- #1
Norman
- 897
- 4
Izabella Laba has an interesting article up about the rigors of being a professor: The state of the profession.
I think it should be required reading for every graduate student thinking about an academic career path.
The article is interesting in that it ponders the feasibility of creating a research track and a teaching track at all levels of the university system. It also asks the question of why one is required to be an innovative teacher to be a successful academic researcher. Those are two seemingly disparate things. What does everyone here think?
Personally, I would love to see more options for the researcher and teacher to be more independent paths. At least some flexibility would be a welcome change. As someone trying to enter the tenure track, I often doubt my desire to take on this extreme profession. I enjoy spending time with my kids and wife. How much of that will I have to give up in order to achieve some stability as an academic? Is it worth it for the stability it brings - because having to jump from postdoc to postdoc to research faculty position is stressful. Very stressful.
I look forward to the discussion.
I think it should be required reading for every graduate student thinking about an academic career path.
The article is interesting in that it ponders the feasibility of creating a research track and a teaching track at all levels of the university system. It also asks the question of why one is required to be an innovative teacher to be a successful academic researcher. Those are two seemingly disparate things. What does everyone here think?
Personally, I would love to see more options for the researcher and teacher to be more independent paths. At least some flexibility would be a welcome change. As someone trying to enter the tenure track, I often doubt my desire to take on this extreme profession. I enjoy spending time with my kids and wife. How much of that will I have to give up in order to achieve some stability as an academic? Is it worth it for the stability it brings - because having to jump from postdoc to postdoc to research faculty position is stressful. Very stressful.
I look forward to the discussion.