Plans for going to Japan

[AJBryant]

enji wrote:
I'm doing Biology right now in university, and what I have in mind is to apply for the Monbukagakusho scholarship to do my post-grad studies in Japan. I think it's a good chance to know the research environment in Japan since I heard the Japanese have a strict hierachy system in the lab. This is if you intend to go into research.

I learned a LONG time ago that I didn't want to be caught up in Japanese academia -- the elderly respected prof gets all the rep and cred for the work of his underlings in the lab. Why do the underlings not complain? Because some day THEY will get all the rep and cred from the work THEIR underlings do.

<shudder>


Tony

[enji]

AJBryant wrote:

enji wrote:
I'm doing Biology right now in university, and what I have in mind is to apply for the Monbukagakusho scholarship to do my post-grad studies in Japan. I think it's a good chance to know the research environment in Japan since I heard the Japanese have a strict hierachy system in the lab. This is if you intend to go into research.

I learned a LONG time ago that I didn't want to be caught up in Japanese academia -- the elderly respected prof gets all the rep and cred for the work of his underlings in the lab. Why do the underlings not complain? Because some day THEY will get all the rep and cred from the work THEIR underlings do.

<shudder>


Tony

Yikes, that doesn't sound good, because I don't even know if I'll stay long enough to become one of those 'elderly respected prof'. However, on second thought, it's roughly similar here in Singapore. Some prof don't do lab work at all, but when papers are published, their names will appear among the name of authors.

[Mike Cash]

Given the history of academic discrimination (against foreign professors), the odds that you'd get to be one of those elderly respected professors isn't all that great. Many institutions deny tenure to foreign professors and try to force them to leave after just a few years employment.

[AJBryant]

That was the experience of some of my "researcher" friends from Kyodai.


Tony

[ss]

Enji wrote:
However, on second thought, it's roughly similar here in Singapore. Some prof don't do lab work at all, but when papers are published, their names will appear among the name of authors.

I don't quite agree with you. :p
There are so many things to be involved. Data collection, technical assistance, analysis of the scale of the problem, monitoring trends, presentation of reports, etc. It might not be a need to get involved personally in that project, chances are given to the juniors to participate in the program, but the great responsibility is behind the scene, and it's on-going tasks.

It's not that simple to get published in the paper, it might surprise you that they know every single details and are well defined and addressed.

[enji]

I'm still keeping my options open on where to go for post-grad studies, or even what to do after graduation. I would love to experience life in different countries and thus not fond of the idea of staying at a place for too long (maybe before I hit my 50s or 60s :p, if I manage to live that long).

Anyway, yes, the prof does provide assistance in other ways. I guess it just came as a shock to me when I first found out that not all prof actually participate in lab work. How naive of me. I'm still learning about the academia world even as I type this.