Science funding in Germany

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  • Ariadne Threadlost's avatar Artist
    Ariadne Th...
  • DDG Model
    ChatGPT 2
  • Mode
    Pro
  • Access
    Public
  • Created
    12h ago
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Prompt

Two panels side by side. Both feature an identical modern office with a desk in the center and filing cabinets along the walls. On the desk, a flat screen, keyboard and mouse on one side and a large stack of binders on the other. Sitting behind the desk, an anthropomorphic mosquito in a business suit. On the other side of the desk stands an anthropomorphic cat in baggy jeans and pullover. In the first panel, the anthropomorphic cat holds a pice of paper towards the mosquito. The paper features three parts, the first part has the headline 'Our Aim' and beneath in smaller font 'Save the World'. The second part has the headline 'Our Promise' and beneath in smaller font 'A Miracle'. The third part has the headline 'Expected Costs' and beneath in smaller font 'Shoestring budget'. A speach bubble above the anthropomorphic cat says: 'I would like to submit my proposal.'. In the second panel, the anthropomorphic mosquito holds the same piece of paper as described for the first panel. A speach bubble above the anthropomorphic mosquito says: 'We will give you half the money you ask for and make that two miracles, please.'.

More about Science funding in Germany

The paper reads: Our Aim: save the world; Our Promise: A miracle; Exprected Costs: Shoestring budget.

This is what if feels like to submit a proposal in Germany: you have to promise more than you can realistically deliver, or you will be denied and if you do get accepted, they usually give you less than what you asked for, while demanding that you deliver more than you already pledged you would. On top of that, once you have funding, you need to find the researchers to do the work. This can take months. If your project has been cut down to just one year, this means that the researcher eventually has only a few months to do, what realistically would take two to three years to do. Once the project funding runs out, the researcher looses their job meaning all the knowledge and skills they acquired goes with them. In addition, many institutions are so strapped for cash that they use projects to do jobs that should be routine and continuous. For the researchers this means precarious employment conditions along with the need to frequently move and rebuild your life in a new place.
The consquences are mental and physical exhaustions from overwork and the constant worry of not finding another position.

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