Why are young scientists struggling to launch independent research careers?

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In summary, the conversation revolves around the topic of universities making large profits from undergraduate courses, leading to the existence of weed out courses and grade inflation. The conversation also touches on the lack of support for students, the politics involved in academia, and the limited job opportunities available for research professorships. The participants discuss the idea that universities treat students as numbers rather than individuals, and the ethical implications of promoting science and technology while not providing enough support for those pursuing it. The conversation also highlights the economic reality that without the work of graduate students and undergraduates, tenured faculty positions would not be sustainable.
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  • #37
Interesting read. Thanks for the link.
 
  • #38
Sankaku said:
I am not sure if folks might have already seen this:

Does the U.S. Produce Too Many Scientists?
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=does-the-us-produce-too-m

From the article:

As a result, the average age at which the minority of young scientists who do actually land faculty jobs get to launch independent research careers by winning their first competitive grant has risen to 42. At that age, scientists of previous generations, such as Albert Einstein, Marshall Nirenberg and Thomas Cech, were winning their Nobel Prizes for work done in their twenties.

Einstein had a hard time finding an academic job too!
 

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