From: merolajs@vtcc1.cc.vt.edu (JOSEPH S. MEROLA DEPT OF CHEMISTRY VPI&SU)
Newsgroups: sci.research.careers
Subject: Re: NO MORE %$#@* E-MAIL ABOUT THE JOB SITUATION
Date: 22 Jul 92 14:27:00 GMT
Organization: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.40

In article <92203.135006U53644@uicvm.uic.edu>, U53644@uicvm.uic.edu writes...
>I am beginning to woder just how stupid people can be........
> 
80-some lines of junk deleted. 
>                                                           Joseph B. Dunphy

This has gone on long enough.  I have read all of these posts over the last
few weeks with some amusement and originally decided not to get involved.  
But all of this nonsense about libel, slander and lawsuits is just plain
ridiculous.  This is a newsgroup for the free exchange of ideas and 
information.  Unfortunately, there are those such as Mr. Dunphy who
believe that the only valid information comes from them and others who
disagree are to be called liars and idiots.  When that doesn't work, 
threaten a lawsuit.  Stop the nonsense now.  If you disagree with something
that someone posts, voice that disagreement.  There are many cases where
two parties must agree to disagree:  there will be no way that their
minds will be changed.
     There have been a lot of good ideas expressed in many of the postings
on the subject.  Unfortunately, these ideas have been tremendously diluted
by a lot of irrelevant ranting.  No wonder that people complain about not
being quoted properly when it requires a massive effort to extract just
what is being said from all of the surrounding chaff.
     The bottom line from my perspective is that when considering a career path,
you should get all of the information that you possibly can and to have a 
healthy skepticism about that information.  However, if you continually worry
that there are grand conspiracies out there lying to you, then you are going
to drive yourself crazy.  Most importantly, if you try to plan a career path 
with the questions of salary and employability the top considerations on
your list, you are making a big mistake.  No one has a crystal ball that can
accurately predict 4-8 yrs into the future.  However, if you choose a career
because you LOVE that field (and I mean LOVE), then you will enjoy what you
do and you will do it well.  Because of that passion for your work, you will
find some way of using that field for gainful employment.  
     What is my background for making these statements?  For 9 years I was
a Ph.D. chemist with a major petroleum company and I also acted as one of
their Ph.D. recruiters.  Currently, I am an associate professor of chemistry.
I have seen lots of things from both the academic and industrial side of
chemistry. Perhaps this makes me part of the conspiracy, but I have no
knowledge of any such thing.  While I certainly agree that the job market
for chemists is not tremendous, it is not non-existent.  Last year, there wer
over 100 academic positions available (and that is a conservative number--
Also, our graduate students who finished this year have with one or two
exceptions (out of 25) found jobs.
    So, let's cut the crap and get back to discussing the issues.  I will
be happy to discuss these issues with anyone but I will appreciate it if
people will refrain from calling me an idiot in advance because of whom
I agree or disagree with.

Joseph S. Merola
Department of Chemistry
Virginia Tech (aka VPI&SU)