3 answers
Lauren
Student
Modesto, California
2
Questions
Updated
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How do you feel about your career as a STEM professor?
I am also pursuing a career in this and would like any additional information or insight you can provide!
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3 answers
Robert Rossi
Many things! But mostly chemistry and chemical engineering
95
Answers
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Updated
Robert’s Answer
I went to graduate school because I wanted to teach at the college level. After a stint in the Peace Corps, I knew I loved teaching! Graduate school confirmed I had the chops to do it really well at the college level...but taught me that I didn't want to be a professor.
Here is what I learned in graduate school and after (mostly the hard way):
1) You get a PhD for research, not teaching. I did amazing teaching as a grad student and got lots of accolades and kudos for it...but eventually a kindly chair (not my advisor) sat me down and told me "we don't give out PhDs for teaching" and I "found religion." Unfortunately, I also found I didn't much like research. It was a real grind to earn my PhD (from Caltech), but I did it. But at the end I was really hating it.
2) It is hard to focus on teaching as a professor, unless you do it in a community college setting. At a big state school, most liberal arts colleges, or these days even small state schools, you will be expected to do research. If you don't do research successfully, you hurt the school's chances of getting grants for things like expensive new equipment (NMR/PCR/what have you). [This is changing somewhat these days, though: there are a growing number of teaching-focused positions at many bigger state schools now, but it still holds at smaller state schools and liberal arts colleges. Also, these positions often don't pay professor salaries and require much longer hours (mostly grading, yuck!) than do "normal" professor jobs.]
3) As a new professor, you will have to do a ton of research, and do much of it yourself. (This is also true for landing the job in the first place.) If you are successful, especially at a more prominent school, your role will switch ever more to writing grants, presenting work (papers and talks), and managing people (your researchers). You'll get less and less time to explore things yourself in lab. This is probably the hardest conundrum of being a STEM professor, in that most enjoy one end of this spectrum and not the other.
4) Almost every tenured professor I know has dreamed of moving somewhere else, and most have even tried...and found it nearly impossible to do. They are often not nearly as happy as they project. I call tenure the "golden handcuffs," in that you have a lot of security, but no freedom beyond "academic freedom" (freedom to do a great deal, but only on the campus and in the department in which you are tenured). Some crafty (or really talented) people find ways, but it is not easy.
5) It is really hard to land a tenure-track job. They remain wildly competitive, I think because the general sense in the world is that it is an amazing job. It is, for the right people, but many who pursue it are not the right people. One reason you might not be is that you are not at the tippy-top of your class...these days you really have to be, and you also have to be a good fit at the place you want to end up. (That can mean many things you can't easily change, like your research area happening to be what they need at the time you are on the job market, if they have an opening at all.) You also usually need to do a post-doc, which means more research. (That was something that got a hard "no" from me.)
6) The current administration has decimated STEM funding and so the world may change...right now it is really challenging. But it may also lead to some real change in the higher education paradigm: which is desperately needed, in my opinion. Too many colleges have lost their way: not politically (usually), but in that they have stopped making teaching their top priority. It's all about the research dollars: they follow the money.
7) I have done really well for myself by being flexible, adaptable, following my heart and my interests, and walking away when I knew it was the right thing to do (except in grad school, maybe...I should probably have never pushed through to get a doctorate). Never spending beyond your means (buy the car you can afford, don't take out an auto loan, for example) makes this a lot easier to do.
Good luck! Don't be shy about trying grad school...just be sure to learn its lessons and take them to heart. If you hate it, leave: you'll walk away with a masters and much better understanding of what you are "missing out on."
p.s. I thought doing research in education might be different...but no, it's the same, mostly. Grants, grandstanding, and going from doing it all yourself to having to manage (and fund) a team if you want to make it big. I chose to write textbooks instead: much greater impact. But today's publishing houses are utter slime. So there's really no perfect world, accept that from go!
