tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post634440012704670933..comments2024-03-27T21:23:40.339-04:00Comments on Chemjobber: Paula Stephan in Chemistry WorldChemjobberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-69684341584991682892013-01-24T18:06:29.236-05:002013-01-24T18:06:29.236-05:00The idea of decoupling research from training isn&...The idea of decoupling research from training isn't new - this was tested in the Soviet block as "academy of sciences" (federation of institutes with no students, though many had kind-of doctoral programmes for staff). The main disadvantages are: lack (or little) staff mobility (which creates rigid relations within the institutes), ease of obtaining tenure (in consequence, it is hard to fire a lazy permanent postdoc). Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-55094549321299990492013-01-24T00:14:47.128-05:002013-01-24T00:14:47.128-05:00How about eliminating overhead on grants? When a ...How about eliminating overhead on grants? When a large system plays a shell game with money it always leads to unintended consequences and difficulty isolating problems that need reform. The whole system of routing gov money through grants to PIs then onward to the Universities in overhead, then back to the grad students as stipends and back to the PIs in lab startup packages, then back away from the grad students and PIS again for tuition (even through they often aren't enrolled in actual classes) or off the health insurance that pays for care at a student health center which is the University IS MESSED UP. <br />Maybe if the money flow was more transparent and direct, it would be easier to apportion money for various research staff.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-84268039115182765732013-01-23T19:32:11.276-05:002013-01-23T19:32:11.276-05:00There are permanent research staff. They are calle...There are permanent research staff. They are called associate and full professors and it's their problem if they want to sit in the office and not in the lab. They also get paid a lot of money. It shouldn't be hard for the institution to create other permanent positions if the will is there.uncle samnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-78084795335961532202013-01-23T13:20:44.619-05:002013-01-23T13:20:44.619-05:00I agree with most of these ideas, not sure that th...I agree with most of these ideas, not sure that this one is quite rights though:<br /><br />"Fourth, create incentives for faculty to staff their labs with permanent help rather than relying on temporary labour."<br /><br />I would have thought that most faculty with would be happy to have permanent staff in their labs if someone would give them the money to do it. I think my boss would like to have me as a permanent researcher but there's no way he'll ever get the money to do that.mass_speccernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-29955540844000491672013-01-23T12:37:47.652-05:002013-01-23T12:37:47.652-05:00Aren't the second and third suggestions contra...Aren't the second and third suggestions contradictory? "Graduate research assistant" = salary comes out of faculty research budget. Fellowships and training grants are more directly from funding agencies. So if she wants more cost to faculty members, she shouldn't be recommending more fellowships and training grants rather than RA positions, no?Jyllianhttp://cenblog.org/the-safety-zone/noreply@blogger.com