Claire
Does research at the collegiate level satisfy the search for beauty and excitement that science lovers are looking for?
I have heard that the road to becoming a professor is long and grueling and like any journey, you have to jump through a lot of hoops and do a lot of grunt-work to achieve your end goal. Does the research that graduate students and post-docs do satisfy their quest for knowledge? In other words, is the research you get to do exciting? Is it what you expected it would be going in? When you finally do become a professor, do you have more freedom over your research than you did as a grad student/post-doc? Is your research as a professor exciting and fulfilling? #college #graduate-school #research #professors
2 answers
Ashley Brown
Ashley’s Answer
Well it really depends if you like that particular topic you are researching. My research experience was very satisfying and I learned a lot .
Debra Dukes
Debra’s Answer
I don't think I know many professors who would call their research "exciting". Some do... I'm sure. Will you have more control over your research as a professor than you did as grad student or post doc? Yes. However, getting to do the research you want to do OFTEN involves raising the funds to do it. And that often means obtaining grants to help pay for the cost of doing the research. Raising funds is a major part of being able to do research at many universities. And most professors who do research also have to teach. Most have to teach. What you see on the "Big Bang Theory" where they ONLY do research is not what most professors experience...probably only the top 5% don't have to teach classes as well. Also - researchers don't just work at universities. There are more research positions at private companies - like Pharmaceutical companies, Oil companies, Think Tanks, etc. the researchers at private companies also get paid more - for the most part. Education is still at the low end of the totem pole when it comes to careers that pay.