Here is what I learned in graduate school and after (mostly the hard way):
1) You get a PhD for research, not teaching. I did amazing teaching as a grad student and got lots of accolades and kudos for it...but eventually a kindly chair (not my advisor) sat me down and told me "we don't give out PhDs for teaching" and I "found religion." Unfortunately, I also found I didn't much like research. It was a real grind to earn my PhD (from Caltech), but I did it. But at the end I was really hating it.
2) It is hard to focus on teaching as a professor, unless you do it in a community college setting. At a big state school, most liberal arts colleges, or these days even small state schools, you will be expected to do research. If you don't do research successfully, you hurt the school's chances of getting grants for things like expensive new equipment (NMR/PCR/what have you). [This is changing somewhat these days, though: there are a growing number of teaching-focused positions at many bigger state schools now, but it still holds at smaller state schools and liberal arts colleges. Also, these positions often don't pay professor salaries and require much longer hours (mostly grading, yuck!) than do "normal" professor jobs.]
3) As a new professor, you will have to do a ton of research, and do much of it yourself. (This is also true for landing the job in the first place.) If you are successful, especially at a more prominent school, your role will switch ever more to writing grants, presenting work (papers and talks), and managing people (your researchers). You'll get less and less time to explore things yourself in lab. This is probably the hardest conundrum of being a STEM professor, in that most enjoy one end of this spectrum and not the other.
4) Almost every tenured professor I know has dreamed of moving somewhere else, and most have even tried...and found it nearly impossible to do. They are often not nearly as happy as they project. I call tenure the "golden handcuffs," in that you have a lot of security, but no freedom beyond "academic freedom" (freedom to do a great deal, but only on the campus and in the department in which you are tenured). Some crafty (or really talented) people find ways, but it is not easy.
5) It is really hard to land a tenure-track job. They remain wildly competitive, I think because the general sense in the world is that it is an amazing job. It is, for the right people, but many who pursue it are not the right people. One reason you might not be is that you are not at the tippy-top of your class...these days you really have to be, and you also have to be a good fit at the place you want to end up. (That can mean many things you can't easily change, like your research area happening to be what they need at the time you are on the job market, if they have an opening at all.) You also usually need to do a post-doc, which means more research. (That was something that got a hard "no" from me.)
6) The current administration has decimated STEM funding and so the world may change...right now it is really challenging. But it may also lead to some real change in the higher education paradigm: which is desperately needed, in my opinion. Too many colleges have lost their way: not politically (usually), but in that they have stopped making teaching their top priority. It's all about the research dollars: they follow the money.
7) I have done really well for myself by being flexible, adaptable, following my heart and my interests, and walking away when I knew it was the right thing to do (except in grad school, maybe...I should probably have never pushed through to get a doctorate). Never spending beyond your means (buy the car you can afford, don't take out an auto loan, for example) makes this a lot easier to do.
Good luck! Don't be shy about trying grad school...just be sure to learn its lessons and take them to heart. If you hate it, leave: you'll walk away with a masters and much better understanding of what you are "missing out on."
p.s. I thought doing research in education might be different...but no, it's the same, mostly. Grants, grandstanding, and going from doing it all yourself to having to manage (and fund) a team if you want to make it big. I chose to write textbooks instead: much greater impact. But today's publishing houses are utter slime. So there's really no perfect world, accept that from go!
William Vvuko
Retired engineer
238
Answers
Moyo, Northern Region
Updated
William’s Answer
Hi Lauren,
Firstly, I'm not a professor. I guess you're looking forward to becoming one - which is a truly noble aspiration.
I'm a retired mechanical engineer though. Throughout human history, engineering has always focused on addressing important human needs - which makes it a noble field of study.
Many factors influence the choice of a career. Nature endows each one of us with gifts/talents. They present opportunities for building successful careers. It is also important to love and enjoy what you do so you can pursue it with passion, diligence and commitment.
Being able to resolve important human needs remains the most enduring factor in career fulfillment. It's also a viable pathway to financial freedom.
