The US values creativity I think in a way many other cultures value discipline. I think we need a bit more discipline, though.
Why the United States has the best research universities
21–30 of 262 posts
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#22The US has the best research universities in part because it's socially accepted, even expected, to call anything remotely good "the best" over here. People are a bit more restrained elsewhere. For universities, they're admittedly the best by several objective measures too, but the willingness for self-promotion helps :)
This rings true... there’s a tendency to exaggerate or maximalize in the US, certainly at least in the commercial realm.
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#23Research focus in US and EU seems a bit different. Europe produces a lot of high quality science. Research in US is on the other hand increasingly application-focused (something that EU is not very good at). This is my observation as a former researcher who has experience in both regions; I don’t have references. It’s partly driven by culture, and economic system. The strong public system in Europe supports longer te…
In my medphys program we had a unit on how to get research funding after grad school. The instructor explained that the most likely source by far is industry, followed by government, and last academia/other. It's been this way for a while as I understand it.
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#24Lets not fool ourselves. First and foremost the money is here and the business environment (capitalism) is the most favorable than any other region of the world.
It hasn’t always been this way. Prior to the 1900s the wealth was outside the US. Capitalism existed in the world before the US, possibly in more extreme forms. It seems like you’re discounting the possibility the US education system & government contributed to the current economic situation. To what do you attribute the change?
Didn’t the rise of the US as a superpower mainly came down to financial gains during World War 1?
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#25Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don’t know why anyone should believe you. Can you source some concrete facts if any? This is a provocative comment ready to start flame wars. Please tell specifics and not paint broad brushstrokes to flame the fires. I’m sorry to flag your comment. Edit: One source we can look at the awards given to fundamental research. They’re overwhelmingly US-based. Fields, Nobel, Turing, etc. This contradicts the popular gener…
A bit of an overreaction here? I’m pretty sure it’s ok for people to share their personal observations.
I don’t think so. I’ve seen time and again that it leads to completely unpleasant nationalism flame war.
Did anyone read the article at all?
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#26Research focus in US and EU seems a bit different. Europe produces a lot of high quality science. Research in US is on the other hand increasingly application-focused (something that EU is not very good at). This is my observation as a former researcher who has experience in both regions; I don’t have references. It’s partly driven by culture, and economic system. The strong public system in Europe supports longer te…
I don’t know why anyone should believe you. Can you source some concrete facts if any? This is a provocative comment ready to start flame wars. Please tell specifics and not paint broad brushstrokes to flame the fires. I’m sorry to flag your comment. Edit: One source we can look at the awards given to fundamental research. They’re overwhelmingly US-based. Fields, Nobel, Turing, etc. This contradicts the popular gener…
Why is this provocative? It was certainly not meant as a black and white contrasty "it is always true"-law of nature, bit rather someone describing vague undercurrents based onpersonal experience?
Weird overreaction on your side tho.
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#27My impression: Europe does pretty well in non computer-science areas.
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#28Research focus in US and EU seems a bit different. Europe produces a lot of high quality science. Research in US is on the other hand increasingly application-focused (something that EU is not very good at). This is my observation as a former researcher who has experience in both regions; I don’t have references. It’s partly driven by culture, and economic system. The strong public system in Europe supports longer te…
I don’t know why anyone should believe you. Can you source some concrete facts if any? This is a provocative comment ready to start flame wars. Please tell specifics and not paint broad brushstrokes to flame the fires. I’m sorry to flag your comment. Edit: One source we can look at the awards given to fundamental research. They’re overwhelmingly US-based. Fields, Nobel, Turing, etc. This contradicts the popular gener…
"European and American universities both have strengths and weaknesses" is not that provocative.
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#29“Best universities” according to which measure?
I find it super difficult to come up with a hard set of criteria that measure the performance of an educational institution. Number of graduates? Number of research papers published? Amount of grant income? Can all be gamed.
Strength of character and depth of personality of graduates would be a good metric, but is impossible to measure.
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#30This (not so much the article, but the discussion so far) reads to me like that essay in the movie "Thank you for Smoking." Highly recommended.