Vortex, Not blowing my own trumpet (I don't need to I've got good support behind me) this is what an apprentice learns in graduate school:
The subject frontiers The art of scientific writing How to do presentations How to lead Research Ethics Writing grant proposals How to manage time How to manage people Life in general There is more, much more. In fact there is a requirement to actually attend taught courses as such in UK universities in grad school. If you've done a lot outside it feels like you are having your style cramped being told how to write papers, for instance. We all hate these courses. I've done a bunk on some of them but I'll catch up when they are re-run half yearly. Now not blowing my own trumpet: http://uk.geocities.com/remicornwall/PartOutline.pdf. I've got a contentious idea, right? I learn to keep schtump until I begin (just beginning to) to pass master with people who are professionals in the field. Yes over the years I'll get shown the door, insulted, have to put up with fools in high positions I know I ring circles around (Polytechnic Professors). *The art of progress is dealing with people, keeping your cool, conceding when you are wrong, being gentle in victory and DOING THE GODDAM WORK!* Section by section I write that document in the link above. It will eventually be cut and pasted into a thesis which I will have to defend. Sometimes I get pissed off with the whole establishment, down tools for months, go and do something else. Sometimes I get depressed. Sometimes I avoid my supervisors. Then I pluck up the courage go and see them and they are happy to see me. Yes I was annoyed how slow things were going in their acceptance of my ideas BUT THE CHANGE COMES FROM ME TOO. I am chuffed that these guys are even bothering. I think for the fees to attend (I don't pay them now) I get a lot of their wisdom and facilities for buttons. Like a lawyer might represent you, these guys know how to present an argument in the court of expert opinion and if you don't take their advice, then the client is a fool. Bit by bit I hone the arguments, design experiments, get the grants in, get the data and do the seminars/write the papers. Leave the knock-out whammy far-out sh.t to the end. Who knows, ideas at the start may be very different when at the end: Plasticity in thought. I am prepared, though with much frustration, to accept the wisdom of others more experienced than me IF I KNOW THEIR INTENTIONS ARE GOOD. If I smell the rat of indifference and incompetence I leave the place (yeah Brighton). I like liberal patricians. I like the good 'ole Ivy league types when watching BBC4 in programmes like Alan Clarke's "Civilisation" or Simon Schama on the USA (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00f4zgd). I get to realise how little I know. I know my limitations. Then again I might think what Schama says about the US realising that the US dream is dead (war, environment, finance) is sh.t because he doesn't have the mind of someone who knows about technology or the sheer optimism and ignorance of someone not as smart as him to do something everyone thinks is wrong. I also like the world outside university and the ability it gives you to run off and get your own funding when no-one listens. Then again I see the waste and endless charismatic half-wits with silly permanent magnet motors. I hate the scam artists, the vain and incompetent. They ruin it for everyone.
