Thursday 27 June 2013

Single-skill professor


In the previous post I gave an example of the inferior research performed under the management of my former supervisor. The major reason for such low level research is the absence of deep and profound knowledge of the methods in use. My former supervisor memorizes the terminology, but the words stay meaningless for him. He could make sentences using the terms, but anyone who works with the method would notice that behind his talk there is no understanding. Students cannot count on such supervisor when they need a practical help. Even worse, it is not possible to explain to such supervisor any problem or obstacle that arise in the lab work. However, my former supervisor found an effective method to mask the absence of competence – he played “ a good guy”! He was not your supervisor anymore, he was your friend. On the meetings he would talk about his family, relatives, home matters, traveling, conferences and it would be impossible to attract his attention to the problems related to the research.  








I see a serious discrepancy between how much the fake professors really understand and the level of understanding that is needed to do modern research. Last time when most of professors worked in a lab was approximately 10-30 years ago! The methods they used being a young researchers already died away or were transformed considerably. However, they never practice any lab skills anymore and never care to attend any courses on new methods. Even if phony professors devote a bit of his time for reading, they have not enough practical experience to separate the wheat from the chaff and blindly believe everything that is published. In addition, they don't have any clue about how much time lab work takes. Under such supervision only students who can produce required results in unrealistic time scale can succeed. Ancient-skilled supervisors have no ability to control the work or to check the results. So they gladly accept all nonsenses, especially if any “statistical significance” is produced. Thus, ignorant supervisors became fraud-generators.
Under healthy environment, dummy professors would be suppressed by normal scientists, who can question frauds, smile at the incompetence and who always can win the scientific discussion with the phonies. In Sweden, however, discussions are not welcome. This restriction applies also to any scientific debates. And when the culture of the scientific dispute dies, the ignorance easily triumphs!




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