A tale from the Lion City – A Stanford Ph.D. turned taxi driver
SINGAPORE – Not too long ago, the Singapore government targeted Biomedical Sciences as a potential avenue for growth. Life Sciences became the talk of the town. Places in the universities leading to a Life Sciences degree increased. There has always been the danger that we could end up producing an over-supply of Life Sciences graduates, and soon we will face the conumdrum of having too many Life Sciences graduates competing for a limited pool of Life Sciences-related jobs. Thus, Life Sciences graduates are advised to upgrade themselves to the Ph.D. level. Non-Ph.D. holders are qualified to wash test-tubes, according to former A*STAR chairman, Mr Philip Yeo. However, not all graduates can qualify to do a Ph.D. Most if not all graduate programs require at least a second upper honors performance for an undergraduate degree. And not all undergraduates will be able to muster that level of performance. Only with a Ph.D. can a candidate work as a Principal Investigator in an academic or research institution.
Given such a context, Dr Cai Mingjie’s experience has some sort of an unexpected twist. Dr Cai underwent his Ph.D. training at Stanford University, a top institution that has seen five of its faculty members or former students receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. Majority of Dr Cai’s work at Stanford revolves around the study of yeast proteins, and a list of his publications on that topic can be accessed at Scientific Commons, a repository of scientific publications by researchers. Yeasts cells are considered biological models for eukaryotic cells found in our bodies, plants and animals. Thus, they are popular subjects of study which allow scientists to better understand what goes on inside a typical eukaryotic cell.
Armed with his Stanford Ph.D., all went on well for Dr Cai initially. According to his account (now published in his blog), he worked as a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) under A*STAR for 16 years. Back then, IMCB was still located at the NUS campus and he described the old IMCB as a “once flourishing, promising, and pleasant” place to work in. However, things changed for the worse when there was a takeover of IMCB’s leadership by some “big shot” foreign scientists. According to Dr Cai, the previous style of “democratic and consensus-oriented management system that had worked well for more than a decade in the past” was ditched, and in place was a management style marked by “domineering, manipulation, and incompetence”.
“Since the takeover of leadership by some western “big shots” a few years ago, the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) of A*STAR, Singapore, a place I have worked for 16 years as a PI (principal investigator), a place that was once flourishing, promising, and pleasant to work in, has been in a mess. Bestowed with the kind of power they had never seen before, these once reputable scientists turned everything in the institute upside down. The previous democratic and consensus-oriented management system that had worked well for more than a decade in the past was thrown out of window and replaced by one that was marked by domineering, manipulation, and incompetence. What they lacked in experience of management, adequate understanding of the institute, and proper respect for fellow scientists as their colleagues, they made up for in arrogance, prejudice, and naked muscle of political power. ” – Dr Cai Minjie on his blog
What subsequently transpired was that a few Principal Investigators were sent packing, and Dr Cai was one of them unfortunately. His employment contract was terminated in May 2008, and to further rub salt into his wounds, he wasn’t given any form of compensation. He became jobless at a vulnerable age, but nonetheless, he sent out resumes in the hope of landing a job. That wasn’t to be and with the onset of the financial crisis, he finally made the decision to become a taxi driver. He underwent the Express Taxi Driver’s Vocational License Course, and finally obtained his taxi driver’s license and embarked on his new career as a taxi driver.
If Dr Cai’s account is true, the nature of the management at IMCB which precipitated his departure may be a cause for concern. A Research Institution should be the last place where one can find autocracy and domination by a few select personnels. An ideal environment should be a democratic one tolerant of diverse views, just like how an academic institution should be open to diverse academic views. Thus, Dr Cai’s account suggests a potential endemic problem and raises the pertinent question of whether the correct people have been selected to run the Research Institution. Doing research is a different kettle of fish from the administration of a Research Institution. A*STAR has always embarked on an aggressive recruitment drive to lure big name scientists to set up shop in Singapore; they are in Mr Philip Yeo’s words “whales brought in to train the guppies”. A top researcher may not have the necessary expertise to run a Research Institution. Thus, the assumption that a top researcher can flawlessly run a Research Institution is flawed. What is necessary are conditions that allow the ‘guppies’ within the Research Institution to flourish.
