India vs Europe vs USA

My personal views on research in 3 countries/continents –

DISCLAIMER: the list is by no means a comprehensive one

India

Pros:

1) Open source learning, good interaction among students

2) Urge to perform, understand and good awareness

3) People with good theoretical understanding

4) Low cost methods to do high-end research – enriches creativity

Cons:

1) Time consuming, not highly focused

2) Lack of good education in experiments

3) Not many get opportunity to do research

4) Not many are interested in research – ‘software company: big buck’ attitude

Europe

Pros:

1) Desire to understand a problem in depth, significant time spent on a problem

2) Research in groups, sharing of knowledge and resources, big projects

3) Technically superior than US and India, especially in high end instrumentation

4) Emphasis on conferences and proceeding

Cons:

1) Sometimes lack of drive and urgency - 9 to 5 attitude

2) Multiple languages

3) Pro-European preferences in positions

4) Hierarchy, high taxes

USA

Pros:

1) Magnificent drive among students and Profs

2) Group meetings – task driven meeting, deadlines etc.

3) Result oriented – ‘come what may we need to do’ attitude, thrust on applications

4) Competition – ‘do it before someone does’ attitude, if you are good, you thrive…

Cons:

1) Money, money, money – it’s a rat race for funding

2) anti open source – capitalistic view point

3) Indian and Chinese students used as cheap labor

4) ‘Black box’ attitude towards instruments