Too many tasks

摘要

When I grow up, I want to be a scientist. Sometimes, though, I fear that it is no longer possible. I fear that I will become an administrator of scientific tasks rather than an investigator of scientific truths. My academic experience thus far has taught me that science has become something done mainly by graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, not by the principal investigators who have ostensibly achieved their career goal - the freedom to steer and delve into their own research ideas. The students and postdocs might do science with the firm, guiding hand and skilful collaboration of the principal investigator, or in a series of inspired individual moments, deliberate or otherwise. But they are the ones most often practising the craft. The principal investigator isn't a scientist - not anymore. This person, with all of the education and training to be a scientist, has instead become an administrator.