Get PhD funding.
Thank you, George Osborne.
( Pretender, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 18:30, 22 replies)

How is it his fault?
If you PhD is in anything decent you'll likely have companies rushing in to fund you.
Or do you think I should help pay for your PhD because you want one?
That's not even starting on the cause of debt the current bunch of cunts are trying to dig us out of.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 18:44, closed)

Contraversial
So you'd have all the research on cancer drugs, cheap energy, lightweight materials, AI (etc - ad infinitum) patented and owned by private companies, eh?

And you'd force all the most geeky and technically able of students into salesmen, only getting funding because of a decent pitch?
(MrOli is ugly, but in the morning you will be sober, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:03, closed)

I agree, research funded by companies who have the resources and the incentive to succeed is terrible.
As is greater pay, more funding and support that's not dependent on the whims of the university council.
( The Mock TurtIe ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:14, closed)

Imagine making nerds have to wash every so often too.
Bad times.
( Amorous Badger NAKED BEA ARTHUR PHOTOS 4U, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:15, closed)

Whims of the uni council vs the whims of a profit driven marketeer eh?
Therein dies the ideal of pure research...This makes me very sad.
(MrOli is ugly, but in the morning you will be sober, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:30, closed)

I'd rather rake in loads of dosh from my work than not, to tell you the truth.

( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 20:26, closed)

I think the point is more
that if the only research funding available is that which comes from private companies, then they're naturally going to be more likely to fund projects which look like resulting in short term gain rather than taking the longer view and funding research which may well be of great value in the longer term.

I have no problem with private companies funding research. I think there need to be other sources too.
(SnowyTheWereRabbit the Leporid from Hell, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:33, closed)

On the other hand, big companies in competitive fields are always looking a few steps ahead - because if they don't, one of their rivals will.

( The Mock TurtIe ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:36, closed)

How many companies would offer money
if it was a PhD in Arts or Humanities?

Science isn't the only thing with a value to the state.
(SnowyTheWereRabbit the Leporid from Hell, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:12, closed)

Yes, engineering is valuable too.

( The Mock TurtIe ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:15, closed)

Hey hey hey lots of people liked my idea for X Factor for dogs in my Media Planning dissertation!

( Amorous Badger NAKED BEA ARTHUR PHOTOS 4U, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:17, closed)

Yes, because obviously that's
what all non-science subjects involve...
(SnowyTheWereRabbit the Leporid from Hell, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:27, closed)

My work on post-feminist context in the writings of Barbara Cartland merit me a research post!

( Amorous Badger NAKED BEA ARTHUR PHOTOS 4U, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:31, closed)

*Shrugs*
Why not?

Anyway, I'm off to the pub...
(SnowyTheWereRabbit the Leporid from Hell, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:36, closed)

Nope. True.
But STEM subjects are universally the ones where research results in tangible benefits in terms of progress.

In any case, it's never been easy to get funding for non-STEM Fuds for exactly this reason.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 21 Oct 2010, 12:29, closed)

"If you PhD"...
So to summarize - the only worthwhile PhDs are those which essentially offer cut-price labour to private companies? Postgraduate research is now just a sweat-shop for the intellectual elite? What of those disciplines that aren't really of any immediate interest to the vast, vast majority of private ventures?

Out of interest - what experience do you actually have with the funding of Doctorates? I'm assuming you have facts and figures to hand demonstrating that private investment is more focussed, more beneficial to society than public funding, and is not driven primarily by the likelihood of a decent return on their investment. Obviously you're not speaking from a position of ignorance, as doing so might make you look like you merely had something of a chip on your shoulder.

Finally - you don't help pay for anyone's PhD, and never have. You pay your tax, at which point it is no longer your money - your feelings on where it should be directed are a matter of utter irrelevence.
( Happy Phantom has been to Hastings, Brighton, and Eastbourne too, Thu 21 Oct 2010, 2:05, closed)

Companies almost never fund PhDs.
Support them, yes. Partially finacially. But funding comes from research councils, usually.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 21 Oct 2010, 12:26, closed)

Pwnt.

( Amorous Badger NAKED BEA ARTHUR PHOTOS 4U, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 18:53, closed)

What are you studying?
I got mine from the Alzheimer's Society, so don't give up straight away.
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:00, closed)

They were going to pay
but forgot within minutes....

obvious joke of the day
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:05, closed)

Let the envelopes roll in! ;-)

(MrOli is ugly, but in the morning you will be sober, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:05, closed)

Awwwwwwwwwwwwww.
No really, awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
( The Mock TurtIe ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Wed 20 Oct 2010, 19:10, closed)