lp28 Some thoughts on how to train, select and support future cell physiologists

In his book, "Out of My Later Years" (Wings Books, New York, 1956), Albert Einstein wrote the following:

• "No one could have been taken seriously who failed to acknowledge the quest for objective truth and knowledge as man's highest and eternal aim." ( p. 7 in Chapter 4 on Moral Decay).
• "The development of science and of creative activities of the spirit in general requires still another kind of freedom, which may be characterized as inward freedom. It is this freedom of the spirit which consists in the independence of thought from the restrictions of authoritarian and social prejudices as well as from unphilosophical routinizing and habit in general. This inward freedom is an infrequent gift of nature and a worthy objective for the individual." ( p. 11 in Chapter 6, On Freedom)
• "If a young man has trained his muscles and physical endurance by gymnastics and walking, he will later be fitted for every physical work. This is also analogous to the training of the mind and the exercising of mental and manual skill. Thus the wit was not wrong who defined education in this way: 'Education is that which remains, if one has forgotten everything he learned in school.'"( p.34 in Chapter 9. On Education)

Agreeing with Professor Einstein on these critical comments, I sketch out some of my own thoughts on how to educate, select and nurture future generations of young cell physiologists. It must be emphasized that these are nothing more than rambling thoughts to be the starting points for future deliberation and discussion. They are not intended to be anything final or fixed.

• The new system will support individual scientists, rather than research projects of current interest--- as it stands to day.
• The best individuals are selected not by their appeals to peers or the influential people one knows, but by a nation-wide examination system open to all qualified applicants on subjects carefully selected and made known to would-be applicants long in advance. The examination must be skillfully designed so that it would not just select students skilled at memorizing facts and even the proficiecy in mastering difficult subjects but that it would choose those blessed with a purposeful view of life, a personal integrity and "inner freedom". It would be a very difficult examination and it is intended to be so.
• Once chosen, the scientists will be given life-time support for full time continuing self-education and research without teaching/ administrative responsibilities.(This is nothing outlandish. All Washington bureaucrats enjoy similar life-time support.)
• By choosing the right subjects for the examination, the system can also guide the education of future scientists. Thus the applicant should be well versed in all branches of basic physical and mathematical sciences---which are the "tools" of a cell physiologist---, but also the history of science in general and of cell physiology in particular. Special emphasis will be placed on in-depth understanding the ethical rules of science as well as guidelines for the day-to-day faultless conduct of a scientist, including the responsibility to protect the health and integrity of Science of which he or she is a part.