The Postdoctoral Experience Revisited (2014) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
3 Changing Aspects of the Postdoctoral Experience
3 Changing Aspects of the Postdoctoral Experience
Pages 33-52
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 33... ...
Foundations supported efforts to survey postdoctoral researchers about their view of the system and to provide career guidance. Many professional and disciplinary societies also introduced programs aimed at helping postdoctoral researchers.
|
From page 34... ...
, Sigma Xi, and the NPA. The list of items that emerged in response to discussions included information about how postdoctoral positions fit into the career paths of researchers, what resources are available to postdoctoral researchers at individual institutions and at the national level, and the need to combine NSF data with that from professional societies.
|
From page 35... ...
19 Although the federal government has been the primary source of comprehensive data on the entire postdoctoral population, several other groups have used surveys to try to attain a clearer picture of postdoctoral working conditions, attitudes, aspirations, and priorities. With funding from the Sloan Foundation, Sigma Xi surveyed more than 7,600 postdoctoral researchers at 46 institutions (including intramural postdoctoral researchers on the NIH campus)
|
From page 36... ...
The NSF's DGE provides information on postdoctoral researcher-specific funding opportunities. The NIH Office of Postdoctoral Services, which is part of the NIH OITE, serves as a clearinghouse for information and policies affecting intramural postdoctoral researchers at the NIH and its affiliated institutes and centers.
|
From page 37... ...
There are several online job search sites targeted specifically at postdoctoral researchers and many more that include postdoctoral positions in their listings.
|
From page 38... ...
One of the first career websites devoted to postdoctoral researchers was the Postdoc Network, launched in 2000 by the AAAS. The Postdoc Network provided an online forum for postdoctoral researchers (via a listserv)
|
From page 39... ...
The IEEE Job Site provides the standard job search and resume posting as well as other useful tools for job seekers. IEEE ResumeLab assists members in creating a resume, CV, or cover letter; has a skill-assessment tool to help job applicants know what experiences to highlight; and even allows for mock interviews with a portfolio of potential questions.
|
From page 40... ...
, has spearheaded a national movement to develop peer-led minority postdoctoral organizations aimed at providing support, professional development, networking, and mentoring opportunities to strengthen the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics diversity pipeline. The goal is to bring together underrepresented African American, Hispanic, and American Indian postdoctoral scholars across disciplines to build valuable professional networks, and promote and support diversity and inclusion.
|
From page 41... ...
central office to manage postdoctoral researcher affairs and providing common experience (e.g., orientation, career development workshops aimed at postdoctoral researchers) helps the postdoctoral researchers feel valued and part of a broader research community.
|
From page 42... ...
23 As discussed in Chapter 2, the most common postdoctoral position involves a postdoctoral researcher working for a principal investigator on a research grant. Although the principal investigator's primary responsibility is the production of good research, the postdoctoral researcher is supposed to be receiving training, and the principal investigator is therefore the primary mentor.
|
From page 43... ...
Beginning in 2002, the GREAT group established a Postdoctorate Committee, which became the Postdoctorate Leaders Section in 2008, to enhance the quality of postdoctoral programs, provide professional development for postdoctoral researchers, and create consistent policies for postdoctoral researchers across member institutions. The GREAT group published its Compact Between Postdoctoral Appointees and Their Mentors in 2006.
|
From page 44... ...
Benefits Postdoctoral researchers commonly fall between employee categories, and with this lack of solid definition comes incomplete or inconsistent benefits. Although postdoctoral researchers are often supplied with some form of official letter of appointment or contract, results from the 2005 Sigma Xi survey indicated that they are unaware of potential services available at their institutions or if those services are even offered (see Table 3-2)
|
From page 45... ...
TABLE 3-2 Survey results from Sigma Xi survey (percent) Don't Yes No know When you began this postdoc, did you receive an official letter of appointment or contract?
|
From page 46... ...
Another exemplary practice at J David Gladstone Institutes is that they structure their postdoctoral positions so that the postdoctoral researchers can achieve some advancement in their careers (e.g., yearly raises and possible promotion to research scientist)
|
From page 47... ...
With this finding, and the NIH recently increasing the institutional allowance for health benefits associated with its National Research Service Awards, it appears that access to health insurance is among the areas where the actual postdoctoral experience is largely meeting expectations. The more recent NPA survey found that more than 78 percent of postdoctoral researchers who receive health benefits pay less than 25 percent of the premium.
|
From page 48... ...
Similarly to the United States, postdoctoral organizations have formed around the globe, and the resources available to postdoctoral researchers interested in exploring international opportunities are numerous (see Box 3-12)
|
From page 49... ...
Although research institutions are clearly paying much more attention to the needs of postdoctoral researchers than they were in 2000, a flurry of recent reports suggests that many of the problems that existed in 2000 have yet to be resolved.
|
From page 50... ...
The BMW Report recommended funding a higher percentage of postdoctoral researchers through training grants and fellowships; experimenting with new ways to diversify postdoctoral training, raising salaries, ensuring adequate benefits, and increasing funding for "skip-the-postdoc" options, which encourage direct hiring into research career paths after a Ph.D.; and requiring that all postdoctoral researchers have individual development plans. PCAST Report The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)
|
From page 51... ...
Likewise, postdoctoral researchers must approach and understand the commitments and expectations of postdoctoral positions in today's market. It is crucial and beneficial to everyone that guided self-examination about careers and career choice are made by graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.