considering the low pay, the crazy working hours, the experiments that seem to work 1 in 100 times, the crazy boss/advisers...

why do people still turn to academic reserach as a career?!

i'd love to hear your ideas.....

Cuz it is the only real research many will say... not driven by money or contracts, only by the wish to understand molecular mechanisms and biological ways... It's possible to work on something that will never generate profits.

Simon

As some who has spent considerable time in academic research and is now working in a biotech company, give me academic research any day. Yes the pay is poor, job security is non-existent, the hours are long, often there isn't the funds needed for equipment etc. however, the freedom to investigate your own novel concepts and ideas is very invigorating.

In private business you come across an interesting result (don't you hate that term), it is just shelved because you have to work to a strict deadline and a strict focus. Real research, and real breakthroughs, comes from the ability to look outside the highly structured goal orrientated focus imposed by private companies looking after there bottom dollar, follow these observational leads that you get and not ignore them because they are either inconvenient or not core to your business plan.

The life of a scientist in academic research is very rewarding indeed (although my wife might not agree with me).


Scott