<p>Yet another article about how science is doomed in the United States, yet fails to mention that on a dollar for dollar basis, we are spending more now on research than at any other point in our history… And we outspend China on total R&D (private and federal) by more than 3:1. So, I’m not convinced that the sky is falling quite yet.</p>
<p>Yes, there are tempting options for young scientists outside of the United States. But this is yet another symptom of the larger problem: the over production of scientists and engineers in the United States. You can read up about if you want (Google), but basically we are producing far too many PhD level scientists and engineers. We’re overproducing, because we are overfunding research in many of these fields, which causes too many students to enter the field because PIs need slave labor. Eventually, they exit their programs with a degree in hand, which has led to a glut of scientists in most STEM fields. Those scientists then begin the infinite post-doc loop, desperately attaching themselves to established PIs, working on the scraps of funding leftover. Eventually, smaller universities started offering post-docs positions provided that they could bring in funding. Which is why we now have too many scientists competing for (slightly more) federal dollars.</p>
<p>There are a few possible solutions to the problem:
1 - Reform the grant system overall to encourage universities to hire permanent research staff, and reduce the number of graduate students in most programs, thus reducing the oversupply of young scientists. (This is not very likely to happen, as it works in no one’s interests).
2 - Reduce the funding available in most fields, and force out the “low-end” labs/PIs from the field. (Most likely, given the political and financial realities).
3 - Drastically increase research funding. (Least likely…)</p>
<p>Science has a bright future in the United States, albeit in industry. Federally funded research is likely to suffer from a chronic funding drought for the forseeable future, but it is not because we are underfunding research. Rather, the problem is self-inflicted.</p>
<p>EDIT: By the way, both Nature and Science have quite a few articles on the glut of scientists in most fields. Check those out before you consider going on for a PhD. It will probably change your mind.</p>