National Postdoctoral Association

Disclaimer: The NPA provides the articles below for informational purposes only. The views and opinions expressed in these articles may not necesarily be in line with the mission of the NPA.

The Radical New Humanities Ph.D. – Inside Higher Ed, 16 May 2012

The warning last year from Russell Berman, who at the time was president of the Modern Language Association, was apocalyptic: If doctoral programs in the humanities do not reduce the time taken to graduate, they will become unaffordable and face extinction. Now, Berman has taken his ideas home. At Stanford University, where he is a professor of comparative literature and directs the German studies program, he and five other professors at the university have produced a paper that calls for a major rethinking at Stanford -- a reduction in the time taken to graduate by Ph.D. candidates in the humanities

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/05/16/rethinking-humanities-phd

Another NPA Founder Speaks - Science, 27 April 2012

Career profile of one of the founders of the National Postdoctoral Association

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_04_27/caredit.a1200048

Making a career transition - NatureJobs, 12 April 2012

A series of blogs from scientists who have transitioned to diverse careers in and out of science.

http://blogs.nature.com/naturejobs/2012/04/12/career-transitions

The rise of the professional master's degree: the answer to the postdoc/PhD bubble - Nature Biotechnology, 10 April 2012

Professional master's degrees have a proven record of benefiting science-oriented individuals, reorienting their career towards nontraditional fields.

http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v30/n4/full/nbt.2180.html

Perspective: Troubled by Interdisciplinarity? – Science, 6 April 2012

The pain and inconvenience of interdisciplinarity, a problem facing many researchers. How to address it to prevent diminished creativity and productivity.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_04_06/caredit.a1200040

What the Doctors Ordered- ScienceCareers, 6 April 2012
What accounts for women’s persistent underrepresentation on university science faculties?

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_04_06/caredit.a1200039

Transitions: From PhD to Scientific Conference Organizer - Nature, 6 April 2012
In this post Amanda Ullman talks about her transition from the bench into pharmaceutical marketing and finally scientific conference organizer.

http://blogs.nature.com/soapboxscience/2012/04/06/transitions-from-phd-to-scientific-conference-organizer-amanda-ullman2

Transitions: From Academia to Business Entrepreneur - Nature, 5 April 2012

In this post Dr Alan Whitmore talks about his transition from his role as a clinical scientist to becoming a CEO.

http://blogs.nature.com/soapboxscience/2012/04/05/transitions-from-academia-to-business-entrepreneur-dr-alan-whitmore2

Research efficiency: Perverse incentives - Nature, 4 April 2012

Counterproductive financial incentives divert time and resources from the scientific enterprise. We should spend the money more wisely.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v484/n7392/full/484029a.html

Pregnancy and Science Careers – Inside Higher Ed, 4 April 2012

A recent international survey by the Association of Women in Science documents the growing body of research, including that by Mary Ann Mason (2004; 2007) and my own work on Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE) and Clare Boothe Luce (CBL) awardees (2004) that balancing career with family, particularly at the time of childbirth, is perceived to jeopardize the careers of women scientists and engineers more than any other single factor.

http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2012/04/04/essay-issues-facing-aspiring-scientists-who-are-pregnant

Living in a Soft Money World – Inside Higher Ed, 2 April 2012

"You do know that this position is funded entirely on soft money, right?" This can be an unsettling to hear early in a research career. "Soft money" is a polite euphemism for funding that comes from a source outside a university or research institute and must be pursued regularly and with vigor.

http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2012/04/02/essay-building-career-soft-money-position

The Best of Both Worlds - The Scientist, 1 April 2012

Choosing to work in industry does not preclude a return to academe. But the move back takes some planning and finesse.

http://the-scientist.com/2012/04/01/the-best-of-both-worlds/

NPA Founders Find Success - ScienceCareers, 30 March 2012

At its annual meeting in San Francisco in early March, the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) celebrated its 10th anniversary with a panel discussion featuring six of the organization's seven founders

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_03_30/caredit.a1200038

Best Places to Work Postdocs, 2012 - The Scientist, 29 March 2012
Much has changed in the last 10 years for postdocs, who are staying in their positions longer than ever before—and coming out with more to show for it.

http://the-scientist.com/2012/03/29/best-places-to-work-postdocs-2012/

Postdoc or not? - Nature, 21 March 2012
Life-sciences graduates interested in academic research typically need to do at least one postdoc. For physics students, there are multiple caveats to consider.

