noko

[Anonymous No.4248319]

Hey /sci/ chemfag here,
I am currently doing a post-doc at a somewhat prestigious lab in japan.
Problem is; I have realized I hate science and academia.
I hate having no job security, having to beg for money (grants, funding) etc. every 2 years, and moving country or location for work. This is becoming more important because my wife and I eventually want to start a family.
I hate the pressure to produce bulk publications, and that the quantity of publications is somehow a measure of career success. What happened to quality?
I would have to say a solid 70% of the scientist I meet at conferences etc. have asperger’s (pic related).
I am sick of being treated like crap by asshole professors and inflated academic ego’s.
The pay is shit.

So there it is sci. Tell me – has anyone ever gotten out and had a successful career? Is there life after science?

[Anonymous No.4248330]

its called engineering.

[Anonymous No.4248335]

obvious troll thread.

[Anonymous No.4248341]

>>4248335
Not a troll at all! - Im serious. I want to change career. Any advice please. Do we have transferrable skills for other career paths? I cant find any industry that wants someone with a PhD when they can pay a grad less for the same job.

[Anonymous No.4248342]

You can't all enjoy academia ???

[Anonymous No.4248344]

this thread is making me very scared.

i'm a 3th year chem undergrad.

[Anonymous No.4248345]

you can probably get involved in a pharma company or even a company that produces chemicals for chem labs. or you can keep prostituting your time for research as you are doing now

[Anonymous No.4248354]

japan wouldn't want such a baka gaijin

[Anonymous No.4248358]

you sound like a daddy's rich kid who can't value what he already got, disgusting

fuck off

[Anonymous No.4248360]

>>4248358

You sound like some undergrad faggot who hasn't actually worked in the profession yet.

[Anonymous No.4248368]

Make meth to support your wife and you. Since most meth heads are retarded gang bangers and failures at life, they get caught because they're careless.

ACTUALLY consider this. Just do it for a month, and then drop it completely.

[Anonymous No.4248380]

>>4248368
I like where your heads at

[Anonymous No.4248383]

>>4248358

Congrats on showcasing your true colors, idiot.

Most of the time, people make Academia out to be something it isn't; something luxurious. Ask any true mathematician, physicist, chemist or anyone else who is actually involved in the field: it is not luxurious at all. It is painstaking work and the amount of rejection you must endure is excruciating. Furthermore, the fields in question demand an exorbitant amount of energy from you, both physically and mentally.

As a mathematician, I have incurred the same difficulties. In my apartment, I literally have two garbage disposal baskets: One near the kitchen and one next to the work desk. Guess which one is bigger and always filled to the brim? Filled to the brim with half-truths, half-proofs, mediocre proofs and, worst of all, disappointments. That feeling of thinking that you did something profound in a proof only to show it to your Grad adviser who nitpicks, points out what you did wrong, writes red pen all over it and then crumples it up before giving it back to you. That disappointment doesn't only fill up my garbage basket; it fills up my fucking life.

Fuck you. And I came from poverty. I teach undergrads with your attitude every fucking year.

[Anonymous No.4248387]

>>4248319
Are you me ? Oh wait, I realized this before college.. which is why I didn't go into pure science.

Applied science is where it's at, aka Engineering.

[Anonymous No.4248391]

>>4248344

Same here.

I'd already sort of realized this though. My concern would be more along the lines of not even being able to get to OP's position and just being stuck with a degree and nothing else.

[Anonymous No.4248395]

>>4248383
Enjoy being poor and frustrated - im going to go have a life. Really, what do you sacrifice it all for? A glimmer of self-satisfaction when you discover something new? All your anger makes me think you should consider a change in career too, this one is making you butthurt. But I suppose then you couldn't feel superior to everyone... Enjoy academia.

P.S. Your students probably think you’re a douche.

[Anonymous No.4248401]

Is cryptography research as bad?

[Anonymous No.4248404]

dear chemfag
try law school. i know, i know. but... your already good at groveling. you can work harder than all the kids who made law their first choice. and your background will make you really atractive to firms that specialize in patent law. maby pharmacy? thats only three years. GL

[Anonymous No.4248410]

>>4248383
>mfw not recycling

[Anonymous No.4248412]

>>4248410

>recycling paper

[Anonymous No.4248420]

i do think undergrads should know what thier in for when the finish - job market is TIGHT

[Anonymous No.4248432]

>>4248420
EE CO-OP.

