3 ms·
Idk about 'average' (what does the average [insert any classification of person] do for the world?), but here is an example of a postdoc feeding the world http
by splawn 13y ago
Idk about 'average' (what does the average [insert any classification of person] do for the world?), but here is an example of a postdoc feeding the world
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug
edit: i just realized there is a "billions served" joke in there somewhere...
- dnautics 13y agoactually, no. Borlaug went straight from his PhD into industry (worked for DuPont), then did some wartime stuff. The "postdoc" as a career stage did not exist at the time, most PhDs went into industry or straight into academic research as a professor. The postdoc, I think is an emergent phenomenon that is resulting from the broader academic bubble, largely fueled by several countries' nationalistic fervor to "produce PhDs" as a measurement of national greatness. The consequences have been quite bad.
- splawn 13y agowhoops, I stand corrected. Thank you. He is still a good example of science working well for the world. (even if it is born out of industry)
- dnautics 13y agoyup, I completely agree, but I think since that era the structure of science research has changed to the point where examples like him are liable to be few and far between.
- haldujai 13y agoHere is an example of a postdoc who went on to do great things: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Lindquist http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Lindquist