- #1
Delong
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I spoke with a professor I'm working with about my personal statement for graduate school. She took issue with my beginning paragraph:
"My interest in plant science grew out of my desire to create peace between humanity and their environment. Anxiety over doomsday scares of global warming drove me to look for an answer. These worries matured into a dream to use science for a more sustainable society.
I am applying for the biology PhD program to combine my love of science with my concern for the environment..."
She said that it's basically "bullcrap" and that I'm not going to be able to do something like that in graduate school. Although I understand that I won't be changing the world with grad school I'm concerned for the long run of how I can feel like I'm helping people through science.
My professor said that throughout her thirty years of being a scientist she can't point to anything specific in society and say she helped that happen. The only exception being helping students become other scientists.
But I don't think I want to be a professor. I want to feel like I'm using science (and engineering) to actually help society. For me I think that means working at a national lab or government lab.
If that is the case should I just get to a PhD or Masters and stop there? I don't have to go all the way to post-doc or professorship right? Thanks.
"My interest in plant science grew out of my desire to create peace between humanity and their environment. Anxiety over doomsday scares of global warming drove me to look for an answer. These worries matured into a dream to use science for a more sustainable society.
I am applying for the biology PhD program to combine my love of science with my concern for the environment..."
She said that it's basically "bullcrap" and that I'm not going to be able to do something like that in graduate school. Although I understand that I won't be changing the world with grad school I'm concerned for the long run of how I can feel like I'm helping people through science.
My professor said that throughout her thirty years of being a scientist she can't point to anything specific in society and say she helped that happen. The only exception being helping students become other scientists.
But I don't think I want to be a professor. I want to feel like I'm using science (and engineering) to actually help society. For me I think that means working at a national lab or government lab.
If that is the case should I just get to a PhD or Masters and stop there? I don't have to go all the way to post-doc or professorship right? Thanks.