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Thanks everyone, I was also thinking Chapel Hill but wasn't totally sure about it, my degree is in BioChemistry so I would like to finish pursuing that avenue and I've heard good things about the research triangle
Do you want to go back to grad school? There are a lot of science folks in this area with a lot of advanced degrees. I constantly feel under-degreed with my measly old BA. I think both Duke and UNC have good biochem programs. And there are a lot of science and biotech companies in the area.
If you're in school, shouldn't the #1 priority be where a school accepts you in your field?
Duke is very well-known, but in academia, you need to worry about the university much more than the town itself. Come visit and see the campus, but unless you get in and it's got a reputable program in your field, it doesn't really matter how much you like the city, right?
Well, we have the university or two covered w/a couple to spare I think.
Durham isn't technically a small town. Actually the city is just about the size of the whole county. That said, if you fall into an area (downtown, south Durham, etc) each area has its own vibe & feel. Looking for restaurants, shoping, etc in a 20 minute radius should be very possible.
For public transportation, check out the DATA bus routes. I know they are re-vamping them & tweaking to improve the on-time arrivals, so this may change. But should give you an idea. I know in downtown they have a free bus that runs through downtown. Outside of the immediate downtown area it is a fare to ride. Durham, NC - City of Medicine
There is also Amtrak. I work with one guy who takes Amtrak from somewhere in Raleigh to the office here in Durham, so that is an option.
Compared to MI this will seem great. We relocated from New England three years ago & love the mild "winters". It does get cold & you may scrape frost off your windows a few mornings, but no shoveling out from a 10+ inch snowstorm every other week.
As for jobs, as others said, depends on your field. I think you mentioned bio-chemistry? Check out the RTP area. There are all types of companies & perhaps you would find a match? If you are coming to visit I would strongly recommend putting out a few feelers. See if you can get an interview or two. Or maybe find a job placement company that could help you with some advance leg work here in the area for you.
One other comment, keep all your reciepts and trip details. When we ended up re-locating, much of the cost involved in coming down for the job interviews & relocation costs were tax deductable (another good reason for lining up at least one job interview while in the area).
I know the rules have changed over the past few years, but if you can deduct even a portion of it off your taxes, you want to be sure you have the paperwork for it.
I'm a fan of both Durham (really the entire Triangle area) and Austin, but it seems to me that more practical considerations may be needed. You say you're interested in pursuing a PhD. Those programs typically admit only a small number of people whose research interests align closely with those of the faculty. You should consider the university/program you want to attend, even the individual faculty members you potentially want to work with, before deciding where to move.
The Triangle has a lot of opportunities in biotech, so this could be a great place to find a job after you get your doctorate. But unless you like moving around a lot, it might not be a great idea to settle on this or any location if there is a decent chance you'll need to go elsewhere to pursue your education.
from the wife of someone who just completed a PhD program last year & who therefore has somewhat of an inside track on the current state of grad school in general & on grad school in the area schools (of which there are many): i would very much recommend that you figure out the school track before you relocate. this could help you avoid time & expense in moving somewhere only to pick up & move again within the year.
this is a great area for biochem & it is a great area for sciences in general. you could do well, but i'd make sure you have the pieces of the puzzle in place before relocating (i.e., transferring undergrad into a school then applying for grad school from there).
FWIW, Duke's Biochemistry dept is a mess right now. Go look at the faculty list. Yeah, there are 8 national academies members listed, but how many of them are emeritus? Do you know what field you want to go in to? If it's not structural biology, then Duke is not your place. It's the only thing Duke's BCH dept is strong in right now. Duke tends to accept too many students and then you end up repeating your first year as you join a lab in another department (if Duke adopted an umbrella program, like most other universities, then this wouldn't be a problem).
I love when people trash public trans...and probably never took it or grew up around any. I grew up 30 miles from NYC and public trans. sucked...unless you were going to NYC, then it was great. Otherwise it was way slower than driving.
Here in Durham, the buses have good coverage. But it OBVIOUSLY takes longer than driving. I took the bus(6B) the other day from right down the block from my house, transferred to the Bull City Connector at Duke and got off on Broad St. Walked one block to the garage fixing my truck. It took 1/2 hour. Yes, I could have driven in 5-10 minutes. But ANYONE who expects public trans to be as fast as driving and as convenient isn't dealing in reality. My wife used to take the bus from home to work at IBM in RTP. It took an hour. (Driving takes 20 min.) No way to sugar coat that. But its way faster than walking and cheaper than taxi. So you deal with it if you dont have a car. The closer to downtown, the more choices for buses you have.
Chapel Hill has one of the best bus systems in the Nation. Free and fast. Still WAY slower than driving. But part of the equation is there is HARDLY any parking and you will PAY to park most places(downtown,hospital,University area.)
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