Thank you for your interest. Although we do perform enzyme/protein engineering, we use it as a tool to probe mechanisms rather than attempt to make a better catalyst for certain biotransformations. I highly respect those graduates from 985 institutions. However, at the postdoctoral level, whether or not it is a good fit with the prior training background is essential. From your brief description, I'm afraid that we would not be a good match. One exception is that if you have experience (success) with engineering unnatural amino acid in a protein, I would be very much interested.
We have already discussed safety concerns in this blog. Please read my earlier posts.
As to the rank of GSU, the answer to your question is "Yes, it probably will, unfortunately". The Chemistry Department is currently listed as #117 by US News. This is not high, primarily because of the ranking system is more weighted by subjective method (department heads' votes etc.) rather than objective, and also it is much behind the actual status. I wanted to give you one number: The GSU Chemistry Department is currently the best federally funded department in the entire south eastern area. You may look at our NIH funding level (one of the best measures for research level) at http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm?CFID. Enter each university and select Chemistry department and then search. Here is a list you will be generating one by one:
GSU Chemistry 25 faculty: 9 R01s (this number will be 11, starting from 9/1/2014 because another colleague and myself have incoming R01s.
Emory Chemistry 25 faculty--US News ranking #25: 4 R01s.
UGA Chemistry, 48 faculty (not including adjunct)--US News ranking #56: 4 R01s including R01 equivalents (i.e., R00 & R37).
GaTech Chemistry and Biochemistry, about 50 faculty--US News ranking #24: 6R01s.
Vanderbilt University Chemistry 35 faculty + 20 research professors (non-tenure track)--US News ranking #45: 6 R01s.
University of Florida Chemistry, 37 Faculty--US News ranking #35: 3 R01s.
Auburn University Chemistry--US News ranking #96, 28 Faculty: 1 R01.
NIH is the largest federal funding agency in the US. Each R01 is over 1 million dollars, which allow faculty to hire postdocs and do top-notch research. Thus, GSU Chemistry is much under rated and its rank will go up very quickly in the next couple of years!
I understand that 国内看排名. 国外更看重导师. 再说 professors often transfer to different universities from time to time for a variety of reasons, especially when they become very successful. If you are hesitating, then you'd better looks elsewhere. Hope these will help.
回复此楼