Il mestiere del fisico
Vita da ricercatore:
università o industria?
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Caro Dr. Zuliani,
la disturbo per chiederle la gentilezza di un consiglio. Devo decidere se
intraprendere una carriera come ricercatore accademico o industriale.
Da quasi quattro anni sono dottorando mentre molti dei miei amici
sono sposati, hanno comperato casa o hanno messo su famiglia. Io
invece vivo ancora in campus universitari o appartamenti
studenteschi. Mi piace la ricerca accademica e la libertà che offre, ma
sono preoccupato che perseguire un PostDoc (e una cattedra da
professore) possa influenzare la mia vita personale per molti anni
ancora. Pensa che sarei ugualmente felice come ricercatore privato
nell’industria, dove la ricerca è più applicata e meno libera?
La ringrazio anticipatamente,
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Happiness is …
A person happiness primarly arises from within (William Blake)
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If your profession is a wrong-fit, then it will be a major drag in your life.
This is where normally happy people may become frustrated and
unhappy.
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Different kinds of research (1)
Research topics
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Academic research is big papers (publish
of perish) and ultraspecialized. industrial
research is about products and has wider
scope and impact across company and/or
society.
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In academia, scientist can propose any
hypothesis as long as they can convince
funding agencies. Industry R&D is aligned
with organisation strategy and does not
require external funding. However, if new
discoveries does not show promise for
marketable products research projects are
halted.
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Academic research tests functional
outcomes of compelling stories. The
experiments are made to study effects.
Industrial research focus on mechanisms.
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Different kinds of research (2)
Researcher skills
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Academia values competence, critical
thinking and network. In industry
interpersonal (conflict resolutions) and
organisational (project management) skills
are needed as well.
Academia has a hierarchy structure which
promotes independency. Industry has a
matrix structure and research is conducted
in collaboration with different teams and
departments.
Industrial researchers are asked to perform
project management duties – ie define
scope, project milestones, deadlines,
alignment with team workload. Project
management requirements in academia
are lower – ie scope of the project can
change at any time, deadlines are flexible,
teamwork is generally carried out
independently.
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CHOICE
Real benefit
A life in research
Student
PhD
PostDoc
3 – 5 yrs
4 – 6 yrs
Short run
Tenure
Professor
3 – 5 yrs
Long run
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Long run
Academic career structure
Professor
Short run
Tenure
PostDoc
PhD/student
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Academic career is a pyramidal selection process. It starts at the end
of university and lasts until tenure (~12-15 yrs).
Compared to private sector, in academia you have freedom, no
obligations and no responsibilities if not toward yourself…
…however, the cost/benefit of leaving academia at 38 yrs is obviously
not in your favor.
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Short run
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Salary: academic salary is lower than
industrial researcher.
Working hours: academia works
longer but free hours, industry usually
works a more structured 09:00-17:00.
Freedom: as academic researcher you
will be working on what you want, whilst
private research focus on products that
sell and it is not as free.
Carrier progress: in academia mainly consists in # of international conferences
to attend per year. No relevant pay rise. Industrial research offers more
possibilities based on achievements and managing research teams/projects.
Stability: academia offers little. You are forced to look for new employment and
move to another country every 2-3 years for 10-12 years (phd, postdoc, tenure),
all risks are on you. Companies instead prefer to keep their researchers since
(re)hiring is expensive and inefficient. Companies may go out of business but
finding another nearby is easier than university (Italy is an exception).
Time for a choice: at the end of PhD. Companies in general value PhDs but do
not like PostDocs.
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Long run
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Salary: academia is good, at the level of industry manager.
Working hours: meetings, meetings, meetings. Both worlds.
Freedom: as professor you will have intellectual and personal freedom. As industrial
researcher you may raise to manage a part (or the entire) research program, but topics
will still be market driven.
Carrier: plenty of international conferences, workshop and exchange visits with
colleagues around the world. Both worlds.
Stability: superb in academia. No crisis will affect you. Unlike companies, universities
do not go out of business (usually).
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Two researcher profiles
Academic researcher
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Self-starter;
Confortable with
self-promotion to
obtain grants;
Works
independently;
Develops relevant
research questions
on his/her own;
Publish (or perish);
Industrial researcher
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Drive him/herself
toward common goal;
Confortable with
defining objectives in
advance and manage;
Works in a team;
Develops research
questions for
marketable products;
Publish (not perish);
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Conclusions
Your life, your choice: follow your passion …
… but think about what you are choosing.
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