Many life science graduate students surveyed recently by the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (NAGPS) expressed either dissatisfaction with, or a lack of knowledge of the career guidance and placement services provided by their institutions. Of the 7,400 life science graduate and doctoral students surveyed, 41-76 percent rated their institutions less than satisfactory on each of four measures of professional development listed in the National Doctorate Survey or reported they did not know anything about their institution's workforce preparation services. Overall, the life sciences received a grade of C for career guidance and placement services; only the physical sciences received a better grade--a C+--when broken down by discipline. By contacting graduate network associations and asking institutions to help publicize the survey, NAGPS generated report cards for more than 1,300 doctoral programs, including 302 life sciences programs. The majority of survey participants expressed contentment with their programs, but they also revealed some deficiencies. "By and large, students may be satisfied overall; but there probably aren't too many programs that couldn't use improvement in at least one aspect," observes Adam Fagen, co-chair of the national doctoral survey. The survey also acts as a guide for students looking into graduate programs, and includes state-by-state and institution-by-institution information. "By making this information available, we can remind prospective students about some of the things to take into consideration when choosing a graduate program," Fagen says.
SEC Nixes Anti-Anthrax Claims
The Securities and Exchange Commission cracked down on three companies with claims of producing anthrax-killing technologies--a move that serves as a warning, even to scientists working on early-stage bioterrorism antidotes. The SEC ordered Disease Sciences Inc. of Boca Raton, Fla. and The Classica Group Inc. of Lakewood N.J. to cease and desist advertising anti-anthrax technologies that neither had been tested nor had proven effective against spores that have arrived in the mail. Regulators found a third company, R-Tec Technologies Inc. of Flanders, N.J., falsely claimed to have developed and patented a chemical and biological alarm and neutralization defense system, or "C-BAND." R-Tec claimed the C-BAND was the "first mechanically operated system designed to protect civilians in every day life from biological and chemical terror attacks." The rules under which the agency acted are the same for all businesses raising funds, a SEC lawyer says. That means scientists working to get their bioterrorism prevention inventions bankrolled by private sources should take care to avoid exaggerated claims, according to Barry Rashkover, associate regional director for the SEC's Northeast Regional Office. "The anti-fraud provisions of the securities laws apply whenever anyone is offering or selling a security. Depending on the nature and characteristics, that often means when someone is selling an investment," Rashkover says. "Just because the company is not a publicly held corporation does not mean it is not offering or selling securities." Executives of the three companies involved in last week's action did not return calls for comment. All three firms consented to the SEC's cease and desist order without admitting or denying the agency's findings of fraud. In a press release, Classica Group says it based its claims on the opinions of experts including "microbiologists and other scientists who may be either employed by or independent of the company."
