Comments for blog.devicerandom http://blog.devicerandom.org somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known Fri, 03 May 2013 19:27:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on Goodbye academia, I get a life. by Non-Scientist http://blog.devicerandom.org/2011/02/18/getting-a-life/#comment-5868 Non-Scientist Fri, 03 May 2013 19:27:51 +0000 http://blog.devicerandom.org/?p=96#comment-5868 Sounds a lot like the music industry Sounds a lot like the music industry

]]> Comment on Goodbye academia, I get a life. by Manu http://blog.devicerandom.org/2011/02/18/getting-a-life/#comment-5861 Manu Thu, 02 May 2013 00:01:33 +0000 http://blog.devicerandom.org/?p=96#comment-5861 Well, I have a slightly different reason. I am about to leave academia because I actually love science... but nowadays the publish or perish stuff has completely fucked up the idea of being an academic scientist. It s no longer about creating/discovering something great, it s about publishing more than your neighbour (and/or having a better network). I m actually quite successful at that excercise... But what s the point? My decision has more or less been taken for 6 months already. And I recently went through several serious papers (some exist) analyzing scientific production in different 'hard' and 'soft' science... And that s shockingly wrong... Nothing actually surprising here, most of my colleagues know that this is a game... But well I still have a bit of ethic... And when people 'cheat' consciously or not, and when you don't agree with the model, you can either close your eyes, or quit. I haven't give up being a scientist, I will try to achieve my research dreams through a company I will create soon (and where I can define rules I believe in). That s kind of stressful because I don't think I am born an entreprenor. But well, people say I have great ideas... Let's see what happens. And if it doesn't work, then I will be happy another way... We are on Earth for a little time... and in 100 century, unless you are an exception, nobody will really remember you... and even if it s the case, you won't be there to feel any pride. So don't wait and fill this life with amazing experiences :) Well, I have a slightly different reason. I am about to leave academia because I actually love science… but nowadays the publish or perish stuff has completely fucked up the idea of being an academic scientist. It s no longer about creating/discovering something great, it s about publishing more than your neighbour (and/or having a better network). I m actually quite successful at that excercise… But what s the point? My decision has more or less been taken for 6 months already. And I recently went through several serious papers (some exist) analyzing scientific production in different ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ science… And that s shockingly wrong… Nothing actually surprising here, most of my colleagues know that this is a game… But well I still have a bit of ethic… And when people ‘cheat’ consciously or not, and when you don’t agree with the model, you can either close your eyes, or quit. I haven’t give up being a scientist, I will try to achieve my research dreams through a company I will create soon (and where I can define rules I believe in). That s kind of stressful because I don’t think I am born an entreprenor. But well, people say I have great ideas… Let’s see what happens. And if it doesn’t work, then I will be happy another way… We are on Earth for a little time… and in 100 century, unless you are an exception, nobody will really remember you… and even if it s the case, you won’t be there to feel any pride. So don’t wait and fill this life with amazing experiences :)

]]> Comment on Goodbye academia, I get a life. by Jess http://blog.devicerandom.org/2011/02/18/getting-a-life/#comment-5840 Jess Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:18:16 +0000 http://blog.devicerandom.org/?p=96#comment-5840 Have you considered going into science and technology policy or consulting? You can work for science magazine publications (such as Science from American Association for the Advancement of Science), the govt (Dept of Defense, Energy, EPA..) or National Institute of Health. Have you considered going into science and technology policy or consulting? You can work for science magazine publications (such as Science from American Association for the Advancement of Science), the govt (Dept of Defense, Energy, EPA..) or National Institute of Health.

