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Now over a decade old, Professional Science Master's degrees are proving themselves to be a practical and valuable alternative to a Ph.D.

The tapas of Barcelona, the Prado of Madrid, and the architecture of Sevilla are all international draws to the nation of Spain, but its scientific heritage has not always been so noteworthy.

Proliferating water problems are building a wave of opportunities for scientific expertise, knowledge, and innovative solution. Here's a look at the growing pool of diverse needs

Although academia and industry differ in many ways, the two environments are ultimately more similar than they are different.

Systems biology and bioinformatics want you. These highly collaborative fields are looking for biologists, engineers, chemists, mathematicians, and computer programmers.

You've reached a career milestone: managing your own lab. This recognition of your achievements attests to your hard work, attention to detail, commitment to a goal—and outstanding science. But be prepared. You're about to face challenges you may not have considered.

After completing their graduate studies, many scientists have moved away from the bench and found rewarding careers in areas from grant administration to venture capital. While still making use of the training and skills gained during graduate school, these "alternative" careers are a better match for many.

Denmark's Øresund bridge—connecting Copenhagen to southern Sweden—symbolizes the country's strengths in connecting basic and applied research, and academic and corporate interests.

In the idealized career path, a scientist goes straight from earning an undergraduate degree to graduate school, and then on to a postdoc and eventual employment, without breaks between positions. For various reasons, however, not all scientists' career paths are nearly so linear.

Collectively, the US government is the largest single employer in America, filling approximately 1.6 million full-time, permanent positions; however, in reality, the US government consists of several hundred smaller employers, each of which has its own individual function and culture. As a result, the opportunities offered by government jobs are wide ranging, and the needs are diverse.

Understanding the brain is considered one of the grand quests of science, partly due to the conviction that the brain holds the key to what makes us human.

The year 2009 has been a time of change for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. With a weakened global economy and dwindling drug pipelines, many of the companies that made the list of Science's 2009 top employers are finding that maintaining innovation through collaborations and partnerships is critical to success.

The global financial crisis has beaten down science budgets everywhere. So it's no surprise that science-spending forecasts for Europe are grim.

'Publish or perish' is the scientist's maxim—with good reason. Career advancement hinges on publications. But data generation requires dollars. And as the time it takes for investigators to become financially independent grows, the old adage may also motivate early-career researchers to capitalize on their youth.

"I think there is an increased awareness of the contributions postdocs make."

The selection of a doctoral program: it's not quite marriage, but it's a long-term commitment that could turn into a lifetime relationship, perhaps impacting—positively or negatively—the rest of your research career.