Morgan makes the controversial claim that Universities are “stupid”. She makes that claim because they expect scientists to run their labs like a business, yet they get in the way when it comes to a lab’s optimal functioning as a business. She discusses in particular on the importance of having support so that the scientist and lab leader can stay focused on the forest (big picture) rather than constantly down on their knees, lost in the weeds. Universities are often loathe to give such support because they think it will “cost money”, not realizing that the approach is penny wise and pound foolish. She points out the importance of finding a way around this.


    4 replies to "Why Universities are “stupid” about your time as a scientist, and what to do about it – MetaMorgan TV"

    • Michael

      YouTube says this is a “private video” and I can’t watch it.

      • morgan

        Thanks for letting me know… should be fixed now!

    • Avi

      Morgan,

      Great video. I wholeheartedly agree with you. The fact is that while grants are often hard to come by, scientist often spend money inefficiently and have no idea what they’ve spent or how much they have left. And you are correct…they don’t have the time (nor should they) to monitor their spending. This should be delegated to a responsible person who will do the job properly. I’m not sure that this needs to be a totally independent function, but perhaps a lab tech or lab manager could do the job just as well.

      Avi

      • morgan

        I feel like universities are in a weird place right now. They’re trying to be ever more “businesslike” by raising more and more funds through grants and donors, yet they are very inefficient and bureaucratic as businesses. They don’t know how to be efficient, because the culture is all wrong for that.

        And I know why they do this – most states keep cutting back on educational budgets, leaving universities to ever more fend for themselves. They don’t have any other real option. I just wish they’d figure out how to do it more efficiently and less bureaucratically!

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