Biology Faculty Articles

Title

Academic Ecosystems Must Evolve to Support a Sustainable Postdoc Workforce

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-13-2020

Publication Title

Nature Ecology and Evolution

Keywords

Careers, Culture, Institutions

ISSN

2397-334X

First Page

1

Last Page

7

Abstract

The postdoctoral workforce comprises a growing proportion of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) community, and plays a vital role in advancing science. Postdoc professional development, however, remains rooted in outdated realities. We propose enhancements to postdoc-centred policies and practices to better align this career stage with contemporary job markets and work life. By facilitating productivity, wellness and career advancement, the proposed changes will benefit all stakeholders in postdoc success—including research teams, institutions, professional societies and the scientific community as a whole. To catalyse reform, we outline recommendations for (1) skills-based training tailored to the current career landscape, and (2) supportive policies and tools outlined in postdoc handbooks. We also invite the ecology and evolution community to lead further progressive reform.

Comments

©Springer Nature Limited 2020

Additional Comments

NSF grant #: DBI-0939454; Swiss NSF grant #: P2SKP3_184052; Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant #: 799025

ORCID ID

0000-0002-1270-6727

ResearcherID

J-8619-2012

DOI

10.1038/s41559-020-1178-6

Peer Reviewed

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