>I asked them if there was anything they would consider doing >even
>if they didn't get paid for doing it. The only two answers were
>gardening
>and music but they wouldn't even consider doing science for nothing.
>Would
>anyone here do science for nothing? I probably would and have.
>>Cyndy
>>Dr. Cynthia M. Galloway
>Assoc. Professor of Biology
>Dept. of Biology
>Campus Box 158
>Texas A&M University
>Kingsville, TX 78363
>>(512)593-3790
Deceptive question-I'd probably do science for nothing, IF I COULD. But
I have children depending on me, so it's not an option. If science pays
little or nothing, no matter how much I love it, flipping burgers is the
responsible choice. This is a sensitive subject for me, as I've gotten
some subtle and not-so-subtle flack from aquaintances and friends about
the selfishness of graduate school when I was sole supporter of the
children. I have to say I often doubt it myself, but my children have
been more than supportive. What I'd be willing to do and what I can do
are two different things, and I don't think we should judge commitment
by this. My husband's students, undergrad and masters, often have
families to support. We are both so glad to see some of them try and
break the cycle of poverty by getting an education, but many of the good
ones won't go on to grad school because they can't afford the years of
low pay. In some ways, there's a class barrier to graduate school. I
bristle at the suggestion, intended or not, that commitment means being
willing to work for free. It's just not an option for many people.
*****************************************************
Julia Frugoli
Dartmouth College
visiting grad student at
Texas A&M University
Department of Biological Sciences
College Station, TX 77843
409-845-0663
FAX 409-847-8805
"Evil is best defined as militant ignorance."
Dr. M. Scott Peck*****************************************************
