Subject: Engineering PhD... me too!
From: Indu Konduri
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 13:32:19 -0800
Friends,
I am aware of this ongoing discussion in this
new groups. Probably I belong to that category
first than anyone else at this moment.
I am graduating in December with a PhD in mining
and minerals eng. My areas of interest are thermodynamics,
fluid mechanics - experimental & computational, and
air conditioning. Unfortunately my degree is in mining
eng. So, "no other discipline wants me and no mining
company needs a PhD in mining" thats how I feel after
an year long job search.
I dont know about the scene in other fields.. I guess its the same
problem there...but fortunately some of them are wanted by industry and
some are wanted in academia, and the remaining are like me.
I can see growing unpopularity with PhDs these days.
Most jobs out there are in software & database development fields.
I am left with no choice but to switch my field. i.e. my research
work over all these years is useless.
Its just one more case I guess.. If anyone has any sugessions
... Please help me with them.
Indu Konduri
e-mail: konduri@vt.edu
homepage: http://www.vt.edu:10021/K/konduri/homepg.html
Subject: Research Position in Mathematics (2nd Posting)
From: pmd@maths.uq.oz.au (phil diamond)
Date: 13 Nov 1996 04:57:26 GMT
Particulars relating to the position of
RESEARCH OFFICER, Level A,
in the Department of Mathematics within THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
Duties: The successful applicant will be required to work with Drs Phil
Diamond and Darryn Bryant, of The University of Queensland, and Professor
Nikolai Kuznetsov of the Russian Academy of Sciences, on the Australian
Research Council funded project "Statistical Laws for Computational
Collapse of Chaotic Systems". The applicant must be prepared to make
a commitment to work FULL-TIME on the project.
Salary: $37,170 -- $38,587 -- $40,004 (Annual increments, in Australian
Dollars). It is expected that there will be a 5%--8% increase in
these figures, granted by mid 1997.
Qualifications: Applicants should have research interests in Dynamical
Systems Theory or a closely related field of Mathematics,
with strengths in measure theory, probability, asymptotics
and functional analysis. They should either hold a Ph.D.
or be nearing completion of their Ph.D. They should be able
to work independently, albeit under supervision.
Date of
commencement: This will be as soon as possible after January 1st 1997.
Applicants who would wish to commence late in 1996 SHOULD NOT
BE DETERRED FROM APPLYING. If the successful applicant does not
hold a Ph.D., he/she must have submitted their thesis for exam-
ination prior to taking up the post.
Period of
appointment: The post will be offered for a maximum of three years, on a
one-year renewable basis. The post will terminate on 31st
December 1999. For applicants without a Ph.D., appointment to a
second year will be dependent on their successfully completing
the requirements of the degree.
Method of
application: Applications should be forwarded as soon as possible to Dr
Phil Diamond at the address below, preferably by e-mail (a
speedy acknowledgement will follow) or FAX, and by no later
than 9th December 1996. Applications should include a full
curriculum vitae (resume), together with the names, addresses
and telephone numbers of THREE referees. It would be helpful if
e-mail addresses and/or FAX numbers could be provided for each
referee.
Relocation
expenses: A single one-way economy airfare to Brisbane will be provided.
Interested parties are urged to make contact as soon as possible.
+------------------------------+--------------------------------------------+
| Phil Diamond | Telephone (+61 7) 3365 3253 |
| Department of Mathematics | |
| The University of Queensland | e- mail pmd@axiom.maths.uq.oz.au |
| Queensland 4072 | |
| AUSTRALIA | Fax (+61 7) 3365 1477 |
+------------------------------+--------------------------------------------+
Subject: Re: Engineering PhD's
From: Richard Logan
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 08:33:10 -0800
Juan Vitali wrote:
> In fact
> you are handicapped 'cause everybody thinks you are overqualified for
> just about any job. STAY THE HELL AWAY OF THE PHD ROUTE....
If you have a Ph.D. you always have the option of not including it on
your resume. When I finished my MS in physics (1987), I proudly put the
degree on my resume and went off to look for work. After several months
of looking with not so much as a form letter response to my resume I was
desperate for money. I removed all my degrees from my resume, including
my undergraduate degree, and made up a story that I had to drop out of
college after two years and had worked various jobs out of state. I
credited the skills and knowledge I developed in graduate school to
several fictitious companies. I don't know if it's ethical to hide your
achievements, but I got a fairly good paying job within four weeks.
I have a Ph.D. now. The main reason I got the degree is my love of
physics. Along the way I also discovered that many Ph.D.'s undervalue or
completely discount arguments and suggestions made by people without
Ph.D.'s. So a secondary reason for completeing my degree was to provide
a means for forcing such assholes to listen to my ideas.
Working on the degree can be a wonderful opportunity but you should
minimize borrowing since it is unlikely your first job will pay enough to
enable you to pay back your loans and live like a human being. I think
if you can present your skills properly, the degree can be used to open
doors that will otherwise remain closed to you.
--
___________________________________
Richard J. Logan, Ph.D.
University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
630 Boyd Graduate Studies Research Center
Athens, GA 30602-7411
Phone 706-542-3819 Fax 706-542-5638