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/articles/10.1038/nj7390-499a

Tooling Up: Customize Your Training - ScienceCareers, 16 March 2012
Your graduate training should be designed to be either steak or carrot, depending on the job you're seeking, and obviously it can't be both. It needs to be a strong attractor to hungry employers offering one specific kind of job.Science Careers has written several times -- always favorably -- about the Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degree program

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_03_16/caredit.a1200031

In Person: Career GPS - ScienceCareers, 16 March 2012
Staking out a position and being able to contribute positively to a peer's goal-setting and problem-solving skills builds confidence, expands experience, and diminishes self-doubt.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_03_16/caredit.a1200032

The Logistics of a Dual-Career Search - The Chronicle of Higher Education, 14 March 2012
Question: I'm preparing to go on the academic job market next year, and I have a two-body problem. How should my partner and I get started?

http://chronicle.com/article/The-Logistics-of-a-Dual-Career/131140/

The Creative Fundraiser: The Many Roles for the Postdoc in Search of Support - ScienceCareers, 9 March 2012
Featuring the NPA's Joe Bernstein and Rachel Ruhlen.
One of the most important skills to demonstrate in a postdoc appointment is the ability to acquire funding.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_03_09/science.opms.r1200115

Biotech Training Programs Expand Employment Options - ScienceCareers, 9 March 2012
By some estimates, no more than 20% of Ph.D. life scientists land tenure-track faculty jobs within 6 years of earning their terminal degrees. Yet, most graduate programs continue to groom graduate students and postdocs for faculty jobs.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_03_09/caredit.a1200029

The Postdoc Dilemma - Nature, 7 March 2012
Balancing a career and the obligations of a full-time job can be deceptively difficult

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/articles/10.1038/nj7388-235a

Perspective: Preparing for a PUI Career - ScienceCareers, 2 March 2012
It's counterintuitive to some, but in my opinion the best preparation for a faculty position in science at an elite liberal arts college is a good, productive Ph.D. followed by a research postdoc.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_03_02/caredit.a1200026

Stepping Out of Big Pharma's Shadow - ScienceCareers, 24 February 2012
What we're really noticing nowadays is that scientists are moving more from the large pharma into the small and midsize pharmaceutical companies.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_02_24/caredit.a1200022

Tooling Up: The Big Disconnect - ScienceCareers, 17 February 2012
Today, employers are no longer looking for a great brain and a world of potential. They're looking for that one CV that lists the skills they need right now -- not after 6 months of training.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_02_17/caredit.a1200019

The Next Step for Female Scientists - The Chronicle of Higher Education, 13 February 2012
"The folks at the NSF understand that you shouldn't be penalized or lose a chance to advance in your career because you are taking care of a new child or a mom or dad who's gotten sick," said Michelle Obama in a White House speech announcing a 10-year plan to help men and women balance research careers with their personal lives.

http://chronicle.com/article/The-Next-Step-for-Female/130717/

Perspective: Questing for Blue Oceans - ScienceCareers, 10 February 2012
If you wait until you're well established to do disruptive science you will spend your more productive and creative years doing incremental research.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_02_10/caredit.a1200018

Content Collection: Mentoring Advice - ScienceCareers, 3 February 2012
Everyone who’s gone through the early stages of an academic career has had an undergraduate research supervisor, and a Ph.D. and postdoc adviser. But not everyone can claim to have had a mentor. Even fewer can claim to have had more than one. And that's too bad.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_02_03/caredit.a1200015

Lab Is Where the Heart Is? Trials and Tribulations of Lab Culture - ScienceCareers, 3 February 2012
For many grad students, postdocs, and PIs, the lab in which they work represents a type of “home away from home,” replete with similar territorial issues, responsibilities, and associated “family dynamics.”

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_02_03/science.opms.r1200114

US scientists have their say on plans for biomedical workforce - NatureJobs, 2 February 2012
US biomedical scientists recently had a chance to set their field’s priorities. And what was the most pressing problem they reported? The very real possibility that there are too damn many biomedical scientists.

http://blogs.nature.com/naturejobs/2012/02/02/us-scientists-have-their-say-on-plans-for-biomedical-workforce

The Top 10 Worst Things About Working in a Lab - ScienceCareers, 27 January 2012
Sure. That’s why you have no social life. It’s the lab work.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_01_27/caredit.a1200012

Getting Science to Those Who Need It - ScienceCareers, 6 January 2012
Silicon Valley’s Thane Kreiner  wanted a job where he “could apply science and technology to make a real difference in people's lives.”

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_01_06/caredit.a1200002

Women in business: Finding a way in - Nature, 4 January 2012
Female scientists hoping to become entrepreneurs face obstacles — but there are organizations that can help.

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/articles/10.1038/nj7379-103a

Demystifying maternity planning for postdocs - ASBMB, November 2011
By NPA staff Kathleen Flint Ehm
Planning to start a family can be a challenge for early career researchers, who often wonder when the “best” time might be. During graduate school? While on the tenure track? After tenure?  Those considering the postdoctoral years can be constrained by multiple short-term appointments and the general uncertainty of a job market that offers no guarantees of stable, long-term employment.

http://www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday/asbmbtoday_article.aspx?id=14920&terms=flint

Part-time balance - NatureJobs, 9 November 2011
Flexible academic positions help women to juggle work and family. Kate O'Brien and Karen Hapgood explain how to avoid the 'female ghetto' when working part time.

