Physics GRE Discussion Forums

New article on NYTimes titled "What Shortage of Scientists and Engineers?"
http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/200 ... 1#comments

The comments section is especially insightful. Many current Physics PhDs posting their opinions that there are TOO MANY PhD already!!! Of course, this causes wages to get depressed as supply keeps getting higher and higher...

The defense/tech industry shouldnt loosen restrictions. This would increase the probability of leaks. If the US cant keep technological breakthroughs to itself then it should not bother spending money in defense research.

cato88 wrote:The defense/tech industry shouldnt loosen restrictions. This would increase the probability of leaks. If the US cant keep technological breakthroughs to itself then it should not bother spending money in defense research.

I guess somebody voted for McCain..

Let be blunt.... ITAR and what not restricts research beyond believe. Grad students can't work on certain projects because things like basic research satellites are hindered from international collaboration because if NASA builds the thing only US citizens can see how it works.. good idea isn't... cause james webb telescope is a weapon of mass destruction

I didnt mean NASA I meant more along the lines of companies like Lockheed, Northrop, and such that work on weapons systems.

I didnt vote for McCain and not for a third party. If a third party wants to actually succeed it needs to take some senate seats first.

cato88 wrote:If the US cant keep technological breakthroughs to itself then it should not bother spending money in defense research.

I agree. Let's share our technology with the world and not bother with military applications .

cato88 wrote:I didnt mean NASA I meant more along the lines of companies like Lockheed, Northrop, and such that work on weapons systems.

I didnt vote for McCain and not for a third party. If a third party wants to actually succeed it needs to take some senate seats first.

The problem is that any technology that has to do with space is classified as defense related... i am not sure why... hubble and a spy satellite have very little in common when you at applications (okay, one one looks up the other down or one needs glasses the other doesn't). Trust me I seen this crap happen with a nasa project.

I am not sure why it can be restrictive when BAE Systems (british company) owns Tracor (US defense contrator).