Newsgroup sci.research.careers 14253

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In article ,
"Arthur E. Sowers"  wrote:
> On 22 Dec 1996, Daniel Briggs wrote:
> 
> > In article ,
> > Troy Shinbrot  wrote:
> > >
> > >> Arthur E. Sowers wrote:
> > >> > 
> > >> > About the only times a person can have a high degree of control
over their
> > >> > topic is if the PI/head of the lab just does not care what the
student or
> > >> > postdoc does OR if the visiting person has his/her own fellowship (or
> > >> > other support via a stipend). 
> > >
> > >I'm afraid I disagree.  I've known several PI's who were delighted to find
> > >students who proposed their own work.  It does have to have something to
> > >do with the PI's funding, but we all know how square boxes can be fit into
> > >round holes when there is a need.
> 
> I don't want to sound argumentative, but I don't see how what you said
> "disagrees" with what I said. 
Perhaps, as you say, we do not disagree.  I only mean to remark that I
know several PI's who permit students (in fact who delight in students) to
control their own research.  These are NOT people who do not care what the
student does -- these are people who are very involved both in the day to
day work and in the overall strategy vis a vis publications, future
careers, etc.
> You just knew several PI who, as I said, did
> not care what the student wanted to do.
Maybe this is a semantic disagreement, but to say someone does not care
what a student wants to do suggests a lack of concern which does not
characterize the people I have in mind.  Certainly I know PI's who are
very controlling, and others who do not care what happens to their
students or their research.  I just wanted to point out that there is a
third class of people who do care but are not controlling.  And these
people are worth seeking out.
-Troy
> I know that in many labs that it
> is standard prodedure that the student at least does something consistent
> with what is already being done in that lab. In the labs of some of the
> "big names" it is not uncommon for them to decide what you will work on. I
> also know that in some labs, you will propose something to do and it will
> be "approved" by the PI. Your third sentence, also, fits in with, or is
> consistent with what I said, also.  For my PhD dissertation, my advisor
> didn't care what I did as long as it used the instrumentation in the lab
> and it used the organism he was interested in. Beyond that, it was "my
> baby." And, in the end I felt pretty good since I did come up with a novel
> approach that satisfied me as well as my advisors interests. However, I
> know a lot of guys too who didn't get much chance. And, some did start out
> on their own project and it fizzled out, with the student ending up doing
> something tht the advisor thought up, anyway. 

                            FACULTY POSITION 
                          Assistant Professor
                 Structural / Construction Engineering
           Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
                       Michigan State University
Michigan State University Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering (CEE) invites applications for a tenure-track assistant
professor position in construction/structural engineering.  A Ph.D. in
civil engineering or construction engineering is required; professional
registration, or progress toward registration, is desirable.  Favorable
consideration will be given to applicants with experience in
professional practice, teaching and research in construction,
construction materials, and design of constructed facilities.  Women and
minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Information about the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
is available at the WWW site: http://web.egr.msu.edu/CEE.  This new
position will initiate the department's activities in construction
education and research, will provide the construction complement to
active areas (especially structural engineering), and will establish a
cooperative and complementary link to the Building Construction
Management program (BCM) in the Department of Agricultural Engineering.
The successful candidate is expected to teach structural engineering
courses, develop and teach construction/structural engineering topics
(e.g.  construction methods and advanced materials, quality improvement,
design for constructibility, value engineering), develop a sustained
research program, advise graduate students, direct graduate research,
and serve as liaison to the construction industry.  There are
opportunities for research collaboration within CEE (e.g. cementitious
materials), within the College of Engineering (e.g. polymer composite
materials, computer-aided engineering, robotics), and with BCM faculty.
The position is currently available; early applications are encouraged.
Applications will be accepted until February 28, 1997, or until the
position is filled.
Please submit a letter describing research and teaching interests, a
detailed resume, graduate transcript, and the names and addresses of
three or more references to Chairperson, Department of Civil and
Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
48824-1226.   Please reference academic position number ENG 271 in your
letter.   Applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents
must state their visa type and status.  Candidates who applied for this
position during spring 1996 and who wish to be reconsidered should state
their interest in a letter; application material need not be resubmitted
unless updating is needed.  Michigan State University is an Affirmative
Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.  Applicants with disabilities have
the right to request and receive reasonable accommodation.

richard (richardz@cy-net.net) wrote:
: Dave, why don't you quit rationalizing that there are lots ofjobs out 
: there when you know darn well that things are grim?
Hey, we need a few people out there to keep the research "dream" alive.  Too 
bad a prospective research career becomes a nightmare for the majority.
;)

ACKolbert (ackolbert@aol.com) wrote:
: Since there are many people who will reply to any ad in C&E; News and
: Science, regardless of their qualifications and experience, the job
: response and the "odds" are greatly exaggerated.
Sometimes they are.  In the Biological sciences, mostly they are accurate.
;)

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