Sometimes your most immediate aspiration is just a starting point that propels you into other areas you may have never envisioned. You need to embrace such opportunities when they come your way. Progressively, they guide you into a direction that allows you to realize your full potential.
Ideally, the work we do should make our world a better place to live in. Good luck in your studies - choose wisely though.
Firstly, I'm not a professor. I guess you're looking forward to becoming one - which is a truly noble aspiration.
I'm a retired mechanical engineer though. Throughout human history, engineering has always focused on addressing important human needs - which makes it a noble field of study.
Many factors influence the choice of a career. Nature endows each one of us with gifts/talents. They present opportunities for building successful careers. It is also important to love and enjoy what you do so you can pursue it with passion, diligence and commitment.
Being able to resolve important human needs remains the most enduring factor in career fulfillment. It's also a viable pathway to financial freedom.
Sometimes your most immediate aspiration is just a starting point that propels you into other areas you may have never envisioned. You need to embrace such opportunities when they come your way. Progressively, they guide you into a direction that allows you to realize your full potential.
Ideally, the work we do should make our world a better place to live in. Good luck in your studies - choose wisely though.
Karen Giles
cpa
4
Answers
Richmond, Virginia
Updated
Karen’s Answer
1. Excited but Realistic
Teaching STEM would be truly exciting because:
Science is always changing, offering endless opportunities to learn something new.
Students usually come in curious and eager to explore.
Fields like microbiology have a real impact on health, the environment, and technology.
However, it's important to be honest:
The journey can be tough.
It requires persistence, not just intelligence.
2. Curiosity Over Perfection
As a professor, I wouldn't expect students to know everything. What really matters is:
Asking thoughtful questions.
Being open to experimenting and learning from mistakes.
Staying curious, even when things get tough.
In STEM, especially microbiology, failing is part of learning—experiments don't always go as planned, and that's okay.
3. Valuing Effort and Initiative
The standout students aren't always the "smartest" ones—they're the ones who:
Attend office hours.
Look for lab opportunities.
Ask insightful questions.
Stay involved beyond the classroom.
I'm most impressed by initiative, not just grades.
4. Encouraging Long-Term Thinking
I'd remind students:
You don't need to know your exact career path right away.
STEM careers develop step-by-step.
Skills like lab work, data analysis, and critical thinking build over time.
Many successful microbiologists didn't follow a straight path.
5. Honest About Challenges but Supportive
I would openly say:
Yes, STEM can be challenging.
Some classes, like chemistry and genetics, will test you.
You might feel overwhelmed at times.
But I'd also emphasize:
Most students who keep going do succeed.
There are many paths in STEM—not just one "right" way.
Teaching STEM would be truly exciting because:
Science is always changing, offering endless opportunities to learn something new.
Students usually come in curious and eager to explore.
Fields like microbiology have a real impact on health, the environment, and technology.
However, it's important to be honest:
The journey can be tough.
It requires persistence, not just intelligence.
2. Curiosity Over Perfection
As a professor, I wouldn't expect students to know everything. What really matters is:
Asking thoughtful questions.
Being open to experimenting and learning from mistakes.
Staying curious, even when things get tough.
In STEM, especially microbiology, failing is part of learning—experiments don't always go as planned, and that's okay.
3. Valuing Effort and Initiative
The standout students aren't always the "smartest" ones—they're the ones who:
Attend office hours.
Look for lab opportunities.
Ask insightful questions.
Stay involved beyond the classroom.
I'm most impressed by initiative, not just grades.
4. Encouraging Long-Term Thinking
I'd remind students:
You don't need to know your exact career path right away.
STEM careers develop step-by-step.
Skills like lab work, data analysis, and critical thinking build over time.
Many successful microbiologists didn't follow a straight path.
5. Honest About Challenges but Supportive
I would openly say:
Yes, STEM can be challenging.
Some classes, like chemistry and genetics, will test you.
You might feel overwhelmed at times.
But I'd also emphasize:
Most students who keep going do succeed.
There are many paths in STEM—not just one "right" way.