The Science Students’ Society (S-Cubed) feels that Ivan Debono’s article on science (The Sunday Times, October 14) is misguided and short-sighted in its assertions.
Dr Debono mistakenly claims that science no longer offers a reasonable career path and that a career in science is restricted to a lifetime in research. Not all students enrolling for a science degree with the intention of pursuing a career in academia – and career opportunities, available to all science graduates, are definitely not limited to that. In fact, although a science degree does not lead to a specific profession, it does open doors to a multitude of career paths, be it in academia, industry, policy-making, government, media, management and business.
The article also claims that Ph.D. and post-doctoral students get a real job much later than other professions. This is not necessarily true because it has now become common practice for individuals to start working after completing their bachelor’s or master’s degree and then pursue a doctoral and/or a post-doctoral degree later, as a means of furthering their own career.
Additionally, one must not consider a doctorate merely as a means of enhancing one’s job prospects but rather as recognition of a period of original research and the fruit of one’s hard earned labour doing what onee is passionate about.
Although Dr Debono or may be justified in saying that the financial benefits associated with a career in academia may be disproportionate to the amount of work and dedication such a career requires, S-Cubed feels that this should be no reason to discourage more individuals to take up science. Rather, more investment is required to encourage more students to enrol for doctoral and post-doctoral degrees.
While S-Cubed agrees that locally, career opportunities for doctoral and post-doctoral graduates may be scarce, with increased job mobility within Europe and beyond, opportunities have increased substantially, although there are challenges and competition remains fierce.
S-Cubed believes that the article may have been written after a personal negative experience. It contains unsubstantiated claims which do not reflect the current situation with regard to the employment prospects of Ph.D. students. Such a statement, aimed at discouraging students from pursuing a career in science, was totally uncalled for. However Dr Debono’s article has helped to bring about a much debate on the subject.