tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post8131982938391295158..comments2024-03-27T21:23:40.339-04:00Comments on Chemjobber: Independence: learn to be a Big Player in the labChemjobberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-91111864311522325342012-05-20T17:27:12.704-04:002012-05-20T17:27:12.704-04:00"I saw people in grad school, who I didn'..."I saw people in grad school, who I didn't think were very good chemists, who were luck enough to get a gold mine project."<br /><br />I'll take lingering resentment for $400, Alex.<br /><br />Luck's important to succeed in anything. I think Gordie Howe was fond of saying that the harder he worked, the luckier he got.bbooooooyanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-68485660988200333242012-05-19T22:36:00.016-04:002012-05-19T22:36:00.016-04:00My advisor recognized that that was a problem with...My advisor recognized that that was a problem with me, and that was why I left. Some advisors do in fact care about that - it was one of my advisor's (decent number of) good qualities. In his opinion, there wasn't much of a point in getting a Ph.D. if you couldn't actually come up with independent research and figure out a way to get something from it (or to recognize that you couldn't and find something useful instead). If you can't do it, but have a credential that says you can, you're going to be a disappointment to whoever hires you.<br /><br />It may not always be true, but often "luck is the residue of design". Antisense, for example, supposedly had been done by lots of people as a control, because nobody recognized it for what it was. Once someone did, well it was obvious. Even if a "gorilla" project, you still have to make your own luck sometimes.Hapnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-11380821967332658002012-05-19T21:42:03.128-04:002012-05-19T21:42:03.128-04:00Companies and employers wont be able to tell the d...Companies and employers wont be able to tell the difference between gorilla and die-hard chemists, they only recognize publications. So, the hard working but unlucky chemists might not even get a chance to prove themselves. I think it is better to be lucky than good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-79258631064538365682012-05-19T17:04:28.462-04:002012-05-19T17:04:28.462-04:00"I think the people who have to struggle for ..."I think the people who have to struggle for their results come out better in the long run."<br /><br />You might think they would be better off, but I don't think so. That should be true if they could get a fair break. But I think they will often be washed out of chemistry because they "obviously aren't a very good chemist". Way too much is made of paper counts. It seems to me like very few potential employers actually care about what you're really made of -what you have in your head.Technically furloughednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-29972737783679605022012-05-19T02:35:24.259-04:002012-05-19T02:35:24.259-04:00Sadly, I think some whole fields in chemistry attr...Sadly, I think some whole fields in chemistry attract lots of Gorillas.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-83751039119632239362012-05-19T01:06:19.201-04:002012-05-19T01:06:19.201-04:00At some point in your project in both graduate sch...<i>At some point in your project in both graduate school and afterwards, you need to be able to be independent.</i><br /><br />I knew plenty of people in grad school that failed to ever do this and were given PhDs just for sticking around long enough. Most of them knew it and had no problem with it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-56869059849978681922012-05-18T17:24:28.805-04:002012-05-18T17:24:28.805-04:00@Anon182012142 - I agree. I saw some of these same...@Anon182012142 - I agree. I saw some of these same sorts of students in my grad career. Sadly, depending on the intelligence/self-awareness of the Gorilla, he/she might well see his/herself as a Big Player. That sets one up for a rude awakening.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-64586199912416910182012-05-18T16:42:06.937-04:002012-05-18T16:42:06.937-04:00"Being a Gorilla on a grad school project can..."Being a Gorilla on a grad school project can be nice -- you're just doing the work, you're not really responsible for any of the results, you're just doing what they tell you to do. It can be relaxing, but it doesn't grow your critical thinking skills. I suspect that at some point, you can't unlearn your Gorilla behavior and you're stuck."<br /><br />I think this is an excellent point. I saw people in grad school, who I didn't think were very good chemists, who were luck enough to get a gold mine project. The project yielded lots of great results with minimal effort, and this resulted in lots of great pub's and rewards for the gorilla. But what did they really learn? You can only get lucky so many times, so I think the people who have to struggle for their results come out better in the long run. There is also a greater sense of self-satisfaction knowing that you overcame difficulties and did it on your own.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-51474891230005599842012-05-18T14:26:48.075-04:002012-05-18T14:26:48.075-04:00After, of course, having his head squeezed in a vi...After, of course, having his head squeezed in a vice until his eyeballs pop out.WCAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-29431174347036799642012-05-18T14:23:29.256-04:002012-05-18T14:23:29.256-04:00Good point.Good point.Chemjobberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-88830054756658200002012-05-18T14:22:46.747-04:002012-05-18T14:22:46.747-04:00The Big Player is also the guy who ends up in a sh...The Big Player is also the guy who ends up in a shallow grave out in the desert with his fingers cut off and a couple of bullets in his head.<br /><br />Sometimes being the gorilla is OK.<br /><br />Just saying...WCAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-20524784945240815272012-05-18T12:55:08.444-04:002012-05-18T12:55:08.444-04:00Good heavens. I should just stop touch typing long...Good heavens. I should just stop touch typing long quotes while having a technical conversation.Chemjobberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-60378196448628650532012-05-18T12:37:12.273-04:002012-05-18T12:37:12.273-04:00"but they you take over the play" seems ..."but they you take over the play" seems like it should be "but they let you take over the play" or some variant. If verified, I donate my point to SAO to further the clinch.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-25378134655167007672012-05-18T12:08:12.046-04:002012-05-18T12:08:12.046-04:003 pts for House SAO. Unless I publish some more th...3 pts for House SAO. Unless I publish some more this week, I think you're the winner.Chemjobberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-20564424374538975562012-05-18T12:00:52.398-04:002012-05-18T12:00:52.398-04:00Typo Watch: Did you mean "run of good cards i...Typo Watch: Did you mean "run of good cards is over" (not cover)See Arr Ohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09464185815368499346noreply@blogger.com