Comments on: Space Science vs Down-to-Earth Science.

By: Nerdy Science Blog » Blog Archive » Reasons to be, and Not to be a Scientist.

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:29:26 +0000

[...] beloved country, which, honestly speaking, I find hard to comment about it. However, I did write a little bit about [...]

By: Nerdy Science Blog » Blog Archive » Bio-related Job Prospective In Malaysia?

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:39:31 +0000

[...] one of the Nerdy Science Blog blogger commended that “doing science in Malaysia can be pretty depressing, and passion killing most of the time.” She also shared her experience working in private lab as another painstaking experience [...]

By: WTJ

WTJ — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:52:32 +0000

that’s the difference between malaysia industries and other countries’, malaysia just ain’t focus on R&D.

By: Lau

Lau — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 03:47:11 +0000

potential commercial research with only 3 yrs term should be something that have been well established with their background researches, methods, and etc, with of course potential commercial value, and ready to commercialize. The main objective of the research you mentioned should be make the research outcome commercialize able and put it into commercial line. But not something start from scratch.

I involved in this kind of project yrs ago (clinical product, not commercial), also 3 yrs grant from MOSTI, it was a great project with great idea, it can be done, one of the groups had archive their objective instead, but peoples ruin it.

but again, this is different from condition of private labs in Malaysia. Private labs here, you are given strict guidelines to follow, numerous trial and error of validations to perform when start setting up the lab. No research involve at all as far as I concern. Enterpuer might invest in institutional projects, but not in their private labs.

By: WTJ

WTJ — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:43:44 +0000

from my studies, even the australian funding are for potential commercial research that can actually earn the money, it’s not 5 years term, but it’s 3 years in aus.
I guess same problem occurs in many countries as the politicians expect instant result, they just want the success result that earns them money but not the painstaking process.

By: Kean-Jin Lim

Kean-Jin Lim — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 05:02:06 +0000

Correction for my previous comment:

“I strongly BELIEVE this world already free of ILLNESSES or maybe we already able to travel between galaxies!”

I believe your situation in private lab. I saw that by myself. Money is major concern in private lab. Workers’ health?

That is class 1 laminar air flow cabinet. Well, I used to work on this cabinet for 5 years during my MSc I worked with E-coli plus bacteriophage all the times. As the result, I have had a mild fever every times I finished my work.

Maybe someone will says: “Hey, look at the bright side, you are enhancing your body’s antibody system.”

They know science? My foot. They know money. When you are sick, they can hire other to replace you.

Sometimes, I just wish (bad karma thought, better not) their own sibling(s) have a chance to go through it. We will see how they react to that condition after all!

By: Lau

Lau — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:20:58 +0000

I tell u, my experience in private sector was pain in ass! They expect us to do magic in lab with cheap and shameful equipments, and they want to make monies out of that!

Can u believe they actually asked me to isolate Legionella sp in a cheap laminar flow with NO glass shield? The air blow DIRECTLY onto my face! I’ve been giving hours of lectures trying to tell them the reason it cannot be done in the lab, but they avoiding it and continuing with the business!

I quit after 1 mth, and this was only one of the stories.

SIGH.

By: Kean-Jin Lim

Kean-Jin Lim — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:42:33 +0000

I attended this kind of meeting before for project I did for my MSc.

Yes, the project was funded by MOSTI and the time frame was 5 years. We had 5 groups involved in this project, each of us had different approach of study. However, when we tried to convince staff from MOSTI that we need more funding to further the project, MOSTI refused our suggestion. They want figures only (progress and financial report).

As the result, the project just stopped with preliminary results obtained. What a waste in term of money (tax payers money) and time of researchers and students!

Friend of mine worked in private laboratory for the last few years. The boss keep on thinking that research just like cooking class, adding this and that then you’ll get the result as you wish. IF you can’t make it then you were the person to be blamed.

IF any research can get promising result(s) in 5 years time or like cooking class. I strongly this world already free of illness or maybe we already able to travel between galaxies!