Fate of a scientist – to know everything and do nothing.

You can probably tell from the title that I’m pissed of about something, again.

Congratulations, your intuition didn’t fail you!

Why are so many scientists I met during my years in universities are so passive? They are so deep in their research, that the idea to apply it in real world just doesn’t occur to them. All they ever think about is getting a new fund, a new sum of money that will finance their existence at the University for the next 3 years. Only existence, because in truth scientists don’t do any money.

The ratio of labor to reward is very bad in traditional science. The actual research is being overshadowed by administrative bullshit, having to comply to all nonsensical rules of German Universities.

Having to write and publish papers just for the sole purpose of being recognized by new funder just adds to the scientists’ suffering.

So the modern scientist’s job is actually not to conduct research, but to get financing just enough to prolong own suffering for another 3 years.

Who knows, maybe time playing football would be spent better?

And research becomes sort of a hobby you do with your pals in free time. 

Truth be told I’m also one of those scientists and constantly plagued by conflict of two desires:

• leave academia for good and start/join some startup
• stay in academia for the rest of my boring life for the job security

Ok, it’s not so bad for me, since I don’t have to write any articles anymore, but still. The overall air of depression and people just waiting to finally end their careers and retire is maddening.

Maybe it’s just the particular team I work with, or the whole University.

I think it’s possible to find motivated scientists, maybe outside Germany…

Every time I think about it, I remember John Hammond’s speech from Jurassic Park novel

about Universities being a dead end in a career of modern scientist. 

The best financed and least bureaucratized science is done in private companies Hammond mentioned and I fully agree. Of course not all of such research can be published, but at least new advanced research is being conducted there.

Now, when I think about it, probably no new sweet working conditions could convince me to actually stay at the university for long time.

I think it’s time to look for startups to cooperate with or maybe even start my own. One can and should dream!