Changing Careers in Science and Engineering

Any shift in national priorities or the economy tends to jolt career orientations. "Too few of those who are equipped to move into new positions realize their opportunity," writes Dean Brown, "and many are cautious about entering areas whose future potential they do not fully understand."

This book, which grew out of a "Career Seminar for MIT Alumni" held at MIT in 1971, considers the many problems involved in changing career orientations while preserving the lively and informal style of discussions between speakers and audience. It is directed toward those who feel their careers are threatened by changes in national priorities and funding, as well as toward those who are advancing in their careers but have decided not to stay in the same place for the rest of their lives and are looking for information to help them make their decisions. Long-range personal career planning and training are emphasized rather than immediate job placement.

The various authors—among who are Jerome B. Wiesner, Secor D. Browne, Paul A. Samuelson, Charles A. Myers, Lee Grodzins, Paul Penfield, Jr., John Blair, Antony Herrey, and Wallace E. Vander Velde—examine the impact of changing federal funding policy on future employment opportunities, discuss the personal adjustment problems of shifting careers, and forecast overall needs for engineering, scientific, and managerial talent in the coming decade.

Dr. Sanborn C. Brown was professor emeritus of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and former associate dean of its graduate school.