In article <Pine.A32.3.95.961117162413.70276B-100000 at homer15.u.washington.edu>,
Sarah Boomer <sarai at u.washington.edu> wrote:
>>I think the last thing I would add - somewhat for discussion - would be
>the following opinion. After attending a small college and then making
>this huge leap to a really big research institute, it is my honest opinion
>that I should have worked as a tech in between in such a big setting. I
>would advocate that to anyone from a small college. I was reading the
>post from the college student about her trying to do an undergrad. project
>to decide whether she wants to do research and I couldn't help but think
>of those glory days in college when there was no question in my mind that
>I liked research and teaching both. Frankly, I think that competitive
>grant-supported settings are just different and it is important that a
>would be researcher sees what that's like. As an undergrad. I had no
>concept of NIH grants, post-docs, the heirarchy and expectations of the
>training system. Sometimes I think - well, geez, our dept. is maybe just
>too insane or political and I have a warped viewpoint but then we keep
>getting post-docs who say it's crazy all over. Retrospectively, I'm not
>sure it would have changed my mind (my own undergrad. advisor nearly
>forbade it because she said I'd taste money and never leave); frankly, I
>think I learned a great deal more being so naive and so, looking back, I
>am glad I did it "green" because I maybe wouldn't have chosen to get my
>degree.
>
Wow, this could be me! I also went to a small college as an undergrad and
really enjoyed both teaching and research. I also want to teach and not
to as much (or any) reserach once I finish up here. But I really wish I
had done some tech work in a larger setting so I would have had some idea
of what major academic life is like today. I had no idea how the system
worked with grants and grad students and post-docs and funding before I
came here. I too have learned a lot as a grad student, but I also don't
know if I would have pursued my PhD if I had done some tech work before
hand.
Of course this attitude could also be becasue I am really burned out and
just want to graduate and do anything different other than school right
now as well (and reading Susan's problems about getting a teaching
position is really, really depressing).
Short bio: B.S. degree in Oceanography with a physics minor from Humboldt
State U in CA. Working on PhD in physical oceanography looking at
physical-biological interactions in the tropical Pacific. I'm at the
University of MD and work at NASA/Goddard. My husband and I can't wait
for me to finish so we can leave MD and move back west, as well as the
fact that we are really ready to start trying for kids but want to wait
until school for me is done.
Carrie
---
carrie at kestrel.umd.edu Few things are harder to put up with than
Maryland Sea Grant the annoyance of a good example.
University of Maryland --Mark Twain
http://www.wam.umd.edu/~carrie/welcome.html
