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 Postdoc professional development, however, remains rooted in outdated realities.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.
Additional Comments
NSF grant #: DBI-0939454; Swiss NSF grant #: P2SKP3_184052; Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant #: 799025
NSUWorks Citation
Ålund, Murielle; Nathan Emery; Benjamin J. M. Jarrett; Kirsty J. MacLeod; Helen F. McCreery; Nadya Mamoozadeh; John G. Phillips; Jory Schossau; Andrew W. Thompson; Alexa R. Warwick; Kelsey M. Yule; Erin R. Zylstra; and Eben Gering. 2020. "Academic Ecosystems Must Evolve to Support a Sustainable Postdoc Workforce." Nature Ecology and Evolution , (): 1-7. doi:10.1038/s41559-020-1178-6.
ORCID ID
0000-0002-1270-6727
ResearcherID
J-8619-2012
DOI
10.1038/s41559-020-1178-6
Comments
©Springer Nature Limited 2020