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Ask HN: How to keep doing research work if not enrolled in any PhD program?

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Re: Ask HN: How to keep doing research work if not enrolled in any PhD program?

#11

Post by polyfractal »

blhack wrote: post #3

Do you mean get hired, or do you mean keep doing research? Consider Alexander Shulgin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Shulgin#Life_and_care... A bit of a hero in the bio-chemistry world. He was working at DOW chemical, and when he was assigned to a project that he wasn't interested in, he quit, and continued doing research and publishing from his house. There is a lot of research to be done in the fields of c…

While Shulgin was certainly a very cool fellow and did exceptional research, he also had a pretty unique situation. Being friends with the head of the DEA he was able to get a DEA license to work on scheduled compounds.

Your average Joe won't have those kind of connections, or even access to current literature, which rather limits you to certain fields (i.e. not anything biology, chemistry or probably physics).

Re: Ask HN: How to keep doing research work if not enrolled in any PhD program?

#12

Post by blhack »

polyfractal wrote: post #11
blhack wrote: post #3

Do you mean get hired, or do you mean keep doing research? Consider Alexander Shulgin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Shulgin#Life_and_care... A bit of a hero in the bio-chemistry world. He was working at DOW chemical, and when he was assigned to a project that he wasn't interested in, he quit, and continued doing research and publishing from his house. There is a lot of research to be done in the fields of c…

While Shulgin was certainly a very cool fellow and did exceptional research, he also had a pretty unique situation. Being friends with the head of the DEA he was able to get a DEA license to work on scheduled compounds. Your average Joe won't have those kind of connections, or even access to current literature, which rather limits you to certain fields (i.e. not anything biology, chemistry or probably physics).

OP isn't asking about doing things that would be normally regulated by the DEA.

I'm just using Shulgin as an example of somebody who went "screw it" and kept researching things on their own.

Re: Ask HN: How to keep doing research work if not enrolled in any PhD program?

#13

Post by AnupSavvy »

kakali wrote: post #10

There are also government and commercial jobs for research engineers that don't require a PhD. You play as second fiddle but you still get time to work on improving algorithms or coming up with your own. Willow Garage has a job opening that you might look at: http://www.willowgarage.com/jobs/research-engineer

Many thanks!!!

Re: Ask HN: How to keep doing research work if not enrolled in any PhD program?

#14

Post by AnupSavvy »

blhack wrote: post #12
polyfractal wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While Shulgin was certainly a very cool fellow and did exceptional research, he also had a pretty unique situation. Being friends with the head of the DEA he was able to get a DEA license to work on scheduled compounds. Your average Joe won't have those kind of connections, or even access to current literature, which rather limits you to certain fields (i.e. not anything biology, chemistry or probably physics).

OP isn't asking about doing things that would be normally regulated by the DEA. I'm just using Shulgin as an example of somebody who went "screw it" and kept researching things on their own.

I am really glad to see you people sharing your thoughts and comments. Every comment comes like a new idea to me. Thanks!!

Re: Ask HN: How to keep doing research work if not enrolled in any PhD program?

#15

Post by polyfractal »

blhack wrote: post #12
polyfractal wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While Shulgin was certainly a very cool fellow and did exceptional research, he also had a pretty unique situation. Being friends with the head of the DEA he was able to get a DEA license to work on scheduled compounds. Your average Joe won't have those kind of connections, or even access to current literature, which rather limits you to certain fields (i.e. not anything biology, chemistry or probably physics).

OP isn't asking about doing things that would be normally regulated by the DEA. I'm just using Shulgin as an example of somebody who went "screw it" and kept researching things on their own.

Yeah, fair point. And hey, this guy built a mass-spec in his garage, so a lot can be done in a non-academic environment:

http://benkrasnow.blogspot.com/2011/03/diy-scanning-electron...

Re: Ask HN: How to keep doing research work if not enrolled in any PhD program?

#16

Post by AnupSavvy »

polyfractal wrote: post #15
blhack wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OP isn't asking about doing things that would be normally regulated by the DEA. I'm just using Shulgin as an example of somebody who went "screw it" and kept researching things on their own.

Yeah, fair point. And hey, this guy built a mass-spec in his garage, so a lot can be done in a non-academic environment: http://benkrasnow.blogspot.com/2011/03/diy-scanning-electron...

excellent!!!

Re: Ask HN: How to keep doing research work if not enrolled in any PhD program?

#17

Post by polyfractal »

polyfractal wrote: post #15
blhack wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OP isn't asking about doing things that would be normally regulated by the DEA. I'm just using Shulgin as an example of somebody who went "screw it" and kept researching things on their own.

Yeah, fair point. And hey, this guy built a mass-spec in his garage, so a lot can be done in a non-academic environment: http://benkrasnow.blogspot.com/2011/03/diy-scanning-electron...

Whoops, I meant an electron microscope, not a mass spec!

Re: Ask HN: How to keep doing research work if not enrolled in any PhD program?

#18

Post by 04ldd »

you can start doing independent research as has been suggested. you need to believe in yourself, however, and trust that the plan will pan out in the end. maybe it won't but did you have something to lose?

edit: also a valid set of questions might be: are you after recognition or personal intellectual growth? why do you think that organizations like IBM is the place for you? DO you need somebody else to guide you or maybe share the research experience?

Re: Ask HN: How to keep doing research work if not enrolled in any PhD program?

#19

Post by AnupSavvy »

04ldd wrote: post #18

you can start doing independent research as has been suggested. you need to believe in yourself, however, and trust that the plan will pan out in the end. maybe it won't but did you have something to lose? edit: also a valid set of questions might be: are you after recognition or personal intellectual growth? why do you think that organizations like IBM is the place for you? DO you need somebody else to guide you or…

I need money to survive. Just by doing research on my own I won't get paid. Doing Phd helps because most of the time one gets to work on interesting stuff and get paid by grants. Work at a good place like IBM ( and any other company which provides research based work ) would help me achieve both ( money and good work ). I can try and do routine software work for some company and carry out interesting projects in free time but it will have some limitations. At this stage of my life I cannot sit and do just research. I need someone to pay me for my living.
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