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> As I understand it, it is typical for universities to claim ownership of all graduate student inventions. I'm highly opposed to a lot of what's described in

by gspr 5y ago

> As I understand it, it is typical for universities to claim ownership of all graduate student inventions. I'm highly opposed to a lot of what's described in this thread, and to the tearing down of academia in general. But I don't think it's wholly insane that universities own grad student inventions in all cases. Where I was a grad student, for example, we were regular employees on a fixed-term contract. Sure, we weren't paid stellarly well, but quite decently (maybe 20% below the average for an industry job). At that point I don't think it's weird that the inellectual property we produced (in my case just code that didn't earn them a dime) was theirs.

mjevans 5y ago
This is probably against some WTO or government law; but for a moment set that aside and consider. What if these universities were some kind of public benefit think tank or lab that happened to also be a university? If instead of a profit to general investors any profits had to either be re-invested in research projects or go into the general fund of the national government they operate beneath? With the additional requirement that any gained research become the public domain? Possibly with some of the more dangerous stuff being classified but filed under seal as prior art? PS: Please pay ABOVE prevailing wage to attract the best talent to the advancement of technology.
- gspr 5y ago
  The idea your proposing sounds great. I'm all for. > PS: Please pay ABOVE prevailing wage to attract the best talent to the advancement of technology. I don't think that's necessary at all. It seems to me that pay is almost never the reason people quit academic research careers. It's the uncertainty, the short contracts, and the necessity of brutal hours in the early career stages. Sure, terrible conditions like these can in some sense be offset by pay, but I suspect everyone is better off if that isn't the mechanism used.
hdsidbshs 5y ago
I made more in one summer interning than I did in a year as a full time RA.

by gspr 5y ago

mjevans 5y ago

This is probably against some WTO or government law; but for a moment set that aside and consider. What if these universities were some kind of public benefit think tank or lab that happened to also be a university? If instead of a profit to general investors any profits had to either be re-invested in research projects or go into the general fund of the national government they operate beneath? With the additional requirement that any gained research become the public domain? Possibly with some of the more dangerous stuff being classified but filed under seal as prior art? PS: Please pay ABOVE prevailing wage to attract the best talent to the advancement of technology.

gspr 5y ago
The idea your proposing sounds great. I'm all for. > PS: Please pay ABOVE prevailing wage to attract the best talent to the advancement of technology. I don't think that's necessary at all. It seems to me that pay is almost never the reason people quit academic research careers. It's the uncertainty, the short contracts, and the necessity of brutal hours in the early career stages. Sure, terrible conditions like these can in some sense be offset by pay, but I suspect everyone is better off if that isn't the mechanism used.

hdsidbshs 5y ago

I made more in one summer interning than I did in a year as a full time RA.