3 ms·

I think this is true for chemists with a lot of experience, but starting out in the field is brutal for most. Finishing your undergrad and realizing the most yo

I think this is true for chemists with a lot of experience, but starting out in the field is brutal for most. Finishing your undergrad and realizing the most you can make is around $35k/year doing basic lab rat work is tough. The only other options are to go to grad school or leave the field entirely. The grad school route offers another 4 to 6 years of low pay and then possibly having to go through a post doc to ultimately land a job paying 80-100k/year. Tack on the student loan debt (from undergrad) and it paints a bleak picture. Background: I studied chemistry as an undergrad and started a PhD after an internship at Merck. I couldn't see how I could support my family long term so I switched to tech.

kragen 2y ago
the idea that chemistry is not part of tech is a big part of the problem
- bdrencher 2y ago
  I agree! When I started my PhD I wanted to use software to help sift through the ocean of research papers and pair that with micro fluidics to create a way to quickly determine the validity of novel reactions. None of the professors were interested in working with me on something like that.
  - kragen 2y ago
    i didn't mean 'the idea that chemistry is not part of software' 'tech' is short for 'technology' in the oed's sense 1b, 'practical arts collectively', for which their first citation is from 01859, referring to, as it happens, chemistry; specifically, the formulation of varnishes for wood https://archive.org/details/oed9barch/page/n548/mode/1up https://archive.org/details/oed9barch/page/n548/mode/1up possibly also the second half of their sense 1a, '... the scientific study of the practical or industrial arts,' for which i think the first citation is from bentham in 01802–12 obviously in the 19th century they weren't talking about software your idea is good though i hope you do it
- Ekaros 2y ago
  It is not. Chemistry is just a special sub-field of manufacturing. Nearly all manufacturing uses chemistry in some way. But in general manufacturing has nowhere near margins of "tech".
  - kragen 2y ago
    if you are starting from the assumption that drug development and other such research chemistry is 'just a special subfield of manufacturing' then obviously you are not going to come to any sensible conclusions, and i am sure your errors are widespread
    - selimthegrim 2y ago
      I suppose they think pharma is going to find their AI talent off the street and compete with MS, etc.
- robertlagrant 2y ago
  > the idea that chemistry is not part of tech is a big part of the problem How so?

kragen 2y ago

the idea that chemistry is not part of tech is a big part of the problem

bdrencher 2y ago
I agree! When I started my PhD I wanted to use software to help sift through the ocean of research papers and pair that with micro fluidics to create a way to quickly determine the validity of novel reactions. None of the professors were interested in working with me on something like that.
- kragen 2y ago
  i didn't mean 'the idea that chemistry is not part of software' 'tech' is short for 'technology' in the oed's sense 1b, 'practical arts collectively', for which their first citation is from 01859, referring to, as it happens, chemistry; specifically, the formulation of varnishes for wood https://archive.org/details/oed9barch/page/n548/mode/1up https://archive.org/details/oed9barch/page/n548/mode/1up possibly also the second half of their sense 1a, '... the scientific study of the practical or industrial arts,' for which i think the first citation is from bentham in 01802–12 obviously in the 19th century they weren't talking about software your idea is good though i hope you do it
Ekaros 2y ago
It is not. Chemistry is just a special sub-field of manufacturing. Nearly all manufacturing uses chemistry in some way. But in general manufacturing has nowhere near margins of "tech".
- kragen 2y ago
  if you are starting from the assumption that drug development and other such research chemistry is 'just a special subfield of manufacturing' then obviously you are not going to come to any sensible conclusions, and i am sure your errors are widespread
  - selimthegrim 2y ago
    I suppose they think pharma is going to find their AI talent off the street and compete with MS, etc.
robertlagrant 2y ago
> the idea that chemistry is not part of tech is a big part of the problem How so?