However, Dr Cai’s experience was like a fish getting suffocated out of water, or more accurately in a suffocative environment marked by domination, prejudice and arrogance in his own words. It is good for a nation like ours to dream of becoming a Biomedical hub, but first and foremost, we must create an environment to allow our talents in the field to flourish. If such an environment remains suffocative, such dreams will only remain as hallucinations.
For 16 years, you were employed as a PhD scientist walking here and there, earning 8-10k per month with full boarding to study on yeast molecular structure and yet publish no paper on it???
Give you drive taxi here very happy liao, if not, kick you back to China. Talking about objection to Foreign talents, and yet you all still sympathise them..funny opposition supporter??
Originally posted by angel7030:For 16 years, you were employed as a PhD scientist walking here and there, earning 8-10k per month with full boarding to study on yeast molecular structure and yet publish no paper on it???
Give you drive taxi here very happy liao, if not, kick you back to China. Talking about objection to Foreign talents, and yet you all still sympathise them..funny opposition supporter??
The characteristic fool in the Taiwanese 'hum' strikes again to vandalise another thread with its ignorance - simply to get another orgasmic high for itself as an "Attention Seeking Whore".
Originally posted by angel7030:For 16 years, you were employed as a PhD scientist walking here and there, earning 8-10k per month with full boarding to study on yeast molecular structure and yet publish no paper on it???
Give you drive taxi here very happy liao, if not, kick you back to China. Talking about objection to Foreign talents, and yet you all still sympathise them..funny opposition supporter??
Why did you think that he did not publish any papers? Did you notice this statement "...list of his publications..."? Do you not know that publications ARE papers?
What is the relationship between publication of papers vs job loss? You seemed to link these two together.
One problem with Singapore is that it is not able to attract high-value jobs, (even though we keep insisting we are).
I was asked by my professor to do my PHD because I was one of the first undergrads to write, publish and present a paper in USA.
I rejected that in the end, because in Singapore, if you get a PHD, a strange thing occurs. You become overqualified for most jobs in Singapore, and your choices become extremely restricted.
So unless you want to go the academic route, do not take a PHD, coz it will cause you more pain in Singapore, than benefits.
I am not surprised by Dr Cai's experience. Unless you decide to uproot yourself to find jobs overseas for PHD holders, it is more difficult to get a PHD level job in Singapore.
well, after 16 years, what had he done to improve people health and life as a life scientist. Prove it. Do You know that there are alot of useless AStar foreign PhD walking around doing nothing at the cost of tax payers money, if oppositions is to rally for a point, i guess let Angel teach you where to look for, so far, what had life science and genome research done in Singapore after pouring in billions of dollars into it, if you go and visit their sci park, you see individual office after office of Dr and Drs especially from China and Indian doing nothing but admiring and planting their bonsai or roses.
And when the govt investment went sour, they start to think of a way to rise funds, other than increasing taxes they now also kick off those useless bums at A Star just to save some fund. Did opposition ever question what is going on in the A Star research and development centre, so far, what medicine had they really make to change this world and thereby make our country famous and prosperous. If Pifzer can produce viagra within 2 years, what is our highly paid foreign fools doing in the research centre, chasing butterflies?? Dun come and bull with me, good scientists and top notch peoples dun come here, it is only those beggars PhD who cannot get a job in their own country then come here to switch off. You understand?
I think my fav katong laska auntie
still better far off then those A star PHD jokers
at leas auntie contribute to the society
by selling nice laska
So long no eat katong laska..
Originally posted by angel7030:well, after 16 years, what had he done to improve people health and life as a life scientist. Prove it. Do You know that there are alot of useless AStar foreign PhD walking around doing nothing at the cost of tax payers money, if oppositions is to rally for a point, i guess let Angel teach you where to look for, so far, what had life science and genome research done in Singapore after pouring in billions of dollars into it, if you go and visit their sci park, you see individual office after office of Dr and Drs especially from China and Indian doing nothing but admiring and planting their bonsai or roses.
