DX, I amended my previous comments. I have worked in the private sector and currently work in venture capital. At least, in the private sector, you are more likely to be compensated a fair wage and rewarded for your efforts if you accomplish something. I can not say the same thing about academia; this has everything to due to this recent escalating competition for publication and grants, the inequities in funding, and the scare amount of federal money for research. It has become absurd in recent years and coincides with an increase in scientific misconduct. These trends have led to a hypercompetitive environment whereby people act badly, unethically, or even fraudulently. The bottom line is that when money and jobs are tight people will behave like jerks. Towards the end of my time in academia, I experienced this because I would not turn a blind eye to someone engaged in scientific misconduct and a PI who enabled that misconduct; all in the name of competition and acquiring top tier publications. This also led to a reference lying in a recommendation to keep me in a certain lab despite publishing several papers. It is a tough lesson to learn that you are judged by the company you keep even if it is a supervisor; yet you can't say anything that might be misconstrued as a negative for your next job even if your boss was guilty.
These trends are real and beyond just whining (or work ethic) about academia. Plus, it is beyond the control of the individual in academia trying to make a living even though it directly impacts their career. It is only a select few that work in a few select well funded labs that have a chance to compete for a position in academia that supports a family; whereby the PI of those labs truly cares about mentorship and grooming his students for professorships.
Most everyone in graduate school (and post-docing) does not have a chance of professorship and then seeks an alternative track position in the private sector. It is not because most aren't good scientists or lose their interest in science. There is just not that opportunity (due mostly to funding inequities; see articles below) in academia to acquire the credentials to land a tenure track position that would support a family or provide a modest level of financial independence.
Yes, I agree that you have to take ownership of your career. However, you can be both proactive in your career and advocate for change in academia. Most administrators and science professors take tax payer dollars to support their efforts and the mission of the University. Thus, they are public servants and should be held to a certain level of accountability for their actions; creating career solutions for these scientists such that they can make a valuable contribution to both society and the economy (instead they are sheltered in academia and then discarded when the money runs out). I say BS to this obtuse thinking; with my tax dollars! So, I will voice my opinion loudly about their misuse of federal research dollars and the current state of affairs in biomedical research; the funding system is flawed. If used correctly, federal funding for research can create jobs and spur economic growth (but not in this climate and with these current policies). We, the researchers who actually do the work of biomedical research, have a right and obligation to speak our mind about these problems. However, most scientist seem reluctant to voice their opinion out of fear of career reprisal. DX, sometimes you have to stand up for yourself and not dodge the issue; otherwise, there are selfish people who will make those decisions for you or take advantage of your timidness. Ignoring an issue never solves anything; all you can do is speak up and hope there are reasonable people listening.
DX, I have also taken the entrepreneurial route working with a small private equity group to grow a fund for biomedical innovation. It is a refreshing change from academia and allows me to explore different topics in science plus business related areas. However, this transition took some time because there is just not much here in Texas. Remember, not all academic researchers have the same opportunity for advancement within academia and with the transition to an alterative track position in the private sector, especially in non-hub locations. It is not a matter of disinterest or lack of effort on the part of the candidate.
These trends are real and not just the whining of some academics or former academics. Even if they are proactive and "take charge" of their career, it is not easy with many hurdles, not found in most professions, and has nothing to do with the character or talent of the individual. A background in the life sciences is a esoteric skill set that can only be utilized in a University setting in most areas of the country.
Please read the articles which support my position:
https://www.vox.com/2016/7/14/12016710/ ... ew-process http://www.pnas.org/content/111/16/5773.full
