Lives in Science: How Institutions Affect Academic Careers

338 Pages·2009·0.84 MB·English

by  Joseph C. Hermanowicz

LIVES IN SCIENCE

Lives in Science
HOW INSTITUTIONS AFFECT ACADEMIC CAREERS
Joseph C. Hermanowicz
The University of Chicago Press Chicago and London
joseph c. hermanowicz is associate professor of
sociology at the University of Georgia.
The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637
The University of Chicago Press, Ltd., London
© 2009 by The University of Chicago
All rights reserved. Published 2009
Printed in the United States of America
16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 1 2 3 4 5
isbn-13: 978-0-226-32761-7 (cloth)
isbn-10: 0-226-32761-2 (cloth)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hermanowicz, Joseph C.
Lives in science : how institutions affect academic careers /
Joseph C. Hermanowicz.
p. cm.
Sequel to: The stars are not enough.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn-13: 978-0-226-32761-7 (cloth : alk. paper)
isbn-10: 0-226-32761-2 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Physics — Vocational guidance. 2. Physicists — Social
aspects. I. Hermanowicz, Joseph C. Stars are not enough.
II. Title.
qc29.h47 2009
530.023 — dc22
2008028283
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum
requirements of the American National Standard for
Information Sciences — Permanence of Paper for Printed
Library Materials, ansi z39.48-1992.
In honor of my mother
The career, when success has been achieved, is certainly
very pleasant; but the agonies which are endured in the search
for that success are often terrible.
anthony trollope, An Autobiography
CONTENTS List of Tables • ix
Acknowledgments • xi
INTRODUCTION • 1
Guiding Theoretic Perspectives • 4 / Physics and Physicists • 16
Organization of the Book • 19
CHAPTER 1 Following the Scientists • 21
Foundations of the Follow-up Study • 21 / Research Design and Sample • 33
The Ten-Year Career Interval • 39 / The Fieldwork • 45 / Analysis of Data • 51
Academic Worlds Then and Now • 57
CHAPTER 2 Early- to Mid-Career Passages • 76
Professional Profi le • 76 / Early Career Patterns • 82 / Elites • 86
Pluralists • 104 / Communitarians • 116 / Summary • 129
CHAPTER 3 Mid- to Late-Career Passages • 138
Professional Profi le • 138 / Mid-Career Patterns • 143 / Elites • 146
Pluralists • 155 / Communitarians • 164 / Summary • 171
CHAPTER 4 Late- to Post-Career Passages • 178
Professional Profi le • 178 / Late-Career Patterns • 183 / Elites • 187
Pluralists • 198 / Communitarians • 205 / Summary • 211
CHAPTER 5 Lives of Learning • 217
Expectations and the Rhythm of Careers • 218 / Anomie and Adaptation • 221
Reference Groups and Social Control • 227 / Selection of Reference Groups • 234
Rejection of Reference Groups • 237 / Social Control of the Life Course • 240
Careers in Other Academic Fields • 252 / Future Cohorts of Scientists and Contexts
of Science • 260
APPENDIX A Interview Protocol — Foundational Study, 1998 • 269
APPENDIX B Contact Letter to Scientists • 272
APPENDIX C Thank-You Letter to Scientists • 274
APPENDIX D Interview Protocol—Longitudinal Study, 2004 • 275
APPENDIX E Post-Interview Questionnnaire • 279
APPENDIX F Departmental Questionnaire • 281
APPENDIX G Propositions Generated by the Study • 288
Notes • 295
References • 303
Index • 319
TABLES
1 Sample titles and authors of popular books in physics • 18
2 Interview questions on career success and failure • 24
3 Correspondence between departmental identity and institutional
identity, by National Research Council rankings • 29
4 Number of scientists, foundational study • 30
5 Institutional classifi cation systems • 32
6 Research design • 35
7 Voluntary and involuntary attrition • 36
8 Scientists who moved to other institutions • 36
9 Institutional types to which scientists moved • 36
10 Graduate institutions of scientists, by current institutional
identity • 38
11 Number of scientists, longitudinal study • 40
12 Rank advancement of scientists • 41
13 Age, age ranges, and years of experience of scientists • 44
14 Retired scientists • 45
15 Summary sources of data • 51
16 Conditions of practice at foundational study • 58
17 Conditions of practice at longitudinal study • 62
18 Administrator-reported change in departments • 68
19 Federal spending for academic research • 72
20 Cohort characteristics: The early- to mid-career cohort • 77
21 Early-career patterns of scientists • 84
22 Early- to mid-career patterns of scientists • 130
23 Cohort characteristics: The mid- to late-career cohort • 139
24 Mid-career patterns of scientists • 144
25 Mid- to late-career patterns of scientists • 173
26 Cohort characteristics: The late- to post-career cohort • 179
27 Late-career patterns of scientists • 184