Research Associate – Postbac Opportunity

I agree with the author that our system has problems. Many problems. And as someone who came up through that system in the 80s/90s, I can tell you that the problems were often of an even worse nature back then! Having run a lab now for 25 years, I like to think that I've consistently encouraged independent thought, enjoy substantive discussions, and am frankly delighted when a student changes my thinking by the strength and logic of their ideas. And that has happened with some trainees. But I've also found that many students (not mine generally) are uninterested in true scientific independence, or at least the responsibilities that come with it. More than a few want straightforward projects that get them out as quickly as possible and are not strongly motivated by curiosity, intellectual freedom, or creativity per se. So, while I think that the problems with our system are real, they come from many sources and depend on your viewpoint and experiences. Of course, our funding, publishing, and advancement structures put very real pressures on scientists at all stages, which does impact everyone's freedom to some extent.