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Last one: Although profit is not the primary motivation for research, federally funded research actually has a huge impact on the economy, in terms of return on investment, both directly (job creation) and indirectly through technology transfer to industry and the creation of new businesses based on the scientific discoveries (think of the pharmaceutical industry, the computer industry, and so on). A great deal of science conducted in academic research labs impacts commerce and industry daily: e.g., www. sciencecoalition. org/ successstories/ (pull the spaces out so the link will display)

— Ed Hubbard, New York, NY

Edit: Fifteen to twenty years is total from the beginning of the PhD. Normally 5 - 7 years PhD, then 2 - 5 years post-doc, then 5- 7 years before tenure decision (12 - 19 years). Note that this is after four years of college. So, tenured professors are normally in their early-mid 40's, and have twenty years of experience.

— Ed Hubbard, New York, NY

Actually, I don't have tenure. Many scientists in academia don't have tenure. Professors may get tenure, but only after a period of at least fifteen to twenty years working as research assistants in someone else's lab, then working as a post-doctoral researcher (that is, after the PhD, still working for someone else) and then once they get hired a period of five to seven years where they have a contract with a university, as an Assistant Professor, but which, if at the end of, they don't perform well, they will be let go.

As a scientist, I have to keep working to get grants and new jobs, to move up the career ladder just like anyone else in the private sector. I could be fired or let go if the grants run out the same way someone in the private sector could be if, for example, the car market goes belly up.

I've been in the private sector plenty, as a house painter, paying my rent and tuition and everything else to get through college, from the time I was 15 until I was 23, then managing a coffee shop, selling mountain bikes, working two and three jobs to get to the point of having the privilege of being a scientist.

It's funny that people outside of academia think they know what it actually takes to get tenure, like it's just handed out on a silver platter... to give you some sense, for every ten people who get a PhD, only one goes on to get an academic faculty position. It's hardly "non-competitive". So, knowing this rate of success, of course, the entire pre-professor period is quite competitive and people work very hard for low wages (extremely low for the level of education they have) in the hopes of getting those few professor positions. Not because of tenure, but because it's the only way that those of who love what we do as scientists can continue to do so for the rest of our lives.

— Ed Hubbard, New York, NY

Ed - you work in Academia. Its non competitive you have tenure cant be fired and don't have to make a profit. You will never starve and never go bankrupt have benefits better than industry.
Think real hard about how hard you have it. Don't however even think about going into the private sector or all the things you are guaranteed in tenure go out the window-but you will make more money-if you are productive

— Dick Engel

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