Comment But why are students not interested? (Score 1) 757
Although a screenwriting program funded by the Pentagon doesn't necessarily mean that the US government isn't trying to find why so few "native" Americans aren't interested in studying science and engineering, I think an exploration of why American students aren't interested is perhaps more beneficial.
Consider: a postdoc at the NIH makes about fifty thousand dollars a year. That is, after spending on your undergraduate education, then your doctorate, and then being paid a wage, for your one to three year postdoctorate, that's equivalent to what an assistant manager at Starbucks likely makes, you then almost have your first job.
Then, also, if you're interested in becoming a research scientist, you're likely going to have to work long hours, much longer than in other similarly paid professions.
Perhaps, the reason that American students aren't choosing these careers is because it may be implicitly understood that the monetary compensation of working as, say, a research scientist isn't worth the expense and time.
Also, one seemingly easy to solve this problem, if there are immigrants who are studying these subjects, is to easy the rules for American citizenship.
Consider: a postdoc at the NIH makes about fifty thousand dollars a year. That is, after spending on your undergraduate education, then your doctorate, and then being paid a wage, for your one to three year postdoctorate, that's equivalent to what an assistant manager at Starbucks likely makes, you then almost have your first job.
Then, also, if you're interested in becoming a research scientist, you're likely going to have to work long hours, much longer than in other similarly paid professions.
Perhaps, the reason that American students aren't choosing these careers is because it may be implicitly understood that the monetary compensation of working as, say, a research scientist isn't worth the expense and time.
Also, one seemingly easy to solve this problem, if there are immigrants who are studying these subjects, is to easy the rules for American citizenship.
