School's prestige / Publication / PI - to be a professor?

ParAlum
Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:51:56 +0000

In the natural sciences,
the individual’s productivity and impact are clearly the most important!
But in the sciences, getting a doctorate is very much doing an apprenticeship. so you need to learn from someone effective, if you wish to be effective.

At prestige institutes, there is generally a higher level of scientific “buzz” and vitality.
But some of the major leaders in science fields are not at these hubs.
Thus as some previous posters have suggested, consider schools where there are several labs (professors) who you are interested in and who are successful in the area of your interest. They will provide direct and indirect mentorship critical to train you to become an independent and effective researcher.