Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

Interesting carreer. I started out in pharmaceuticals, moved into plastics and finally worked for a company that manufactured pesticides. Would follow the route of pesticides (and their metabolites) from the time they were applied to crops to see if/when they entered the food chain and ultimate fate. One study followed a fungicide sprayed on apples to becoming a componet of milk fed to babies. (Go figure but it's a tortuous path that can happen). Don't know where you're from but have you ever attended the Pittsburgh Conference, guess it's called Pitcon now. Largest expo in world for analytical chemistry and applied spectroscopy. Started in Pittsburgh but is now held all over country east of Mississippi.

JBRIII

Went periodically, first one in Atlantic City before gambling, also to Chicago, New Orleans, and Orlando (determined here that my brain is not designed to ride Space mountain six times in 39-45 minute time period). Went to EAS almost every year, Animal science early on then Agronomy. Generally 2 to 3 meetings a year and one overseas, travel was pretty easy during most of my career as long as you presented or were invited, but tighten up a lot now I believe.
Money can always be a problem, but in government trends are mainly political, some idiot or group does something stupid and the edicts come down on everyone. Around 2010, the rules/restrictions/requirements became so burdensome that for some meetings it became impossible to meet the gov. rules and those of the meeting, i.e., getting permission to go versus getting an abstract accepted which also required paying registration by certain date to prevent no-shows. They did like work related travel, i.e., working with someone else, spent fair amount in Bologna, Italy and then Rio in Brazil.
I'll end with this, many people think you do not have to work in the gov. Where I worked you needed to produce so many peer-reviewed articles each year, if not, younger beginners were released, older ones demoted or fired, and yes I saw established scientists as high as GS14 demoted.
Jim

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

I stopped going to the Pittsburgh Conference when it left Atlantic City. After several twists in my chemistry career path, I ended up co-owner of a company that made pneumatic and electric nutrunners, i.e. tools to tighten threaded fastners. On a lighter note. My latest "nerdy" T shirt has a caption

6.023 X 10^23 quacas = 1 quacamole
made with real avogadros

Not too many Hoggers will get that one.

Rabbott Loc: Grass Valley , California

no way in hell i'd take that shot !!

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

The flu shot? Why not?