Why did I bother with this PhD journey?

[energyresearch]

Originally posted by energyresearch at Why did I bother with this PhD journey?

Whilst there were no illusions of a research career equating to limitless wealth, it is profoundly depressing to read further confirmation that the market value of research skills is less than £ 30k, with the added luxury of a fixed term duration of barely a year:

BioenNW Interreg IVB

Comments

[i_strannik]

Most of us are, otherwise we'd be pouring drinks. Perhaps one way to look at it is that this is not about the money. This is about the way society looks at science, technology, education, and creativity.

[saciel]

even your professors and advisers think it's not about the money.

Because they get theirs and expect 100% dedication, motivation, results and profit while you may actually be starving and then they are totally _shocked_, SHOCKED, they'll say, that you consider doing a part-time job (at university, even! In something related to your subject!) because of such nonsense as paying rent and having to eat.

[i_strannik]

Aren't you suppose to TA during your PhD? That's basically a part time job.

Yea, professors are evil. We've forgotten what it's like to be starving grad students.

[saciel]

In my country there are different options for earning your PhD

[i_strannik]

Yea... Life in academia sucks. We let it happen to us because we love it to much. I think. Or because we are masochistic by nature. Who knows.

I've never heard of a rule preventing the submission of a scholarship proposal to several private funding sources. You only accept one outcome, but submitting it? Usually the goals is to find as many possibilities as possible at once. Of course, only one can be finally accepted.

[saciel]

nah, the foundations here are totally overworked (that's why they take so long to get back to you) and they don't want to waste review- and jury-staff to someone who might then say "no" because another foundations made a better offer.