]]> Comment on Goodbye academia, I get a life. by Susanne http://blog.devicerandom.org/2011/02/18/getting-a-life/#comment-5645 Susanne Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:39:16 +0000 http://blog.devicerandom.org/?p=96#comment-5645 A little mantra for those days when classes, project, and people seem like ridiculous crazy BS ...produce..produce..produce..succeed..succeed..success is the only culturally accepted way..(i guess not just the American way)..what is it? Publish or perish...at what cost? In addition to every reason one would question a career in research. Hum?? How about the environmental impacts of research?? Disposable plastic for days and days ...toxic chemicals ..energy use for that -80 freezer... use of non-renewable resources ..computers and equipment ..gas to get and transport samples ...materials ..conferences... My reason. I found it to be to difficult to say that I am doing something good for society and future generations when I choose a line of work that is blindly just as much a part of the problem A little mantra for those days when classes, project, and people seem like ridiculous crazy BS …produce..produce..produce..succeed..succeed..success is the only culturally accepted way..(i guess not just the American way)..what is it? Publish or perish…at what cost?
In addition to every reason one would question a career in research. Hum?? How about the environmental impacts of research?? Disposable plastic for days and days …toxic chemicals ..energy use for that -80 freezer… use of non-renewable resources ..computers and equipment ..gas to get and transport samples …materials ..conferences…
My reason. I found it to be to difficult to say that I am doing something good for society and future generations when I choose a line of work that is blindly just as much a part of the problem

]]> Comment on Goodbye academia, I get a life. by Mike M http://blog.devicerandom.org/2011/02/18/getting-a-life/#comment-5564 Mike M Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:06:11 +0000 http://blog.devicerandom.org/?p=96#comment-5564 Let me make sure I understand this correctly: you're going INTO the private sector... 1) to get away from people who backstab you for their individual advancement. 2) To get away from shitty projects. 3) Because in academia, there's too many qualified applicants for too few truly great positions. 4) Because in academia, bullheaded idiots get recognition ahead of well-balanced geniuses. 5) To get away from incompetent individuals who have dug their claws into an obscure but essential position and thus made themselves un-fire-able. 6) Because taking adventuresome risks in academia is career suicide if they don't work. 7) To get to a place with job security / stability. Sorry to be the one to break this to you, but you're in for the rudest awakening of your life. The private sector is all those things, times 5. Let me make sure I understand this correctly: you’re going INTO the private sector… 1) to get away from people who backstab you for their individual advancement. 2) To get away from shitty projects. 3) Because in academia, there’s too many qualified applicants for too few truly great positions. 4) Because in academia, bullheaded idiots get recognition ahead of well-balanced geniuses. 5) To get away from incompetent individuals who have dug their claws into an obscure but essential position and thus made themselves un-fire-able. 6) Because taking adventuresome risks in academia is career suicide if they don’t work. 7) To get to a place with job security / stability.
Sorry to be the one to break this to you, but you’re in for the rudest awakening of your life. The private sector is all those things, times 5.

]]> Comment on Why did they win? II. Learning to fly by Inés http://blog.devicerandom.org/2011/03/06/why-did-they-win-ii-learning-to-fly/#comment-5560 Inés Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:55:32 +0000 http://blog.devicerandom.org/?p=94#comment-5560 Really enjoyed this post! Love insects and have done a bit of research on insect flight - I think you have explained a likely theory of why insects are so successful beautifully. Really enjoyed this post! Love insects and have done a bit of research on insect flight – I think you have explained a likely theory of why insects are so successful beautifully.

]]> Comment on Goodbye academia, I get a life. by grm http://blog.devicerandom.org/2011/02/18/getting-a-life/#comment-5517 grm Thu, 31 Jan 2013 05:49:19 +0000 http://blog.devicerandom.org/?p=96#comment-5517 So, I had to face this issue in a very different way than most people. I am envious of those who can leave academia behind, blaming academia and saving face. But I can't. I'm married to someone who is not boring, not an ivory tower drone, not dry on funding, has not lost his creativity, has not gone on antidepressants, has not abandoned his other interests, and has still managed to have a successful science career. I am leaving science to go to industry. I have had to accept the hard truth that this means we have different working styles. My boss and others in science tend to make people like me feel bad about themselves for requiring structure. They think people like me, who need the structure of a regular job, are not bright enough to handle managing unstructured time and therefore need their hands held. This is to misunderstand what a job in industry entails. There is plenty of unstructured time in a regular job - it is just not research. I am the kind of person that needs to spend a lot of time doing something in order to build mastery at it, and gain experience working with known things for a while before I have the confidence to experiment with unknowns. That's just me. I'm actually not bad at research, and my boss can vouch for this as she does not want me to quit and continually talks me out of it. But it makes me miserable. I have had to face the fact that the problem with research is not research. It's me. I need to be able to leave work at work because I tend to obsess and worry about things and then I can never escape it and have peace. My partner does not have this problem. He is able to get his mind to take the necessary breaks it needs for maximum productivity. He also has confidence, and does not have the need to experience lots of knowns before experimenting with unknowns. The bottom line is, you can still have a pretty successful power career by working in industry. Blaming your age, your intelligence, academia, "the system," or any other external factor is just avoiding the fact that you are afraid of your own failures, afraid of not mattering. In the end, we all need a job. If you have it in you to do something unique, nothing you do will be ordinary. So, I had to face this issue in a very different way than most people. I am envious of those who can leave academia behind, blaming academia and saving face. But I can’t. I’m married to someone who is not boring, not an ivory tower drone, not dry on funding, has not lost his creativity, has not gone on antidepressants, has not abandoned his other interests, and has still managed to have a successful science career. I am leaving science to go to industry. I have had to accept the hard truth that this means we have different working styles.