>mfw nothing to worry about

[Anonymous No.4248454]

>>4248432
coop students are usually the dumbest kids from my experience

[Anonymous No.4248455]

>>4248395

>P.S. Your students probably think you’re a douche.

I have won two awards thus far for my teaching. I don't expose my frustration with Academia or life to my students. Not only would this be distasteful, but it is extremely unprofessional and there is absolutely no need for it. Furthermore, I'm not here to discourage students from pursuing a path in which they love.

>Enjoy being poor and frustrated - im going to go have a life.
Thanks, I will. Congratulations on having a life, though.
>Really, what do you sacrifice it all for? A glimmer of self-satisfaction when you discover something new?
Pretty much.
>All your anger makes me think you should consider a change in career too, this one is making you butthurt. But I suppose then you couldn't feel superior to everyone... Enjoy academia.
Do you think this is about feeling superior?

Those feeble notions of superiority and inferiority leave once you actually enter the Graduate level. Those feelings disperse after your undergraduate years primarily because you're surrounded by people who can either dwarf you intellectually or economically. I don't feel superior to you in any way at all. For all I know, in three years, you'll be making the income of my mother's entire lifetime in a year while I'll be slaving away at a fucking proof still. How does that make me superior? How the fuck do you even think I feel superior after admitting all of that bullshit?

I do mathematics not because of how it makes me feel superior -- which it doesn't, mind you --, but because of how it makes me feel alive. My entire life, from the time I was born, I have been salvaging for structure and the truth. If that means I must endure years of suffering, pain and absolute desolation, then so be it. It surely doesn't pay well and I'm not waiting for any glorious trophy or prize.

I do mathematics because I enjoy it. I do it because it is fun. I do mathematics for the sake of mathematics itself.

[Anonymous No.4248468]

>>4248432

C(i)E CO-OP

FUCK IT, STILL NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT

[Anonymous No.4248471]

>>4248455

A lot of /sci/ has an attitude that the scientific community is completely flawless and anyone should be honoured to go near it, no matter what happens.

You could write that your university is holding you hostage and performing human experimentation on you and some faggot here will say this is a good thing.

[Anonymous No.4248475]

I hated grad school too, did a BSc and MSc in chemistry.

First here are some links to help you get through it:
http://leavingacademia.blogspot.com/
http://100rsns.blogspot.com/

I fucking hated academia. I live with my parents now that I've graduated and looking for a job, and I can't believe I'm saying it but it's actually kinda better than how I was living on my own in grad school.

[Anonymous No.4248478]

>>4248454
>from my experience
>mfw you're a bitter faggot that didn't get into co-op

getting 1 year of experience in the industry and graduating with the same degree as everyone else somehow makes you dumb?

[Anonymous No.4248483]

>>4248455

[Anonymous No.4248485]

>>4248478

don't forget making mad money and the ability to do that co-op is a shit-ton of places (and countries)

[Anonymous No.4248488]

>>4248478

It was in my experience that the crappy students did do the co-op stream. Go figure.

[Anonymous No.4248486]

>>4248455
Well then I salute you sir - you got to do what you love. It's simply that it isn't for me anymore. I'd rather do something I enjoy than take up a position a more passionate researcher could be enjoying. I am at a crossroads in my life and have a different perspective now, and the life of science is not appealing anymore.

[Anonymous No.4248499]

>>4248488
Ausfag - whats co-op stream?

[Anonymous No.4248502]

Also, any chemfags who think "HURR DURR! I'll make billions with 3 phds in chemistry working for big pharma".

That ship sailed a long time ago, working for a pharmaceutical industry is shit now that a) patents are expiring b) no innovation on the R&D front and c) Any long term business model any pharmaceutical company had in the past 5 years was "HURR! lipitor is expiring! buy out our competition and fire 25% of staff to cut costs!"

[Anonymous No.4248506]

>>4248502
So what hope do chemfags have left?
Maybe in food industry? Plastics and materials research is moving offshore...