And when the govt investment went sour, they start to think of a way to rise funds, other than increasing taxes they now also kick off those useless bums at A Star just to save some fund. Did opposition ever question what is going on in the A Star research and development centre, so far, what medicine had they really make to change this world and thereby make our country famous and prosperous. If Pifzer can produce viagra within 2 years, what is our highly paid foreign fools doing in the research centre, chasing butterflies?? Dun come and bull with me, good scientists and top notch peoples dun come here, it is only those beggars PhD who cannot get a job in their own country then come here to switch off. You understand?
this time, you are right
some of our a star phd are from china which are not ... ...
Originally posted by I'm back:this time, you are right
some of our a star phd are from china which are not ... ...
excuse me, what you mean by i am right this time, I am alway right all the time ok.
Originally posted by angel7030:
excuse me, what you mean by i am right this time, I am alway right all the time ok.
cos you are always replying irrelevant ans
but you have freedom of speech
Originally posted by noahnoah:
I think my fav katong laska auntie
still better far off then those A star PHD jokers
at leas auntie contribute to the society
by selling nice laska
So long no eat katong laska..
if they are jokers is ok, at lease we can share some jokes, but if you will to talk and see them, all look very dumb and talk nonsense, some even look somber, may have a few booze of Indian Samsu or Chinese Ni er hong before presenting themselves.
Originally posted by I'm back:
cos you are always replying irrelevant ansbut you have freedom of speech
only the smart one can truly understand my answers and replies, if you dun get it, too bad.
Originally posted by angel7030:
only the smart one can truly understand my answers and replies, if you dun get it, too bad.
i already mention
YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
Originally posted by angel7030:
only the smart one can truly understand my answers and replies, if you dun get it, too bad.
When you use your clitoris as your tongue to express your words from the mouth in your Taiwanese 'hum' - the dogs will come to listen to you.
It is not a surprise that the X-rated Dog will run to your defense as both of you can satisfy each other's needs for attention.
Stick it out as far as you can and see if the X-rated Dog will not clip it with its teeth, just remember to hang on to its tail and wag it hard to get your orgasmic fix.
Too bad for you if it takes all the attention and leave your "Attention Seeking Whore" feeling sore.
.
Originally posted by I'm back:
i already mentionYOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
freedom is in the mind of each individual, if you keep thinking that you are in a cage, you will alway be in a cage, likewise, if you think that you go so much freedom in life, so be it, in Life, it's a matter of to be or not to be.
I think this Dr Cai's talent is not fully used n he should go back to China to do research. In this case driving a taxi is really too much considering the talent.
I wonder if many of the foreign professional read this case, they might think twice before taking the local citizenship.
During the extreme Communist period, China people dun concentrate on business, as there is no opportunity to do business, everything is consider state own, therefore many seek to study science and technology inorder to have a strong hold in the communist status of life. In my Secondary years, there was once a nuclear physicist from Dalian, China came as invited speaker during our hall assembly ceremony. He said that his paid in China was only $250 sg dollars, and that is consider alots, but the state provided him house, maids, cooks, driver and a car, he live well, but still poor.
Today, businessmen in china are making billions of dollars and the young are not seeking for doctorate, they rather do Business study and hopefully can end up be a MD, CEO or doing private business. Therefore, those PhD find it hard to get job, and also because of years of studying, they are good in teaching and doing research, coming to work in a profit generating organisation, they failed miserably.
Originally posted by noahnoah:
I think my fav katong laska auntie
still better far off then those A star PHD jokers
at leas auntie contribute to the society
by selling nice laska
So long no eat katong laska..
ya lor ya lor... the whole world nowadays is really a joke....i really wish WW III will come soon.... after that everyone can go back to a basic normal life... live by the forest to hunt.. with a pond to fish ... do some farming in the garden...and some hard fucking to end the day...... that's simple life to me....
