I was one of those who responded offline to the original post. Rather than tell my story again here, I offer further thoughts.
Steven Schwartz wrote (in part) <<Perhaps the question ought to be how much one is willing to sacrifice with the knowledge that you may never achieve your dream. >> My answer: more than I ever thought I would. But when my savings completely dry up, I have to pay the bills somehow, and if a job completely outside my chosen field finally presents itself, then the question becomes: which risk do I take? Do I risk becoming trapped in that other career track, taking me away from my dream as my degree recedes into the past? Or do I risk becoming a bum on the streets for love of a dream? Because that is the reality some of us face. Every day, I see announcements for really great experiences that are not only unpaid, but in many cases, require the intern to cover his/her own expenses. I don't really care about upward mobility; but if I don't have the money, I cannot be a part of those opportunities, no matter how wonderful they may be in terms of the work being done. Unfortunately, anyone interested particularly in tropical ecosystems will face this situation; I do not remember ever seeing an opening for a paid position in any project in a tropical country. If students coming in knew this, how many would still pursue that path? Who would do these internships, knowing that they essentially are preparing for a career as an intern? The urgency of the situation in the tropics needs quality work, but economic realities tend to turn aspiring researchers away from those parts of the world. Jason Hernandez M.S., East Carolina University ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2014 22:40:15 -0500 From: Steven Schwartz <drstevenschwa...@aol.com> Subject: Re: Recent PhDs on Food Stamps - Overwhelmed with Replies I=92ll add my two cents. The scarcity of positions is absolutely = nothing new. In the 1980=92s it was not unusual for there to be 300-400 = applicants or more for positions in any kind of organismal biology. It = was during that decade that doing a post-doc in ecology became the norm = as a holding place for the emerging cohort. I don=92t mean to plead a = sad tale, but I was a post-doc at a major lab, published many papers, = and later taught and taught before getting a tenure-track job after way = too many years. I stuck with it, through the tough times, when I = perhaps should have recognized my giving-up-time. I was financially = insecure most of the time but that was price I was willing to pay to = achieve my dream. Perhaps the question ought to be how much one is = willing to sacrifice with the knowledge that you may never achieve your = dream. This isn=92t fair and I, more than most, feel badly for all the = young scientists who won=92t get what they so badly want. And deserve. = But it just won=92t happen for any number of reasons which speak nothing = of the quality of the candidates passed over. As for the preponderance of adjunct or part-time faculty, one only has = to look at the corporate model of governance at most colleges and = universities to see where the real growth in higher education has been. = While the quality of education has been taking hits, the quality, = quantity, and salaries of administrators has been growing enormously. = In real terms the salary of most faculty has not grown in perhaps 40 = years. I can=92t speak for administrators, but I am willing to bet that = they make more than they did in 1970. I make about the same in actual = dollars (unadjusted for inflation) for teaching a course now as I did in = 1985. And with no benefits and I have had my PhD since before many of = the new cohort was born. Unfair? You bet. Did anyone ever say that = life was fair? No. But I can=92t imagine doing anything else so I take = what I can get and march on. Maybe there=92ll be a job next year=85.sort = of like the Cubs and the World Series. Steve Schwartz, PhD= ------------------------------