[Anonymous No.4248512]

>>4248319

[Anonymous No.4248528]

>>4248499

you go to school for two semesters out of the year and instead of not going to school the third semester and having a bigass break, you go work as an intern at a company and get paid LOADSAMONEY

so, you get all of the same schooling but get work experience as well which means a wayyy better chance of getting hired. This is particularly awesome because in canada that means as soon as you're done engineering with a co-op program you can write your test to be a professional engineer

[Anonymous No.4248531]

OP, have you looked into working in the petroleum industry at all? Seems like a reasonable place for a chemist. Chances are it may just provide you with that financial stability you're looking for.

[Anonymous No.4248533]

>>4248506
Food industry hires food scientists (duh I know), a chemist is way over qualified and don't work with machines like a viscosity meter.

[Anonymous No.4248550]

>>4248531

Not OP, but chemist anyway, I've looked at the petroleum industry. The shitty part is that any entry level jobs are out in the middle of buttfuck nowhere on some oil patch or refinery just outside of some town of 20,000 at best.

[Anonymous No.4248558]

>>4248488
my experience as well. i loved my second semesters as an EE because that's when all the coop kids came back for their in class stuff. class averages were fucking low compared to lecture only students.

[Anonymous No.4248562]

>>4248528
hey brosef which province you at?
Quebecfag here

[Anonymous No.4248580]

>>4248550
The farther away from civilization you live, the higher your paycheck. I guess I wouldn't really see that as an issue if I was in your situation, since I grew up in the boonies. Another bonus is that people who work in the oil industry typically don't have aspergers and most end up with hot trophy wives. Awesome place to go if you're young and single bro.

[Anonymous No.4248581]

>>4248558
HA! yes, or when I did summer semester classes and they came back after winter co-op.

[Anonymous No.4248583]

>>4248581
summer semesters hands downs is the easiest fucking shit.

[Anonymous No.4248585]

>>4248550

Im graduating this quarter with a chemistry degree (just an undergrad though) and I am going to tell the temp agency to send me anywhere they fucking want to, whatever pays the best.

From what I have heard this is what will happen. Not like I care though! My hobbies are battlefield and programming. Just need the internet for those.

I mean am I being stupid? Because I think I will be fine.

[Anonymous No.4248589]

>>4248580
Fort McMurray was ruined because all the young bucks that went to make mad cash.

Toronto prices for homes and any women available (the 1 in 100 guys) know you make good money so they drain you of it. I've heard many stories of people going to the oil patch to make money, only to have to spend it all to avoid suicide living out in the middle of nowhere.

[Anonymous No.4248591]

>>4248581
Doesn't mean shit
CO-OP bros have social skills
Employers look for well-rounded individuals, not aspies with a 0.5 gpa higher than their more social counterparts.

Today's industry is all about teamwork.

Enjoy being unemployed with a useless shitty paper in your hand.

[Anonymous No.4248600]

>>4248585

I dunno, I kinda need culture, a wide pool of women to date and things that don't close at 6 with limit availabilities on weekends. So for me moving out in the middle of nowhere doesn't really work for me.

[Anonymous No.4248601]

>>4248589
Two sides to each coin I guess.
Most of my friends who went to rigs were able to handle themselves. I do agree that it is not for everyone. Maybe that's not what you're saying?

[Anonymous No.4248602]

Hey OP if you are still here, wanna party in tokyo saturday? I live here too.

[Anonymous No.4248608]

>>4248591
>Employers look for well-rounded individuals

lol, yeah...it's not 2006 anymore where you social skills can land you a job.

[Anonymous No.4248626]

>>4248591
Eh whatever, all I'm saying is the kids I knew that were in coop were fucking retarded. I'll admit they were really fucking personable but they were still pretty retarded.

But I'm a 4.0 aspie from a top 30 university who went to go work at a fucking pulp mill so whateves

[Anonymous No.4248630]

>>4248608
>>4248608
I really hope you're not in Engineering, for your sake.

Social skills and connections definitely DO get you jobs.

It's okay, once you start applying, you'll realize how fucking stupid you were. Just remember you were warned.

[Anonymous No.4248631]

>>4248626
Don't let anyone shit on you for anything.

My whole life people, including my parents who are both university professors at emory, have been bitching at me to go to princeton or harvard or something. So I went to a shitty state uni, UGA, and majored in cognitive science with zero interest in going into the field. Just something I liked. Then I went and worked construction and maintenance for two years, while I had to listen to everyone in the world tell me how I could achieve so much more. I don't want to achieve other people's dreams and ambitions, I want to do what makes me happy, and so should you man. You know what you are capable of and there's no reason for you to have to prove it to the rest of the world.

