Norma M. Allewell

The Postdoctoral Experience: What Works? What Doesn’t Work?

The Data• How many?

• How long?

• Why?

• Who?

• Funding Source?

• Where?

• With whom?

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,National Academy Press, 2000, p.10

How Many Recent Ph.D.’s Postdoc?

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,National Academy Press, 2000, p.23

In Which Fields?

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,National Academy Press, 2000, p.11

How Long?

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.16

Why?

Who are our postdocs?

• Field

• Gender

• Race and ethnicity

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,National Academy Press, 2000, p.8

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,National Academy Press, 2000, p.34

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,National Academy Press, 2000, p.35

Race and Ethnicity

• Approximately 50% temporary residents, regardless of field

• Total number of under-represented minorities in 1997: 1242 (3%)– 57% in life sciences

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,,National Academy Press, 2000, p.27

Sources of Funding

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,National Academy Press, 2000, p.5

Where?

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,National Academy Press, 2000, p.6

Top 25 Academic Institutions in terms of Total Number of Postdoctoral Appointments in 1998

Harvard UniversityUniversity of California at San FranciscoStanford UniversityJohns Hopkins UniversityUniversity of California at San DiegoUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of California at BerkeleyUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of California, Los AngelesDuke UniversityUniversity of MichiganUniversity of Colorado

Washington UniversityUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillCornell UniversityUniversity of MinnesotaUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of ArizonaCalifornia Institute of TechnologyUniversity of Wisconsin - MadisonMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyIndiana UniversityBaylor College of MedicineU Texas SW Medical Center at DallasU Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

http://pw1.netcom.com/~swansont/science.html

Work and Family

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,National Academy Press, 2000, p.38

Percentages of Postdoctorates who are Married or have Children, by PhD Field and Gender, 1997. Source: 1997 Survey of Doctorate Recipients.

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,National Academy Press, 2000, p.38

Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,National Academy Press, 2000, p.38

The Scientist 14[3]:6, Feb. 7, 2000

Relationship to Advisor

•Matching Expectations•Degree of independence

•Financial•Choice of project•Execution•“Taking it with you”

•Mentoring•Communication•Career paths and career skills•One or many?

Relationship to Institution

•Institutional recognition and support•Personnel policies•Immigration issues

Career Preparation Outside the Laboratory

• Communication• Interpersonal skills• Managerial skills• Teaching experience• Grant and manuscript

preparation• Ethical conduct of research

When I went from grad student to postdoc, I got a 20 percent increase --

from 80 hours a week to 96." The Scientist 12[23]:2, Nov. 23, 1998

Work and Family

•An uncertain future?•Delayed gratification?•The two career couple•Children

The Scientist 15[11]:4, May. 28, 2001

http://www.arscomica.com/scienceandtechnology.html

A postdoc, a grad student, and their professor are taking a walk outdoors during lunch when they come upon an old brass lamp. They pick it up and dust it off. Poof! Out pops a genie!

"Thank you for releasing me from my lamp-prison," he says, "I can grant you three wishes- one for each of you."

The postdoc thinks a moment, and then she says, "I'd like to be out sailing a yacht across the Pacific, racing before the wind, with a crew of totally buffed-out, gorgeous guys."

"It is done," says the Genie, and Poof! the postdoc disappears.

The grad student thinks a moment and says, "I'd like to be riding my Harley with a gang of beautiful women throughout the American Southwest."

"It is done," says the Genie, and Poof! the grad student disappears.

The professor looks at where the other two had been standing and rubs his chin in thought. Then, he tells the Genie, "I'd like those two back in lab after lunch."