tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post1199687346756073026..comments2024-03-27T21:23:40.339-04:00Comments on Chemjobber: 12 STEM grad ed improvement ideas rejected by NSFChemjobberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-67052665386823874392013-02-25T10:17:21.884-05:002013-02-25T10:17:21.884-05:00I think this is the right answer. When I was a gra...I think this is the right answer. When I was a graduate student, I was going to be a hotshot professor going in. Coming out, I just wanted to do something completely non-academic, I even went as far as wanting to kick in doors for a federal agency. I think I'm happier doing what I'm doing now (though some days I still want to kick in some doors). Sometimes when you are in deep, it's hard to see the forest from the trees. It is only in retrospect that you can really appreciate the positive and negative experiences that formed you into the person you are today.<br /><br />Now that I've gone completely sappy, I think I should end this before I declare us all winners, and force a group hug.Polychemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11318163213252728838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-64688593221741116022013-02-25T09:49:34.919-05:002013-02-25T09:49:34.919-05:00I was actually thinking that suggestions should co...I was actually thinking that suggestions should come from people who have been through grad school and understand where improvements need to be made. You could even exclude professional academics from the conversation (since they have such a high conflict of interest) and ask those with masters and PhDs from other walks of life.<br /><br />Most chemists I know look back at grad school with "if only I knew then" eyes, but then completely remove themselves from the conversation of how to change grad school, because they're done with that part of life and it doesn't matter for them anymore. People who have been through the job searches and the transition into industry have a knowledge of what is needed that many students simply lack from inexperience. <br /><br />And grad students should have a voice as well (I was kidding about the suckers comment), but I think if you want change that will do the most good, you should look beyond students to the former students.<br /><br />[the previous post I deleted said basically all of the above, but with more typos and random sentences that I blame from losing (badly) an Oscars drinking game last night]Andrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12140011313455957356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-33660300396358053762013-02-25T09:44:39.463-05:002013-02-25T09:44:39.463-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Andrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12140011313455957356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-91531833584286700072013-02-23T17:25:58.855-05:002013-02-23T17:25:58.855-05:00As evidenced by our decision to go to grad school?...As evidenced by our decision to go to grad school? Better us than professors with tenure who have every motivation to over-recruit. I know things aren't good for them either, but that really doesn't change the fact that they have more to fear from changing the present system than we do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-84993685862102653682013-02-23T13:17:14.446-05:002013-02-23T13:17:14.446-05:00I'm not sure what they are going for here, thi...I'm not sure what they are going for here, this challenge seems exceptionally vague. Also, I can't imagine a worse pool for suggestions for how to help grad students prepare for their future than grad students themselves. Those suckers don't know nothing.Andrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12140011313455957356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-80315432998635310242013-02-22T15:21:53.618-05:002013-02-22T15:21:53.618-05:00Two chemists enter One chemist leaves. . . two che...Two chemists enter One chemist leaves. . . two chemists enter one chemist leaves . . . Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-83493312115060186242013-02-22T14:27:56.456-05:002013-02-22T14:27:56.456-05:00Thanks to your post I made myself watch that godfo...Thanks to your post I made myself watch that godforsaken Oprah video and just lost the will to live. And no, it's not because I didn't get a car.Wavefunctionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14993805391653267639noreply@blogger.com