PDFs

[Prof. Jack Miller]

I received this from Bob Richman who couldn't get it posted & I don't have
the e-mail address of the original enqiry about why pDF's are necessary --
so I'm posting it generally as a continuation of the discussion. (Though he
disagrees with my posting on the subject).

> I couldn't figure out how to respond to your query on the bulletin
>board, so I am responding this way. I am currently running a search for
>an organic chemist at Mount Saint Mary's College in Maryland (see our ad
>in the Dec. 6, 1993 C&EN). I don't recognize your name as one of our
>applicants. We got just over 60 applicants, interviewed eight by phone
>and three in person, got one offer rejected, and have a second outstanding.
> I disagree with your other respondants. I did a post-doc myself
>and spent ten years on the faculty of a research institution (Carnegie
>Mellon University) before coming here, so I believe I am well qualiied to
>comment on your question. The purpose of a post-doc is to acquire a
>second area of research expertise, so that you can carve out a new area at
>the interface of your various areas of expertise. This is important at a
>research institution, where originality carries a premium. It is not
>important at a place like this. Any kind of research productivity, even
>routine extensions of dissertation research, counts postively. The
>potential to involve undergraduates in the research is the more important
>criterion. As a consequence of my opinions on this issue, we gave full
>consideration to people such as yourself. Our most important selection
>criteria were 1) demonstrated teaching excellence (ideally a grad student
>teaching award), and 2) some interface with biology, due to the particular
>nature of this position.
> It is unfortunate the the marketplace uses post-doctoral
>experience as a coarse criterion for these jobs. We tried to exploit that
>perceived weakness of the system by encouraging applications from grad
>students who are finishing up.
> If you can figure out how to post this letter (or portions of it)
>on the bulletin board, I would appreciate it.
> -- Bob Richman <ric...@msmary.edu>

--
PROF. JACK M. MILLER
DEPTS. OF CHEMISTRY AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
BROCK UNIVERSITY
ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO, CANADA
L2S 3A1