A huge part of the issue, which you hint at in #2, is the "training" part.
Most research is actually performed by trainees: undergrads, grad students, and some postdocs. This is silly because
1) the "training" is often pretty minimal (my PhD involved less coursework than an undergrad masters) and
2) most of the people doing most of the work have no idea what they are doing.
Nevertheless, this still happens because there are TONS of established funding mechanisms for trainees: REU (and similar per-university programs for undergrads), and individual (NRSA) and institutional training grants (T31) for postdocs and grad students.
In contrast, there are veryfew ways to fund more experienced individuals who are not running their own lab. This is bad for those people, and also bad for the institutions.
Sure, I don't want to sell my PhD program too short. There were lots of visiting speakers (which needs $$$), journal clubs, workshops and things like that. There was a terrific library, and an environment where many
That said, actual training on doing research was pretty damn thin on the group.
Most research is actually performed by trainees: undergrads, grad students, and some postdocs. This is silly because
1) the "training" is often pretty minimal (my PhD involved less coursework than an undergrad masters) and
2) most of the people doing most of the work have no idea what they are doing.
Nevertheless, this still happens because there are TONS of established funding mechanisms for trainees: REU (and similar per-university programs for undergrads), and individual (NRSA) and institutional training grants (T31) for postdocs and grad students.
In contrast, there are very few ways to fund more experienced individuals who are not running their own lab. This is bad for those people, and also bad for the institutions.