Originally posted by angel7030:well, after 16 years, what had he done to improve people health and life as a life scientist. Prove it. Do You know that there are alot of useless AStar foreign PhD walking around doing nothing at the cost of tax payers money, if oppositions is to rally for a point, i guess let Angel teach you where to look for, so far, what had life science and genome research done in Singapore after pouring in billions of dollars into it, if you go and visit their sci park, you see individual office after office of Dr and Drs especially from China and Indian doing nothing but admiring and planting their bonsai or roses.
And when the govt investment went sour, they start to think of a way to rise funds, other than increasing taxes they now also kick off those useless bums at A Star just to save some fund. Did opposition ever question what is going on in the A Star research and development centre, so far, what medicine had they really make to change this world and thereby make our country famous and prosperous. If Pifzer can produce viagra within 2 years, what is our highly paid foreign fools doing in the research centre, chasing butterflies?? Dun come and bull with me, good scientists and top notch peoples dun come here, it is only those beggars PhD who cannot get a job in their own country then come here to switch off. You understand?
My answer back to you is, go look at his list of publications, which I presume you have not. Coz if you have, you would not be asking what he has done and for him to prove it.
The so-called proof that you are asking for is publications, which are a researcher's form of output, aside from the awards and media interviews.
In the university, a professor has to be able to publish a certain no. of publications in Rank 1 conferences before he can achieve Full Professor status.
That's how things are like in the research domain.
I think there are good and bad eggs in ALL industries, yours included. You are throwing all into the same basket, which is a statement of speculative generalization. I have been to Biopolis during one of my wine-tasting sessions, and I have met researchers that are from universities such as UCLA and some other top USA universities.
Originally posted by angel7030:
During the extreme Communist period, China people dun concentrate on business, as there is no opportunity to do business, everything is consider state own, therefore many seek to study science and technology inorder to have a strong hold in the communist status of life. In my Secondary years, there was once a nuclear physicist from Dalian, China came as invited speaker during our hall assembly ceremony. He said that his paid in China was only $250 sg dollars, and that is consider alots, but the state provided him house, maids, cooks, driver and a car, he live well, but still poor.
Which part of the Communist period in China does a Taiwanese 'hum' intend to refer as being "the extreme Communist period" ?
Under the Communist system if everything is state owned, can anyone freely decide to study science and technology, or is it not also subject to the State to decide and to approve what is required from the individual to meet the goals of the State ?
Even as a secondary school kid, the Taiwanese 'hum' is already trained to poke its nose into everything that does not concern the 'hum' - it is not a surprise that as a grown up now it will poke its clitoris into everyone simply to attract attention to itself and satisfy its needs as an "Attention Seeking Whore".
Today, businessmen in china are making billions of dollars and the young are not seeking for doctorate, they rather do Business study and hopefully can end up be a MD, CEO or doing private business. Therefore, those PhD find it hard to get job, and also because of years of studying, they are good in teaching and doing research, coming to work in a profit generating organisation, they failed miserably.
Generalisations, and more generalisations based on pure ASS-umptions, and more ASS-umptions.
The Taiwanese 'hum' perform best when it indulges in petty gossips that begins with pure speculations and wild assumptions.
All its flippant statements made are designed to disrupt and create controversies with its baseless claims that are meant to stop the flow of the thread and redirect everyone to its own controversies.
The brilliance of a Taiwanese 'hum' is seen best as an "Attention Seeking Whore".
.
AIyo, it seems like he had a choice to look for another job else (perhaps not in SG) but instead he decided to take up that job, simple as that, but why am I seeing people saying government never help him this and that.
Low IQ people is low IQ.
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Originally posted by HeartHunter:AIyo, it seems like he had a choice to look for another job else (perhaps not in SG) but instead he decided to take up that job, simple as that, but why am I seeing people saying government never help him this and that.
Low IQ people is low IQ.
He was known to make noise over small shit.
Quite funny indeed, when most Singaporeans despite foreign talents here, and yet when one get booth out, Singaporeans start to sympathise him...one out, millions to go ya.