tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163501679982013672.post7683702962241353567..comments2024-03-28T16:01:34.909+11:00Comments on Cosmic Horizons: There's more to being an astronomer than doing astronomyCusphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515740423567038683noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163501679982013672.post-75648021375037761292014-03-11T03:33:50.754+11:002014-03-11T03:33:50.754+11:00Those that obtain Astronomer Jobs Zjob4u bachelors...Those that obtain <a href="http://www.zjob4u.com/Astronomer" rel="nofollow">Astronomer Jobs Zjob4u</a> bachelors amount seek out entry-level positions. You will discover prospects in abundance throughout producing firms, drug agencies, federal institutions as well as school establishments.Monica Castellohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04221392262369359777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163501679982013672.post-83489290815354003092012-06-04T20:34:38.339+10:002012-06-04T20:34:38.339+10:00Of course, most solutions to the two-body problem ...Of course, most solutions to the two-body problem involve giving a job to someone who wouldn't otherwise have one, or at least something paid for directly or indirectly from sources which would otherwise fund more jobs, hence my emphasis on this issue.Phillip Helbighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12067585245603436809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163501679982013672.post-74769132191133528812012-06-04T20:32:57.771+10:002012-06-04T20:32:57.771+10:00Let me add that I have 3 children (and a stepchild...Let me add that I have 3 children (and a stepchild from a previous marriage) and spent years feeding 4 mouths while working as a research assistant in another country. Without going into details, the main reason I don't have a proper job in astronomy today is because of family commitments. No-one knows the problems of doing research on a temporary job with a family better than I do.<br /><br />Let me also add that I do think that one should weight an applicant's accomplishments with the environment in which they were produced; family situation is one aspect of this environment (but there are others). (One isn't given a job as a reward for past accomplishments, but because past accomplishments are used to make a guess at future accomplishments; not weighting past accomplishments with their environment would give a bad prediction for the future.)<br /><br />I also think that it should be easier for a couple who both have (or want to have) academic careers; when I'm in charge of world astronomy I'll certainly see to that. <br /><br />I just think that giving a job to someone who otherwise wouldn't get it because their partner is being offered a job creates more problems than it solves. When one asks what is the main accomplishment of civilization, equal opportunity has to be high on that list. It shouldn't be sacrificed.Phillip Helbighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12067585245603436809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163501679982013672.post-74759044900442484092012-06-04T18:29:56.062+10:002012-06-04T18:29:56.062+10:00If one is at all critical of the two-body problem,...If one is at all critical of the two-body problem, one comes across as being anti-family, anti-children, anti-women, a macho, a patriarchist etc. One has to sympathize or even empathize with the two-body problem in order to be politically correct.<br /><br />On the other hand, a bare minimum of respect for equal opportunity seems to be to a) advertise all jobs and b) give the job to the best applicant.<br /><br />These two goals cannot be reconciled.<br /><br />It is properly considered wrong for someone to get a job because of a sexual relationship with the employer (consensual or not, previous to the employment or not) when that job would have otherwise gone to someone else. But solving the two-body problem means giving a job to someone who would not otherwise get it because of a sexual relationship with a particular person (not the employer, but the "leading spouse".<br /><br />Some of the defenses are laughable: "It's not a real job, it's just a 5-year stipend to tide me over until I have a chance to apply for something else". Many other people would really like to have such a deal. Many two-body folks claim that they have it worse. However, someone with a partner who cannot work at all in a different country (at least not until after several years) is in a much worse position, but no department money goes to them. Some claim that no-one is harmed since they were hired with "extra money". Right.Phillip Helbighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12067585245603436809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163501679982013672.post-34554699484745434812012-06-04T08:59:15.052+10:002012-06-04T08:59:15.052+10:00Hi Brendon - Your advice is extremely valuable as ...Hi Brendon - Your advice is extremely valuable as you are in the transition from ECR to grown-up, and I think it really helps people new to the game to hear other peoples' stories. Thanks for the comment.<br /><br />Also, if people *have* followed on twitter, it would be good to let the organizer, Darren Croton, know. We are likely to do similar things in the future, and the more we can record a success, the better.Cusphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12515740423567038683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163501679982013672.post-16216553097086237672012-06-04T08:35:05.555+10:002012-06-04T08:35:05.555+10:00Hi G, thanks for the summary! As you know, I heard...Hi G, thanks for the summary! As you know, I heard about this conference from Twitter. All the cool kids are on there now, and I feel less out of touch with Australian astronomy from following Bryan.<br /><br />I don't know how qualified I am to be giving this kind of advice, but I am about the start a faculty position, so maybe that counts for something. I think it's really beneficial to budding astronomers to get educated in things that are applicable not just in astronomy. It worked for me with the stats, and your wife with the medical physics. Plenty of young astronomers that I know are really great with computers, machine learning and all that stuff. Inside and outside of academia, there are many opportunities for astronomers if they can do more than operate a telescope and run Iraf. I'm looking forward to being able to continue my astronomy-related research but from a building that says statistics on it (of course, it's statistics research too).<br />I'm sure something similar might be viable for a lot of others as well.Brendon J. Brewerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07525792446604687041noreply@blogger.com