A very dear friend of mine (age 46) just started his Masters, after losing almost a decade when he couldn't decide if he was going to start or not...
That said, when we first met and he shared the idea, I strongly encouraged him to go ahead, resistance from some teachers to students their age is expected as is also from some students to young teachers..., there will always be some people that will discourage the idea, my advice,* if you really want this, GO AHEAD*. It is a bit tricky, though, and I would plan a strategy to be as efficient as possible, because let's face it, you want to start, but you also want to finish and of course, we cannot predict how the job market will be in two-four years but you might want to keep in mind the ideal position in case it comes up while you're in the program: I agree with Katharine (btw, bravo and congratulations Katharine!), I would ask around and meet with as many teachers as possible, what's the worst that can happen? that they say no, but then you'll also learn about them, because the first meeting is not just to say: "hey, I have this idea, what do you think?", it's more to have a feeling of the interests of the professor, afterwards, you'll go ahead and explain your idea if you think it'll be a win/win situation... On that note, I don't have anything against inserting yourself in a lab, for as long as *they are pursuing questions that are also interesting for you*, of course, I do have to say, my committee found very refreshing when in our first meeting I had my research already in mind (as I think you do, you might have something in mind beyond a group of organisms)... However, the most important element..., the key, is the advisor, which is why you need to get to know several professors and their interests, and if it turns out that you guys have great chemistry and are in sync with your interests and ideas, then you found it!, otherwise, if after the interview you feel that it's not the right fit (which usually happens both sides), at least you built a potential collaboration... Best of lucks! Eimy -- -- Eimy Rivas Plata, PhD Postdoctoral Research Associate - Lutzoni Lab Department of Biology Duke University & Research Assistant - Lichenology Department of Botany The Field Museum -- Life is the most spectacular show on Earth -- On Fri, Feb 1, 2013 at 12:42 PM, Elsa Youngsteadt <[email protected]>wrote: > Liane articulates many of the thoughts I also had on this subject. > > I would add that refusing to work independently and creatively as a grad > student--thereby protecting your own ideas for later use--could backfire if > you ever need your colleagues and supervisors to vouch for your ability to > generate and execute independent, creative ideas. > > You can learn important methods and critical thinking from a mentor and a > lab group in the context of a project that is motivated by your own > curiosity and ideas. That, in my opinion, is a favorable situation. > > Of course the correct approach invariably depends on individual > personalities, goals, and unique life situations--grad school is not > one-size-fits-all. > > Cheers, > Elsa > > > > On Fri, Feb 1, 2013 at 11:44 AM, Cochran-Stafira, D. Liane > <[email protected]>wrote: > > > Aaron, > > I very strongly disagree with your statement about not coming up with > your > > own research idea. My advisor expected all PhD candidates to work on > their > > own projects - not feed off of his. Masters level students were held by > > the hand much more, and they did projects that were spin-offs from my > > mentors line of interest. > > > > PhD's should be "creative" and the best place to learn this is in grad > > school where your creativity can be monitored and mentored. Just working > > as another pair of hands in the lab is a waste of time. My mentor asked > > only to be second author on the first paper that came from the part of > the > > project that involved his greatest level of mentoring and help. He > clearly > > stated that all other papers were solely mine. I have continued to work > > with the same system since grad school, and there has been no issue with > > him stealing my ideas. > > > > I learned an incredible amount by working out how to do the experiments I > > needed to do; how to carry out statistical analyses I never learned about > > in class. I could go on, but you get the idea. I am quite amazed at > your > > strongly negative opinion about this approach to grad school. And, by > the > > way, I am one of the 14% (as reported in the a recent article in > BioScience > > ) of female students who was successful in landing a desired academic > > position - so there was no effect on my career. > > Liane > > > > **************************************** > > D. Liane Cochran-Stafira, Ph.D. > > Associate Professor > > Department of Biological Sciences > > Saint Xavier University > > 3700 West 103rd Street > > Chicago, Illinois 60655 > > > > phone: 773-298-3514 > > fax: 773-298-3536 > > email: [email protected] > > http://faculty.sxu.edu/~cochran/ > > > > <http://faculty.sxu.edu/~cochran/> > > > > _______________________________ > > From: Aaron T. Dossey <[email protected]> > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 8:25 PM > > Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Advice for 36 year old trying to get into M.S. > > program > > > > If you do for some reason (which I cannot currently imagine) to go to > > graduate school, here is some advice that will help you get the most out > of > > it without putting the future of your career at risk: 1) pick a very > > HANDS-ON professor who spends a lot of time with his or her students and > > postdocs (eg: they spend lots of time in the lab) in a successful lab > with > > a great reputation (lots of publications, with students and postdocs who > > have left it and have successful careers currently who can attribute it > to > > having worked in that lab) and 2) insist that you ONLY will work on work > > that is from the professor's own ideas - from their grants and based on > > their ideas. Do not fall into the trap of working for a professor who > > expects you to come up with your own projects. You are there to learn > from > > them primarily, and also to do parts of their research. If you already > > have a certain skillset and can come up with your own research projects > and > > successfully > > execute them, you do NOT need to be a student (at least in that lab). > > Pick a lab and a professor who have a lot to offer you in the form of > > TRAINING, connections and projects likely to be very fruitful. > > > > IF and when you have your own ideas you want to pursue, keep a log book > of > > those and save those for when you graduate and are on your > own/independent. > > Otherwise, it can get ugly. Many professors will, to put it bluntly, > > steal credit and reward for your ideas and independent work. Might as > well > > avoid that pitfall and keep everyone happy (and keep you learning) by > doing > > whatever work originates from the professor - besides, it's their job to > > drive the research and come up with the ideas. > > > > Basically, pick a prof and lab who seems to have YOUR CAREER INTERESTS at > > heart and act like it. > > >
