NIPS 92 Young Scientists' Network Announcement

[Thomas A. Tucker]

  		ANNOUNCING AN INFORMAL NIPS92 PRESENCE
  
  		 -- The Young Scientists' Network --
  
  
   	The YSN is a mailing list dedicated to the "discussion of issues 
   involving the employment of scientists, especially those just beginning 
   their careers."  YSN started about two years ago when a group of physics 
   PhD's noted a common thread among their difficulties in securing academic 
   and industrial employment -- but since then scientists in other fields 
   have reported similar situations.  Our conclusion has been that there's 
   a glut of scientists, not the shortage that had been predicted for years.
   Consequently, many well-trained persons are finding themselves under- or 
   un-employed, and, contrary to traditional attitudes, this poor employment 
   record is NOT a reflection of individual abilities so much as it is 
   an indictment of the priorities of American science.
   
   	The discussions on YSN have identified many contributors
   to this phenomenon: universities producing too many graduates,
   insubstantial R&D investments by US companies, research funds drying
   up, the growing tendency of universities to create non-tenure-track
   positions when facing budget constraints, and a host of less tangible
   but undeniably real interpersonal and political pressures.
  
	We'd like to offer the opportunity to learn about and get
  involved with the Young Scientists' Network next week at NIPS.
  With luck, we'll be able to set a meeting time in Denver by next
  Monday, and this information should be available when you check in.
  
  Our concrete goals:
  
  	-- an opportunity to learn more about the aims and means
  	   of the Young Scientists' Network, with email contact
  	   information and sample YSN Digests.
  
  	-- solicitation of ideas that might be presented in a
  	   national legislative or administrative forum 
  	   (Congress or the NSF, for example), to help foster
  	   economic opportunities for research.
  
  	-- compiling a directory of academic and industrial
	   organizations which might offer potential employment 
	   (the responses we receive, the more complete the directory).
  
  	-- compiling a possible roster of sources for funding.
  
  	-- compiling a list of graduate programs offering study in
  	   computational neuroscience or other connectionist fields
	   with an emphasis on interdisciplinary work.
  
  	-- we hope to make available survey information which will 
	   help to document the nature and magnitude of YSN members' 
  	   concerns.
  
  Of course, we're open to any suggestions you may wish to put forward,
  and we'll be available for casual discussion throughout the conference.
  
  We look forward to seeing you there,
  
  Thomas A. Tucker	(tomy at ee.washington.edu)
  Pamela A. Abshire	(pa11722 at medtronic.com)