Comments on: What Does This Generation Think it Means to be a “Scientist”?

By: Michael F. Sarabia

Michael F. Sarabia — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:59:40 +0000

What has now become “scientific” is often a descripiton of a computer program.
But, what about Biology and Medicine? Do we know the Principles? Is it all “cut and try” and if the patient seems to get better, put the pill in the market and call it The Latest in Medical Science!

Take “Stem Cell” reserach, that gave us the mouse with an ear on its back, is that research?
Do we know how any stem cells operates? What makes provide a cure.
Whatever happend to the Personal DNA Medicines?
As the number of drugs increases exponentially, we have no clue of their benefit, if any, until after it is tried, by itself. Bu, what about patients that are already taking a “drug cocktail” of 8 drugs? Etc.?

By: What Makes a Man Good or Bad?

What Makes a Man Good or Bad? — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:49:22 +0000

I believe bad economy is one thing that is also shaping the future of today’s scientists.
For all the classical problems we have now, we need more scientists to be generous than focus on landing in an academic career..

By: agm

agm — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 06:16:58 +0000

“Now, the critical step will be to ensure that such students aren’t punished for their unorthodox choices, but rather, that such choices open up a whole new field of opportunity to them”

In terms of the culture of science, not becoming what you are socialized to become is a failure. So that ship has already sailed, because one feels like a failure after investing years of effort and not reaching that goal. But that doesn’t mean everyone should keep chasing the future of a researcher and active scientist (leaving aside the massive argument about whether someone not doing science is a scientist, a question I don’t have a clear answer for).

The question is, what do you do with yourself afterward. I’m working on answering that one myself.

By: Michael F. Sarabia

Michael F. Sarabia — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 05:09:52 +0000

Science, to me, means knowledge derived from Principles.
Our culture promotes not Principles and logic but emotions, sensitivity and spontaneity instead of learning and logic.

There is no choice, we must shift from moods to logic or we will go the way Athens, a has-been nation. Not everyone, but salaries must entice people right here or the jobs will be filled with people with foreign accents and funny names -like me. We only need to make it clear and Pres. Obama can change it into an effective speech, he would deliver best.

By: Monica Metzler

Monica Metzler — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:51:21 +0000

It’s a terrific trend to be welcomed and celebrated. Sad fact is, those students will be punished, BUT not so badly they can’t take it. I got sneered at when I stopped practicing law to do more interesting things. The implication was, “What’s the matter, couldn’t you hack it?” Scientists stepping out of academia will likely get the same. But now that many attorneys get the training but aren’t “practicing,” it’s viewed as a good thing!

Now that I’ve started an organization to promote science, I sense similar condescension from some in academia because I don’t have a PhD. It’s annoying/frustrating and makes me have to work harder, but it’s not devastating. The pioneering scientists will find the same. The minor pain is soothed by the realization that those slinging the arrows simply don’t have the talent to step out of their boxes (or ivory towers).

By: Indu

Indu — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:05:35 +0000

Scientists are those bold explorers of what remains unknown. They push light and resources to expand the horizons of societal ability and knowledge in a vast array of disciplines.

What remains at the center? What are they leaving behind? Research on the cutting edge may/will have incredible benefits for a told few of the worlds population. When do we the beacon inward and evaluate the most basic needs of any society? I am drawn to the edge by my curiosity. But my compassion turns my head. When people struggle to find clean water, while others pop pills directing the flow of their blood as a means for personal pleasure, it is difficult to continue looking outward. When the greatest health concerns for the worlds citizens stem from both overeating and starvation, I am torn.

We must be aware of our environment, if we forget the issues the humble beginnings of science first sought to address, we may tear our population to pieces. Consider nuclear power and nuclear weapons, political clout can be measured by the possession of these tools of technology which create an incredible divide while depending on the greatest trust.

By: Robert Grumbine

Robert Grumbine — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:07:33 +0000

Time warp time. The job opportunities in the ivory towers plummeted not recently, but about 20 years ago. This followed a decade of newspaper stories about the ‘desperate looming shortage of scientists’. The pursuit of jobs outside academia was forced upon that generation of graduates. It was also something the previous decade of reporting and their advisers (generally) left them unprepared to do.

Today, the difference is not that graduates are looking at getting jobs and doing things outside academia, but that finally some of their professors are telling students that they’re not failures if they don’t get jobs in academia. That ’some’ being mostly those faculty who graduated in the last 20 years. With the enormous decline in tenure which attended that shift, it’s a smaller minority than previously.