >> that is a 3-4 year post-doc where I would get research experience >> doing different work that I am also very interested in. >> >> As with most young researchers, I am ready to settle into a permanent >> position, as I have lived on every coast in U.S. during my schooling. >> But since I have not been able to secure a faculty/government research >> position I am left (fortunately) with these two options (potentially). >> I believe that my CV will have enough publications to be competitive >> for faculty/government positions within the next year, but teaching is >> somewhat of a weakness on my CV. >> >> Both positions have their pros and cons and the pay would be about the >> same (accounting for exchange rates). Staying in my current position >> would be more continuous, whereas starting over in England would >> require a little time to get settled. I would also be able to get >> teaching experience at the position in England. The other major >> difference is the length of each contract. >> >> I was wondering what advice Eco-loggers may have for me given my >> potential options and career stage? Should I start over with a new >> experience in a new country? Would I be better suited to stay >> grounded here and hopefully get a more permanent position in a year? >> In the long term I would want to work in the states, but how hard >> would it be for me to move back after a few years? I've been told that >> this can be tricky for some reason. >> >> Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Please respond >> to me off the list if possible. >> >> Thank you in advance. >> >> Jeremy >> >> > > >-- >Aaron T. Dossey, Ph.D. >Biochemistry and Molecular Biology >Founder/Owner: All Things Bugs >Capitalizing on Low-Crawling Fruit from Insect-Based Innovation >http://www.allthingsbugs.com >https://www.facebook.com/Allthingsbugs >1-352-281-3643 >=========================================================================
