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Too Few American Scientists? Maybe Not

An anonymous reader writes "We've been hearing about bad K-12 science education, too few American science and engineering students, and the real-soon-now employment nirvana in technical fields for, like, the last 20 years. The reality: rising undergrad enrollments and unemployment rates, long years as an underpaid postdoc for those who finish a Ph.D. The Chronicle of Higher Education article quotes Harvard economist Richard Freeman: 'They're not studying science,' he says, 'because they look and say, "Do I want to be a postdoc paid $35,000 or $40,000 at age 35, with extreme uncertainty working in somebody else's lab, and maybe getting credit for my work and maybe not getting full credit? Or would I rather be an M.B.A. and making $150,000 and hiring Ph.D.'s?"'"

4 of 607 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I'll take the Ph.D., thank you by ifwm · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    While I can tell you are just being an asshole to get a response, I'll bite.

    If you read my post carefully (sound it out, it's not that hard) I said that money probably WAS the primary motivator FOR UNDERGRADS. The case is generally different for Graduate students, because that much school doesn't often equate to a significant increase in pay.

    Have a nice day.

  2. Re:I'll take the Ph.D., thank you by NoMoreNicksLeft · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Ouch, Not that I don't troll sometimes, but damn, was a simple mistake, a brainfart. Read it quickly, and could have sworn I saw an "n't" that wasn't there. Now who's the asshole?

  3. Re:I'll take the Ph.D., thank you by ifwm · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    That would still be you.

  4. Re:After 25 years in engineering I went elsewhere. by cubicledrone · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I don't have to suck up to my boss because my industry is a meritocracy. I enjoy the freedom that comes from being able to switch jobs anytime because good people are always in demand.

    So, what color is the sky outside?

    --
    Business isn't willing to pay for products, innovation and careers, so we get brands, mortgage commercials and layoffs.