My boss and others in science tend to make people like me feel bad about themselves for requiring structure. They think people like me, who need the structure of a regular job, are not bright enough to handle managing unstructured time and therefore need their hands held. This is to misunderstand what a job in industry entails. There is plenty of unstructured time in a regular job – it is just not research. I am the kind of person that needs to spend a lot of time doing something in order to build mastery at it, and gain experience working with known things for a while before I have the confidence to experiment with unknowns. That’s just me. I’m actually not bad at research, and my boss can vouch for this as she does not want me to quit and continually talks me out of it. But it makes me miserable.

I have had to face the fact that the problem with research is not research. It’s me. I need to be able to leave work at work because I tend to obsess and worry about things and then I can never escape it and have peace. My partner does not have this problem. He is able to get his mind to take the necessary breaks it needs for maximum productivity. He also has confidence, and does not have the need to experience lots of knowns before experimenting with unknowns.

The bottom line is, you can still have a pretty successful power career by working in industry. Blaming your age, your intelligence, academia, “the system,” or any other external factor is just avoiding the fact that you are afraid of your own failures, afraid of not mattering.

In the end, we all need a job. If you have it in you to do something unique, nothing you do will be ordinary.

]]> Comment on Goodbye academia, I get a life. by From science PhD to careers outside academia: what might help? | Code for Life http://blog.devicerandom.org/2011/02/18/getting-a-life/#comment-5496 From science PhD to careers outside academia: what might help? | Code for Life Tue, 29 Jan 2013 01:14:55 +0000 http://blog.devicerandom.org/?p=96#comment-5496 [...] blog.devicerandom: Goodbye academia, I get a life. [...] [...] blog.devicerandom: Goodbye academia, I get a life. [...]

]]> Comment on Goodbye academia, I get a life. by Simone http://blog.devicerandom.org/2011/02/18/getting-a-life/#comment-5482 Simone Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:03:38 +0000 http://blog.devicerandom.org/?p=96#comment-5482 YESS, GOOODBYE SCIECE, I'm on the same boat, but I'm still stucked and I'm still waiting to take the decision. The main problem is, WTF I'm going to do after this? It would be nice to have a talk with you to share some ideas and opinions about science, and more in detail about the system. I'm Italian too, and I'm doing a PhD in Spain, and I think as well that science, in the way It actually wroks is a non sense. GET A LIFE, DON'T BE A SCIENTIST. Who is writing? One that loved and was really enthusiastic about resarch, but not anymore!!! YESS, GOOODBYE SCIECE, I’m on the same boat, but I’m still stucked and I’m still waiting to take the decision. The main problem is, WTF I’m going to do after this?
It would be nice to have a talk with you to share some ideas and opinions about science, and more in detail about the system. I’m Italian too, and I’m doing a PhD in Spain, and I think as well that science, in the way It actually wroks is a non sense. GET A LIFE, DON’T BE A SCIENTIST.
Who is writing? One that loved and was really enthusiastic about resarch, but not anymore!!!

]]> Comment on Goodbye academia, I get a life. by Rudwewer http://blog.devicerandom.org/2011/02/18/getting-a-life/#comment-5386 Rudwewer Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:12:09 +0000 http://blog.devicerandom.org/?p=96#comment-5386 in your same situation..... in your same situation…..

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