I am a Spanish scientist

Tuesday 18 June 2013
Yes. It is true. I am Spanish and I am a scientist. But, unfortunately, I didn't find a stable (or even unstable) job in my country, as I would have liked to. I am not going to win a Nobel prize, and I know there are much better scientists in Spain than I am, but I don't consider myself a bad investment. 

I am not going to detail my career path, but I have to say that the Spanish government has spent a lot of money (a lot for me, not for them) in my training. But, after all the money invested in me, I was not able to be absorbed by the system. I am now working abroad. 

I read the news about the protests in Spain, in Nature, Science, Physics Today... and I am not surprised. They don't even care to receive a letter addressed to the minister. Of course, we don't even have a proper science ministry. It was eliminated, with the 39% of the budget for science since 2009. 

I think I have been a loss of money for my country. They paid for my training, and I am now increasing the excellence of another country. And they don't care at all. Our government prefers to pay patents and import technology from other countries, and be just a place for sun, beach and parties in Europe. That's the image we are selling, and I am not very proud of it. 

Photo from here.

No comments :