Some thoughts on foreign graduate student citizenship

[JDPriestly]

5. I have a sister with a PhD in a math and computer field.

She continues to take science courses and is just brilliant, but she can't get good jobs. It is partly because people from foreign countries get those jobs and then hire others from their countries. They seem to discount the grades and qualifications of American-educated applicants.

I would rather see the US spend much more on identifying American-born children who show interest and talent for math and then helping them finance their education in science and math.

My kids were interested in math and science and really excelled in school. We are in a city in which they got a lot of opportunities to move ahead at their own speed. The key was that they were spotted early not just at home but by their teachers.

We need to do more to identify talented children and encourage them. Mentoring by professionals in science and math is a good idea in my opinion. American children are exposed to artists on television and in the movies. But rarely do they see or learn much about how satisfying professions in science and math can be.