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Cathee Johnson Phillips, M.A.Executive Director, NPA
www.nationalpostdoc.org June 2011
National Postdoctoral Association www.nationalpostdoc.org
First: Thank you!
The previous report on postdocs was a major catalyst for change; we expect this report to play an equally important role in giving the process of change new impetus.
Benefits of a Postdoc
• Provides opportunities to:• Strengthen credentials through
publishing and grant writing• Expand knowledge base• Interact with thought leaders in
research area• Interact with researchers “outside of
discipline”• Engage in interdisciplinary
collaboration
Benefits of a Postdoc
• Today, also expected to provide opportunities to:• Pursue professional development• Receive more mentoring or guidance• Establish networking base for future
career options• Explore geographically or
institutionally
• Disenfranchisement• Isolation• Perceived lack of status
• Lack of mentoring• Inadequate compensation• Inequitable, poor, or no benefits• Career prospects
• Understanding career options outside of academia
• Developing/recognizing transferable skills
Major Issues for Postdocs
Critical Issues
• Pros and cons of classification of postdocs: Employees vs. Trainees• Impacts compensation and benefits
• The expansion of “postdoc” to “all” disciplines
• Advancing women and underrepresented groups
• Supply and demand: the “international” postdoc question
• The power of supervisors• Career and funding prospects
National Postdoctoral Association www.nationalpostdoc.org
NPA Efforts
• Institutional Policy Database• In the process of establishing a regular survey
effort to provide current data on postdocs– Instrument almost finalized for postdoc
survey– Beginning work on survey of institutions
• Online toolkits/clearinghouses of information– NPA Core Competencies
• Focus groups/workshops• NPA ADVANCE
National Postdoctoral Association www.nationalpostdoc.org
NPA Institutional Survey
• Postdoctoral Compensation, Benefits, and Professional Development Opportunities
• VERY early stage of development
• Conducted Nov. 28 – Dec. 6
• 175 Institutions; 52% response rate; 42% completion rate
National Postdoctoral Association www.nationalpostdoc.org
NPA Institutional Survey
• 47% reported that the minimum salary/stipend for postdocs is based the NIH-NRSA scale
• 79% provide health insurance, and the majority require that the postdocs pay 25% or less of the premium
• Only 40% provide paid maternity leave
• Regarding all benefits, in every case fellows had fewer or poorer benefits
• RCR training leads the way
National Postdoctoral Association www.nationalpostdoc.org
NPA Institutional Survey
• 89% require that postdocs receive a letter of appointment
• 54% require that postdocs receive an annual performance evaluation/review.
• Fewer than half, or 32%, require exit interviews for postdocs.
• RCR training leads the way.
National Postdoctoral Association www.nationalpostdoc.org
• NPA ADVANCE is a project to adapt and disseminate promising institutional practices that can help women postdocs successfully transition to faculty careers.
• We provide:– Summary of current data on postdocs and gender– Online Clearinghouse of promising practices for
institutions– Technical assistance to institutions seeking to
implement programs for postdoc women– Forthcoming resource compendium of best practices
• Supported by National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE program
The Leaky Pipeline of Scientist Women
Figure adapted from Mary Ann Mason, based on study from Goulden, Mason & Frasch 2009, “Staying Competitive Patching America’s Leaky Pipeline in the Sciences.”
Ph.D. Receipt
First Tenure-Track
Position TenurePostdoc
Women Ph.D.Water Level
“…at every academic career milestone the proportion of women in science and engineering declines. … In examining the transition into academic positions…,
the declines are greatest in fields requiring a period of postdoctoral study”
– National Research Council, Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering (2007)
National Postdoctoral Association www.nationalpostdoc.org
NPA Recommendations
• Collect data!• Establish and support postdoc offices• Allow release time for professional
development on research grants• Require mentoring plans on grants and
develop a system of evaluation that impacts supervisors’ careers
• Educate from the top down at research universities about postdocs
• Provide graduate offices information to help students carefully consider a postdoc
National Postdoctoral Association www.nationalpostdoc.org
You Are Invited!
NPA Annual Meeting
March 16-18, 2011
Sir Francis Drake Hotel
San Francisco, CA
Saturday, March 17
Plenary and Town Hall Meeting
3:15 p.m. – 6 p.m.
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