Re: vert. paleo paths

[Phil Bigelow <bigelowp@juno.com>]

In addition, the SVP web site has information on schools, programs, and
careers in vert. paleo.

http://www.vertpaleo.org/

<pb>
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On Mon, 01 May 2006 20:08:10 +0200 David Marjanovic
<david.marjanovic@gmx.at> writes:
> > I am in a biology master's program.
> 
> Me too, so I'm in a rather bad position to give advice, but I can 
> tell for 
> sure that...
> 
> > Do you need to be in a really excellent program
> > with 'brand name' recognition to get to a point
> > where you can be hired and have at least some
> > spare research time for paleontological research?
> 
> ...this sort of thing depends very heavily on the country. Even the 
> 
> existence of "Ph. D. programs" is far from universal -- over here 
> you choose 
> a topic and an advisor (commonly from suggestions the potential 
> advisor has 
> made), ask if the advisor agrees, fill out varying amounts of 
> paperwork, and 
> get going.
> 
> I have been told that France is more or less ideal for the start of 
> a career 
> in science (for example, if you find a job -- and that seems to be 
> rather 
> easy --, you very soon become impossible to fire unless you "kill 
> your boss, 
> his wife, and their children"). Later on the USA might be preferable 
> (for 
> example, grants are much higher there, but more difficult to get; 
> and your 
> salary is subject to negotiation, at least in some universities).
> 
> Chances are, however, that the most interesting Ph. D. topics can be 
> found 
> in the USA, where I assume you are writing from. The more 
> interesting the 
> topic, the higher are the chances you'll finish it soon, and this 
> means you 
> have more time left for publishing -- in the USA, and even more so 
> in 
> France, you are judged by your impact factor, means, how much you 
> have 
> published in how famous journals. 
> 
> 
>