Maybe this isn't relevant to you, but I get tired of it.

[Anonymous No.4248634]

>>4248631
Well I grew up in a small industrial town so I just chose to go and work in one after I graduated. Most of my colelagues from school always give me shit for going and working in some shit hole but whatever. I make good coin and I technically just work as a supervisor, I dont really do any engineering anymore.

[Anonymous No.4248641]

>>4248631

[Anonymous No.4248659]

Very true. I am in college right now studying mathematics. I have lies that I tell people about what I want to do afterwards. Truth is, I want to go back home with my friends. I could care less about the competitive job world when I see my friends going into welding for 24$/hr. I don't know about you folks, but 24$/hr is enough to make me happy.

>>4248631
???

[Anonymous No.4248675]

>>4248659
In the end, friends are all that matters man.

So many people want to make tons of money and save so when they are 50 they can retire and... and what? Have missed out on the best years? I don't get it. Life isn't about having money, it's about being with people that you like. As /sci/entists we have to look at the data and it simply says money can't make you happy. Stop worrying about making 300k a year, and start just talking to a friend you lost contact with. The happiness quality you achieve from that is worth so much.

[Anonymous No.4248689]

synthesize and sell LSD

[Anonymous No.4248692]

>>4248675
yeah but non asspie friends in science are hard to come by.

[Anonymous No.4248704]

>>4248659
>I could care less

Good luck with life.

[Anonymous No.4248705]

>>4248692
Qft, that's for sure.

[Anonymous No.4248707]

Just get out academia and the public sector. There is LOTS of money and job security in the private sector for scientists. I am a petroleum engineer. I have unlimited work anywhere there is even the smallest amount of oil or natural gas, which is practically half the country, and I get paid bank. I didn't even apply to my current job, they bid me away from my previous employer. Since I had to move they got my wife and our daughter a job, too, plus they bought me a house. Most people don't have the math skills to do science, and the private sector needs scientists. Feel good.

[Anonymous No.4248714]

>>4248692
You're friends don't have to be in science. My best friends are a pothead that lives with his mom and does nothing, an IT analyst with a super ego, a talent scout for models, and a russian guy that is in a new business scheme every two months. Friends are easy to make if you don't criticize them and make an effort to hang out with them.

[Anonymous No.4248733]

>>4248714
You sure your not confusing GTA 4 with reality?

[Anonymous No.4248742]

>>4248733
Hole-ee shit you just blew my mind about my life.

>mfw I have actually been in a fight between yakuza and nigerian mafia in tokyo, and after being hit in the head with a bicycle I ducked into a room where two filipino prostitutes washed my wound and got me bandaids.

ahaha i have a whole new outlook on my life now, thanks bro

[Anonymous No.4248748]

>>4248707
>Private sector needs scientists

People...need scientists...? Don't get my hopes up man. Although kudos on the job you scored.

[Anonymous No.4248773]

>>4248748
Anything democrats complain about by sticking the "big" moniker on it...hires plenty of scientists. Serious security and serious dough.

>big oil
>big pharma
>big ag
>etc

[Anonymous No.4248868]

>>4248748
Lol - face it society values a plumber (in terms of renumeration) more than they do a scientist.

[Anonymous No.4248892]

In my country it's far more useful to get master's and run than to spend perhaps even double the time getting doc's.
You probably don't want to go all the way unless you'd like to spend rest of your life being a researcher / professor. You must REALLY love the subject.

[Anonymous No.4248916]

Defs with the patent law. I'm ditching my PhD program early to go to law school. And while you likely won't get a stipend and tuition like you did in grad school, most law schools are great at giving sweet tuition scholarships.

My advice? You've got a PhD = you know how to take tests and study. Prep like mad for the LSAT and kill it. Plus only like 30-40% of law students are right out of college, so they want non-traditional students.

Another route you could totally take is
1) pass the patent bar (which you can do by just studying from a prep course and with your PhD are qualified to take) and become a patent agent
2) apply to a firm as a patent agent
3) convince your firm to cover your tuition for night law school
4) PROFIT!

Best of luck, friend

[Anonymous No.4248979]

>>4248916
Good advice, thanks anon!