This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Money in research

Is there any money in academic research? I don't just mean in the UK, is it well paid in America, for example? What sort of areas are raking in the big bucks at the moment and what areas could prove fruitful in the future?

Reply 1

ChemistBoy

16

In the grand scheme of things there is no money in doing research, anywhere. You need to be in the commercial end of things to rake in the bucks.

Reply 2

The Boosh

17

universities take a huge cut of all staff projects, so does the tax man several times, then there is funding projects. you can earn a little from it, but the tax man will take cash from here too. it's nuts really.

Reply 3

Barny

OP

17

If you were to develop some sort of new technology or develop an idea that is beneficial in a commercial sense, how do you make money from that? Patent the idea and receive royalties, "sell" the technology?

Reply 4

ChemistBoy

16

x.narb.x

If you were to develop some sort of new technology or develop an idea that is beneficial in a commercial sense, how do you make money from that? Patent the idea and receive royalties, "sell" the technology?

Well most modern technology is developed in a) a commercial environment (i.e. you own nothing personally) or b) an academic environment (you own very little personally) and therefore you are unlikely to make much money. If you are a budding James Dyson then stick to the garden shed, not the research lab.

Reply 5

Barny

OP

17

Ahh I see, so the respective institutions that you work for own the rights to the research you do?

Reply 6

ChemistBoy

16

x.narb.x

Ahh I see, so the respective institutions that you work for own the rights to the research you do?

Commercially? Absolutely. Universities? The vast majority of the rights. Universities think they are being fair because they give you some of the rights (unlike commercial operations) but it is a piddling amount and totally disproportionate to the fact that the university provides only lab space and utilities and you yourself have to find money to pay for equipment, consumables, time at external experimental facilities and staff (read postdocs and PhD students) as well as coming up with and implementing the ideas and fitting this around your teaching commitments at the university on a relatively meagre salary.

Reply 7

sweet_fluffy_nuke

x.narb.x

Is there any money in academic research?

None.
Even in the US, you have to scurry around for research funding from various national bodies. If you dont get enough external funding, your job vanishes.

Reply 8

shiny

12

intellectual property? intellectually shafted more like it!!! :mad:

Reply 9

ChemistBoy

16

shiny

intellectual property? intellectually shafted more like it!!! :mad:

I think the worst thing with this drive to 'commercialise' is that the academic in question is most probably denied some nice high profile publications that would be far better for their career than a patent number.

Reply 10

shiny

12

ChemistBoy

I think the worst thing with this drive to 'commercialise' is that the academic in question is most probably denied some nice high profile publications that would be far better for their career than a patent number.

The annoying thing is that it isn't even the patent process itself which is slow. It's the bit before when the university has to decide whether your work is worth patenting and them paying for it which is stupidly slow most of the time.

Reply 11

ChemistBoy

16

shiny

The annoying thing is that it isn't even the patent process itself which is slow. It's the bit before when the university has to decide whether your work is worth patenting and them paying for it which is stupidly slow most of the time.

Well it's the half-baked 'advisors' they get to do the applications. Universities can't afford proper patents attorneys.

Money in research

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you