Re: [Sci.nanotech] Career Advice in Nanotechnology



"Kaumodaki09@xxxxxxxxx" <Kaumodaki09@xxxxxxxxx> writes:
I am from a computer sciences background & wanna get into a management
related role with start ups in nanotechnology.

It is, in general, difficult to be an effective manager in a
technically oriented organization without having as much technical
background as the people you are managing. Anything else leads to PHB
syndrome. This is doubly true in startups.

For that I am planning to pursue a Msc in nanotechnology or advanced
materials/materials science from the UK & then later topping it up
with a MBA/Management of technology/MSTC program from the USA.

However Im not sure about the most practical subject line to study to
give me my desired profile.

That depends on what you are most interested in, and even in how you
define "nanotechnology". "Nanotechnology" once had a meaning, but it
is now mostly a buzzword used to procure funding. The term, such as it
is, covers areas as diverse as materials science, synthetic organic
chemistry, modern microelectronics, etc., as well as the more
traditional molecular manufacturing vision. I'm personally rather
unhappy with this trend, since the word originally only covered
molecular manufacturing, but one must accept that it has happened.

Rather than pursuing "nanotechnology" I would suggest you figure out
which of the very diverse things that are labeled "nanotechnology" is
most interesting to you and pursue that. The areas in question are not
sufficiently related to permit expertise in all of them.

Should I do a general course in nanotechnology,which acquaints me with
a bit of everything in nanotechnology without giving me a
specialization in a particular branch, or do I pick up a particular
branch like nano electronic devices or material sciences.

If you do a little bit of everything, you might get some idea what you
find most interesting, but you are unlikely to get the sort of
specialization needed to do anything interesting in a startup
environment. I will also note that, from my own viewpoint, I would
never hire a manager in a technical organization who hadn't been an
individual contributor in science or engineering efforts in the same
field in the past.


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Perry E. Metzger perry@xxxxxxxxxxxx

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