Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Why are modern scientists so dull?

TBH this article made me wonder whether the author had ever met a leading scientist! It's contrary to my experience. I'd also like to know in which sciences he thinks one has to do "10, 15 even 20" years of postgraduate training before choosing one's own direction. In my field PhD students already get to choose their own direction, if they are up to doing so; in every field I know anything at all about, the very best new PhDs can get positions where they do so, even if the majority will work under someone else for a few years. The idea of anyone with the ability to be a leading scientist being forced to spend 20 years after graduation doing someone else's bidding is not reality-based, I claim.

I suspect the author of being someone who's got into trouble with his (or her; but I bet it's a he) departmental colleagues for not doing his marking on time :-)