My first job in America

My first job in America was in New York at Professor Stanley Yulik’s endocrinology laboratory.    In the laboratory, I felt like a fish in water.  Like in any laboratory, regular seminars were held where progress or failures were reported, and possible directions for further research were discussed.   At that time, I didn’t speak English at all, but since formulas were drawn on the board, I quickly grasped the essence of the problem.   During one of the seminars, I finally understood the essence of the problem they were trying to solve and realized that it could be solved much more simply and quickly.   

So, without saying a word, I approached the board and drew the solution. Stanley asked, “Can you do this?”   I nodded affirmatively and most likely said, “Yes.” I knew that word. He looked at me with evident respect.   

A few weeks later, I completed the project, and a few days after that, Stanley Yulik approached me and said that I didn’t belong in his laboratory.   I understood that I was being fired and was very upset.   I was on a lab assistant’s salary, which was very little money, but for us, coming from the Soviet Union, it was enough and even left some extra.   After the stress associated with immigration, I finally found myself in an environment where I felt comfortable.   And now I had to look for a job again, possibly even move.   I was simply tired; I wanted to take a little break.   Rita insisted that I ask why he was firing me.   I learned some phrases.   Rita had good English; she graduated from a pedagogical institute with a degree in biology education in English.   

And Stanley explained the reason to me.   He said, “You see, on moral grounds, I can’t keep a scientist of your caliber on a lab assistant’s salary.   It’s immoral. Unfortunately, I don’t have a position that would correspond to your level.    But don’t worry, I’ll help you.   I’ll write a recommendation letter, and Julia (the secretary) will make copies and send them to good pharmaceutical companies.   I understand that you’re an academic scientist, but I think you’ll be better off at a good pharmaceutical company.   He was right. That’s how I ended up at CIBA-GEIGY.

To be honest, at that moment, Stanley’s behavior shocked me.   Moreover, after I started working at CIBA-GEIGY, based on the idea I proposed and implemented, Stanley wrote an article and sent me a copy.   Here it is.   He listed me as the first (!) author.  

What can I say?   I worked in Russia and America for 20 years each.   Such highly ethical behavior is extremely rare in Russia, while in America, it is more of a norm.