PhD support group?

talksalot81

It isnt that I want credit for my work - I would just rather like that the public didnt believe itself to be more knowledgeable than the experts and then be two faced enough to come crying when they need us (only of course to use us and then return to the original view)!

Is it remotely surprising that alot of scientists have nothing but contempt for those who are not themselves scientifically trained?!

aurora_borealis_2

talksalot81 wrote:

It isnt that I want credit for my work - I would just rather like that the public didnt believe itself to be more knowledgeable than the experts and then be two faced enough to come crying when they need us (only of course to use us and then return to the original view)!

Is it remotely surprising that alot of scientists have nothing but contempt for those who are not themselves scientifically trained?!

That's bad enough, but when supposed experts who are in charge of funding, ethics approvals etc., make unjust and misinformed criticisms, it's enough to drive you mad.

talksalot81

aurora_borealis wrote:

That's bad enough, but when supposed experts who are in charge of funding, ethics approvals etc., make unjust and misinformed criticisms, it's enough to drive you mad.

Oh gosh that is another can of worms isnt it! Our recent rant is over 'interdisciplinary' work.... :mad:

melancholly

talksalot81 wrote:

Oh gosh that is another can of worms isnt it! Our recent rant is over 'interdisciplinary' work.... :mad:

ah - i agree with that rant - it's the new buzz word to get funding. well not everything lends itself to being interdisciplinay and then you bend over backwards to make it go across departments and it's too spread out or other such rubbish.

celyn90

DrFluffy wrote:

My best friend did his PhD in 18 months - the git!

wow! who was his supervisor and can I go and work for him instead!?!! My boss seems to keeps people for 4 years plus - and we aren't funded at all after the third year - if I'd known that when I'd started I'd have turned down the offer and gone somewhere else.

(*is marking off the days until submission/nervous breakdown on the wall with chalk...*)

misskool

So, what's worse when your paper gets rejected? an outright scientific disagreement or a soft "I can do this because I am an editor for this journal and I hate your group" rejection?

We had a discussion in the lab the other day, my primary paper got a soft rejection (ie more suited to a specialised journal, :rolleyes: Americans!) which I didn't mind because it meant no re-writing for submission to another journal but has hit my supervisor quite hard.

misskool

talksalot81 wrote:

As an intelligent bunch, you guys are the best to hear this rant!



Like come on!!!! It sickens me that I work my !!! off trying to further understandings and technologies which these type of people may well one day rely on to save their lives. What is the point?!

I understand where you're coming from but I find that the fault sometimes (very rarely, of course!) lies in the flow of knowledge from the scientist to the public, made worse by the media who distill only the more exciting bits of information for delectation!

That's one of the many reasons for the MMR causes autism and the "clinical trials gone wrong" media frenzy.

melancholly

misskool wrote:

So, what's worse when your paper gets rejected? an outright scientific disagreement or a soft "I can do this because I am an editor for this journal and I hate your group" rejection?

the editor/anonymous reviewer with a grudge is way way worse - i hate it! the fact that someone can use a personal issue to block the publication of work is daft. once it's out they can attack it in their next paper, it just should be out there in the public domain.

it's the think i think i hate most about academia..... but it's not going to change sadly!

findingmyownway

jamtart6 wrote:

hello! this thread caught my eye a while a go, but was a bit overwhelmed at the no. of posts to read thru, i have caught a few and decided it was high time i said hello and please keep me sane!

Im exactly half way thru, things are starting to go well, the huge 1st year learning curve is over and the results are coming thick and fast...but the further on I go...the more I am unsure that academia is for me.

I've always wanted a job like lecturing but not sure now, if the career or family will be more important (ill probably swing to the family side to be honest). DO you think you can have a good balance of work and family in academia?

Hope to chat to you all soon
Jammy x

Hey jamtart... i havent stalked you from the Boots thread to here... honest!!


I too am a PhD student (biological sciences). In third year (aaaagh only 8 months pay to go!)

Lab work and writing up are going fine at the minute. I'm getting worried about the whole 'find a job' issue though. Its said that 90% jobs arent advertised - so how on earth do you find one?? Apart from the obvious New Scientist, Nature Jobs etc i am stuck for ideas

lizzeena

I've just opened a thread and realised it might have been better to post here. I'd really appreciate any thoughts on the following:

Originally Posted by lizzeena I'm in my second year of a PhD which I started 4 years after finishing my first stint at uni. In the last year my graduate status has run out and I've noticed things like bank charges get much more expensive.

For this reason and for the possibility of an interest-free overdraft I'm considering asking my bank (HSBC) if I'm eligible for a student account again. However, I'm concerned that having a student account would affect the credit I can get on cards - I'm trying to shuffle.[/

Many thanks!