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Postdoctoral Scholars in US Institutions
Pages 4-20

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From page 4... ... Johns Hopkins University adopted the apprenticeship model shortly after its founding in 1876, and in the 1920s the Rockefeller Foundation established formal postdoctoral fellowships in physical science, recognizing that physics had become too complex to learn within the time limits of traditional programs. The hiring of postdocs grew only modestly during the first half of the twentieth century. Read the entire page →
From page 5... ... By the end of that decade growth had slowed. In the early 1970s the baby boom cohort passed through the system, recession came, and the government reduced support of graduate fellowships quite abruptly.3 The smaller pool of graduate students left laboratories short-handed and, partly as a response, the number of non-US graduate students increased. Read the entire page →
From page 6... ... A substantial number of those receiving PhDs reported that they became postdocs because they had few other options.4 Employment conditions improved somewhat in the mid- and late 1980s, but 4Zumeta, W Extending the Educational Ladder: The Changing Quality and Value of Postdoctoral Study. Read the entire page →
From page 7... ... " National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Studies Issue Brief. Read the entire page →
From page 8... ... Figure 1-3 provides a history of the number of doctorates who are planning postdoctoral study compared to the total number of doctorates for the three fields that account for most of the postdocs in science and engineering: biological science, chemis~Figure 1-2 only provides information for postdoctoral scholars who received their degrees from US universities. No source of data includes all sectors that employ postdoctoral scholars regardless of where they received their degree. Read the entire page →
From page 9... ... 7000 6000 5000 4000 ~ , Z 30002000 1 non 2500 2000 I, 1 500 1 000 500 _ Biological Sciences Number of Doctorates Planning Postdoctoral Study .~~ .~ O- l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ,~9~9~9( ~9~9~ ~9~ ~9~9~9~9~9~9~9~ ~9~9~ ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 Chemistry Number of Doctorates -Planning Postdoctoral Study _' ~' O llllllllllllllllllllll ,~9~ 9~,~9~ ~9~9~ ~9~ ~9~9~9~9~9~9~9~ ~9~9~ ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 1 800 1 600 1 400 1 200 1 000 600 400 Ann Physics and Astronomy Number of Doctorates Planning Postdoctoral Study O-,~9~ 9~,~9~9~9~ ~9~ ~9~9~9~9~9~9~9~9~9~ ~99 ~99 ~99~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 ~99 FICURE 1~^ Number of Doctorates and the Number Planning Postdoctoral Study, 19751998, by Field. Source: 1975-1998 Survey of Earned Doctorates. Read the entire page →
From page 10... ... As a whole, the postdoctoral population has become indispensable to the science and engineering enterprise, performing a substantial portion of the nation's research in every setting. For example, a survey of research articles in two recent issues of Science found that 43 percent of the first authors were postdocs.9 In many labs, postdocs also educate, train, and supervise junior members, help write grant proposals and papers, and present the laboratory's research results at professional society meetings. Read the entire page →
From page 11... ... Source: 1997 Survey of Doctorate Recipients. A postdoctoral appointment is a virtual prerequisite for those wishing to carry out long-term, independent research in the life sciences, physics, chemistry, and a growing number of other fields.l� In addition, postdocs with experience in non-research settings (e.g., AAAS Congressional fellowships, National Academies internships) Read the entire page →
From page 12... ... In some fields, such as neuroscience, genetics, and epidemiology, more than one postdoctoral position may be useful to gain multidisciplinary expertise. In other fields, a tight job market forces some researchers to complete two or even three postdoctoral appointments while they hunt for jobs. Read the entire page →
From page 13... ... . It is not uncommon for postdocs to hold uncertain standing in the institutions where they work, to receive inadequate mentoring or technical supervision and, in some fields, to accept stipends and benefits substantially below those of their professional peers in academia, government, or industry, as well as below those of non-PhD technicians. Read the entire page →
From page 14... ... The NRC's Trends report on the life sciences noted a 42 percent increase in PhD production between 1987 and 1996 that "was not accompanied by a parallel increase in employment opportunities.''l2 The report stated that many recent graduates who are unable to find fulltime positions use the postdoctoral experience as a "holding pattern.''l3 Similarly, an on-line survey of Baylor University School of Medicine's postdocs in 1997 indicated that 34 percent had prolonged their terms because of difficulty in finding other employment; only 6 percent reported a "permanent career position that will start in the next 12 months.''l4 Variations by field and sector. It is difficult, however, to draw broad conclusions about postdoctoral experiences, which vary widely by field and by sector. Read the entire page →
From page 15... ... 15 ~ ~ Cal oo ~ ~ Cal o (sa~o~oo~ lo ~aqcunN/suo! Read the entire page →
From page 16... ... 16 earl ~ 1 1~ 1 .-.- � ..................... Read the entire page →
From page 17... ... Source: 1997 Survey of Doctorate Recipients Read the entire page →
From page 18... ... Even if they wish to do so, postdoc advisers indicated they face barriers from both the institution and the funding organization at the proposal acceptance stage and once funding is received. Some major funding organizations stated that institutions are directly responsible because they set salary compensation levels and receive funding (as a designated portion of each grant) Read the entire page →
From page 19... ... The postdocs themselves expressed frustration at having no role in these debates. In this guide, COSEPUP provides information, principles, and recommendations for all involved in the postdoctoral experience with the goal of enhancing the postdoc experience while preserving the excellence of the research enterprise. Read the entire page →

From page 4...

... Johns Hopkins University adopted the apprenticeship model shortly after its founding in 1876, and in the 1920s the Rockefeller Foundation established formal postdoctoral fellowships in physical science, recognizing that physics had become too complex to learn within the time limits of traditional programs. The hiring of postdocs grew only modestly during the first half of the twentieth century.

Postdoctoral Scholars in US Institutions Pages 4-20

Postdoctoral Scholars in US Institutions
Pages 4-20