postdoc survey

This evening Ying and I went to a postdoc survey hosted by NSF. I have to say that it was the most geeky environment I have ever been. And postdocs are more miserable than I thought.

It seems that we live in the shadow between the professors and the graduate students. No one treats us seriously. We don't get to use what staff can use. We probably work as hard as any student but produce much more. And yet we ask so little from the world.

When the inquirer asked what we expect from the PI. One of the participants answered "just a shred of respect". We all laughed, but at the same time we know how sad it means.

This is such an interesting community. :)