5 ms·

>instead of aspiring to get a PhD to earn a mediocre salary(in comparison) at FANNG As a PhD at FAANG[1], I mourn that the default aspiration for getting a PhD

>instead of aspiring to get a PhD to earn a mediocre salary(in comparison) at FANNG As a PhD at FAANG[1], I mourn that the default aspiration for getting a PhD isn't staying in academia and advancing science. And if you call FAANG salaries mediocre, I don't even know what you'd call academia salaries :( ------- [1] Formerly. Left for greener and less soul-draining pastures.

jsjohnst 5y ago
> And if you call FAANG salaries mediocre (in comparison) The wording of the sentence wasn't ideal, but GP was implying you could potentially make a lot more as a private tutor than you would at a FAANG. I'd argue that is a bit of rose colored glasses as there are far more making 200k a year at a FAANG than there are million dollar a year making private tutors.
pyuser583 5y ago
Isn’t there already overproduction of PhDs?
- queuebert 5y ago
  Given that we still don't have a Mars base, haven't solved the climate problem, and aren't living sustainably on the planet, I would say no.
  - pyuser583 5y ago
    Is that because of a shortage of PhDs? Isn’t there a significant surplus of aeronautical engineers? I personally know several aeronautical engineers (with doctorates) struggling to find work in their industry. I know two folks with BAs in Environmental Science working as Product Managers (unrelated to environment sustainability). Having goals we have yet to achieve doesn’t show a lack of specialists. If anything the gap is in lower-level education. Are our high schools emphasizing the urgency of the climate crisis? Are they emphasizing the need to live sustainably? Are they encouraging space exploration?
    - queuebert 5y ago
      Those are all factors. As a species, we need more scientific output and less sales and marketing.
  - watwut 5y ago
    The science is pyramid currently - existing PhD cant find post docs in science. And even if they did, the mars is not currently goal of those who provide funding. Nor should it be, honestly.
- romwell 5y ago
  Define "overproduction".
TheTrotters 5y ago
> I mourn that the default aspiration for getting a PhD isn't staying in academia and advancing science. It almost certainly is for the vast majority of grad students. There are just way more newly-minted PhDs than tenure-track jobs, especially if you add some (reasonable) constraints like location, R1 university etc.

jsjohnst 5y ago

> And if you call FAANG salaries mediocre (in comparison) The wording of the sentence wasn't ideal, but GP was implying you could potentially make a lot more as a private tutor than you would at a FAANG. I'd argue that is a bit of rose colored glasses as there are far more making 200k a year at a FAANG than there are million dollar a year making private tutors.

pyuser583 5y ago

Isn’t there already overproduction of PhDs?

queuebert 5y ago
Given that we still don't have a Mars base, haven't solved the climate problem, and aren't living sustainably on the planet, I would say no.
- pyuser583 5y ago
  Is that because of a shortage of PhDs? Isn’t there a significant surplus of aeronautical engineers? I personally know several aeronautical engineers (with doctorates) struggling to find work in their industry. I know two folks with BAs in Environmental Science working as Product Managers (unrelated to environment sustainability). Having goals we have yet to achieve doesn’t show a lack of specialists. If anything the gap is in lower-level education. Are our high schools emphasizing the urgency of the climate crisis? Are they emphasizing the need to live sustainably? Are they encouraging space exploration?
  - queuebert 5y ago
    Those are all factors. As a species, we need more scientific output and less sales and marketing.
- watwut 5y ago
  The science is pyramid currently - existing PhD cant find post docs in science. And even if they did, the mars is not currently goal of those who provide funding. Nor should it be, honestly.
romwell 5y ago
Define "overproduction".

TheTrotters 5y ago

> I mourn that the default aspiration for getting a PhD isn't staying in academia and advancing science. It almost certainly is for the vast majority of grad students. There are just way more newly-minted PhDs than tenure-track jobs, especially if you add some (reasonable) constraints like location, R1 university etc.