Post Doc: To Be or Not to Be?

Douglas Densmore, PhDUniversity of California, BerkeleyFuture Faculty and Professional SymposiumGEM National ConventionLas Vegas, NV10/6/07

Outline Why?

“What!? Stay in school!!” ..maybe not that bad Post doc requires a very specific motivation

How? “monster.com here I come!” …work smarter, not harder You have more control than you think

Where? “Finally that beach house in Hawaii!”…need real reason Post doc is about positioning yourself for the “next level”

My Background

Born and raised in Southwest Michigan (Kalamazoo Area)

BSE in Computer Engineering in 2001 from the University of Michigan

MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 2004 and 2007

Currently a UC Chancellor’s Post Doctoral Fellow at UC Berkeley

Past GEM Fellow

Grandparent’s home on Lake HuronRichland Michigan (outside of Kalamazoo)

Why I Am a Post Doc

Ultimately I want to be a faculty member at a research 1 university

Received a Post Doctoral Fellowship Personally I needed to have “temporary”

employment

Concrete Reasons

Emotional Reasons Not sure my research agenda is “ready” Personal life left me unprepared to do an

effective analysis of my university options

How I Am a Post Doc

Final academic year of my graduate studies I was unsure of whether I wanted an academic position.Prepared my academic job market materialsAND applied for a post doc fellowship

Fellowship PLUS my “why” reasons made the decision fairly easy.

I took active control of my destiny! Do NOT leave this to chance!!!

Where I Am a Post Doc

University of California, Berkeley department of Electrical EngineeringSAME advisor that I had during my grad

studies (Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli)MIX of old and new research. Same project

for publications and progress. New project for expansion and depth

NEW responsibilities. Grant writing and I run a seminar series

Main Question & Homework

Where do you want to be 2-5 years after you finish your PhD? This ultimately will answer 90%.

Question?

Professionally? – University, National Lab, Industry

Personally? – Family, Lifestyle

Identify 5-10 REAL people who match your goals and find out what they did!

Homework

Post Doc Myths A post doc is just an extension of grad school

A good post doc should be an extension of your work as well as the development of new research AND your roll in a department

A post doc automatically makes you more attractive A poorly done post doc can actually do damage to

your image. You are only as good as your last job A post doc is easier/less stressful than grad

school A post doc is DIFFERENT than grad school. That

does not mean that it easier

Why #1 – Need a Post Doc

“Need” to do a post doc to get to the “next level”

1. “Need” means that it is literally a requirement

This can be very true in the physical sciences

2. An unwritten rule that all applicants will have a post doc

Why #2 – Not Done

Not “done” academically to move to the next level Want to consolidate research from dissertation Publish more papers from dissertation Code/software release needs to be completed

What is not “done” will prevent you from moving to the next level successfully (i.e. don’t stay just to “dot the last ‘i’”)

Why #3 – Not Ready

Not “ready” to move on to the next level Need to publish more new work to be a truly

competitive applicant Want to expand into a new area now that

you are free from the burden of your dissertation

Family/personal situation requires that you stay in a temporary situation.

Why #4 – Need for Growth

Need to grow in various areasNeed to connect with more colleagues,

mentors, etc. Grow your networkLearn more about the academic job market

and processes. How to negotiateTime to mature and gain confidencePractice speaking, job talks, etc

Why – NOT to do a post doc

You should not do a post doc because:You don’t know what you want to do next (i.e.

stall/postpone the “real world”)You think it is automatically going to make you

a more attractive candidateFeel flattered that someone offered you a

position

A post doc is unique because it is not a goal itself (like a degree or job) but rather a stepping stone.

How #1 – Finding a post doc A post doc appointment needs to satisfy a

particular research goal. Its selection should not be random!Use your current network (advisor, peers, etc)Look at university department job openingsFind those doing work in your area. Contact

them! You are a PhD now! Sell yourself. What do you bring to the

table? You are going to bring a great deal of manpower and brainpower to the table.

How #2 – Types of post docs

Fellowship You have your own money, potentially research funds

Pros: Independence, status Cons: Need to make sure someone “cares about your

success”

Employment You are employed by the university or lab

Pros: Direct affiliation with who pays you (i.e. someone cares that you are productive)

Cons: Expectations related to who pays you. Limited flexibility in schedule and goals

How #3 – Questions to ask

1. How EXACTLY will I fit into the research picture at place/group X?

2. What will be the balance between publishing work and DOING work?

3. What have previous post docs gone on to do after they left place X?

Get names and contact them!

Similar questions you would ask anytime you make a “life transition”

How #4 – Once you have a post doc Make a specific timeline with explicit goals

This is a fixed length appointment! Begin the transition from grad student to

post docEstablish new role with graduate studentsMake yourself visible within the departmentBegin to align yourself more closely with

archetypes that fit your future vision of yourself

How – NOT to do a post doc

You should NOT:Select a post doc based solely on the

financial package/geographic locationGo into a post doc without a clear idea of what

the responsibilities and expectations are Research goals Teaching requirements

Dive blindly into research without a clear vision of not only its academic merit, but also how it fits into your timeline and goals

Where #1 – Same location? Same university as your graduate school?

Pros Can keep the same momentum you had previously Build your name and visibility more quickly Perhaps this is simply the best match both

academically and personallyCons

May still be viewed as a graduate student (respect issues)

Need to work more to open up your network Need to guard against complacency. Need energy

Where #2 - Different Location?

Different university than your graduate school? Pros

Chance to “reinvent” yourself. Brand new start! Whole new set of contacts and mentors. Improve your “status” (i.e. go to a “better” school).

Cons Start up time may “steal” momentum. Need to reestablish yourself and make new contacts. No assurance that you will like the new situation. At least

with your old school you knew what it was like…

Where #3 - Outside Location?

Research in industry, national lab, etc?Pros:

Visibility to commercial work. “Real world” problems. New environment. Distance yourself from

academicsCons:

Publishing may be difficult (NDAs for example) Added pressures (i.e. bringing products to market) Distance yourself from academics

Where – NOT to do a post doc

A place chosen solely for superficial reasons. This is just a short stop (shorter than grad school!)

A place chosen solely since it is a “step up” from your grad school. Not going to matter if you aren’t productive

A place where you have not spoken with several (if not all) of the people you are going to be working with and discussed YOUR goals.

Post Doc and Tenure A post doc effectively delays your entry into an

academic position Pros:

Work you do as a post doc MAY be useful in the tenure process

You will enter the professoriate with more research ideas, projects, and momentum

Cons: You have spent X years doing a post doc as opposed to

pursuing tenure May bring higher expectations to those evaluating you as a

researcher

Conclusions

Ask the big question! “Where do I want to be 2-5 years after I finish my PhD?”.

Go through the why, how, where process to begin the to think about a post doc.

Truly view a post doc as a “stepping stone” rather than the ultimate goal. Don’t lose your grad school momentum!!!!

References Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for

Scientists and Engineers http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=9831

Tomorrow’s Professor, Rick Reis http://www.postdocjobs.com National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)

http://www.nationalpostdoc.org University of California, Presidents Post Doc

Fellowship http://www.ucop.edu/acadadv/ppfp/

Questions??

densmore@eecs.berkeley.edu

Thanks to GEM, Sheila Humphreys, Beatriz Lopez-Flores, Sam Casteneda