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/articles/10.1038/nj7372-257a

Taken for Granted: Getting to Aaahhh! - Science, 4 November 2011
Teaching is not a career for everyone, Cruzan [a postdoc] believes, but it can deeply satisfy those well suited to it.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2011_11_04/caredit.a1100122

Careers for Scientists in the Patenting World - Science, 14 October 2011
Most scientists who become patent professionals are attracted by the prospect of staying close to cutting-edge science without being tied to the bench or to one particular project.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2011_10_14/caredit.a1100113

In Person: A Career in Biotech Patent Law - Science, 14 October 2011
Patent professionals work in companies, state and federal governments (including USPTO), private institutes, and nongovernmental organizations.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2011_10_14/caredit.a1100114

New NSF Policies Provide Flexibility for Researchers Who Juggle Family and Career - The Chronicle, 26 September 2011
The White House and the National Science Foundation announced new policies on Monday that are designed to provide greater workplace flexibility for postdoctoral fellows and early-career faculty members who are juggling careers and families and to eliminate some of the barriers that commonly deter women who might otherwise pursue careers as scientists and engineers.

http://chronicle.com/article/New-NSF-Policies-Provide/129168/

Financial Planning for Scientists - Science, 9 September 2011
Although many scientists have a penchant for numbers, they face the same issues as nonscientists when it comes to financial planning—saving for retirement falls by the wayside in the face of economic stressors—child rearing, house payments, gas prices, and the cost of their children's college education.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2011_09_09/science.opms.r1100108

Postdocs: Striving for Success in a Tough Economy - Science, 26 August 2011
One thing that's on everyone's mind these days—scientists included—is the dire economic situation. But despite tighter budgets, the attributes contributing to a successful postdoc experience, such as communication and mentoring, have not changed, according to the postdoc supervisors who completed this year's annual survey for Science. Yet supervisors say it's all the more important for postdocs to carefully plan their career moves ahead of time and make sure that they get all the training they need during their postdoc years.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2011_08_26/science.opms.r1100106

Courting connections - NatureJobs, 24 August 2011
In the search for a job, contacts matter. Peter J. Feibelman explains how to assemble a personal 'old boy' network while still a PhD student or postdoc.

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/2011/110825/full/nj7361-479a.html

Content Collection: International Mobility - Science, 12 August 2011
International mobility is becoming increasingly important for a successful research career. But, while international scientific experience offers many career-related benefits, it can be difficult to make it happen. And there are some disadvantages.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2011_08_12/caredit.a1100080

Scientists for sale - NatureJobs, 3 August 2011
There are ways for researchers to sell themselves — but they shouldn't overdo it, says Mariano A. Loza-Coll.

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/2011/110804/full/nj7358-117a.html

Best Places to Work Academia, 2011 - The Scientist, 1 July 2011
Whether it’s attending a Scottish dance party or asking physics buffs to custom build your tools, researchers at this year’s top institutions are getting creative at work.

http://the-scientist.com/2011/07/01/best-places-to-work-academia-2011/

Postdoctoral training: Time for change - Nature Cell Biology, 1 July 2011

The increasingly pressing problems facing postdoctoral fellows in recent years call for a re-evaluation of the position of postdocs in academia and collaboration of involved parties to bring about positive change.

http://www.nature.com/ncb/journal/v13/n7/full/ncb0711-735a.html?WT.ec_id=NCB-201107

Mentoring: On the right path - NatureJobs, 29 June 2011
Principal investigators can show their postdocs how to make the most of their job search — and that can help both parties.

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/2011/110630/full/nj7353-667a.html

Oh, Canada... _ NatureJobs, 22 June 2011
A tax-law change has dealt a heavy blow to Canadian postdocs

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/2011/110623/full/nj7352-533a.html

Presentation Tips for Non-Native Speakers - ScienceCareers, 17 June 2011
Throughout June, Science Careers is publishing a series of articles focused on improving the scientific presentation.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2011_06_17/caredit.a1100056

Advancing in Industry: Choosing Among Many Paths - ScienceCareers, 17 June 2011
Researchers who opt for industry will have many career options from bench research to drug development to marketing and business planning. The key to success is being flexible and open to change as well as having a collaborative spirit.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2011_06_17/science.opms.r1100104

Back to the bench - Nature, 1 June 2011
Grants and fellowship programmes can lessen the shock of re-entry for researchers who have taken a career break.

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/2011/110602/full/nj7349-115a.html

Picking a Postdoc Post – Inside Higher Ed, 1 June 2011

How to choose a postdoctoral position (from the point of view of a finishing-up grad student).

http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2011/06/01/essay_on_picking_a_postdoc_position

Led Down the Administrative Path - The Chronicle of Higher Education, 25 May 2011

Being an administrator is a way to "give back" by helping the next generation of scientists and engineers, whereas remaining a professor is more self-serving ?

http://chronicle.com/article/Led-Down-the-Administrative/127586/

Postdocs Can Be Trained to Be More Effective Than Senior Instructors, Study Finds - The Chronicle of Higher Education, 12 May 2011
Trained but inexperienced postdoctoral students can teach a college class as well as or better than longtime professors who rely on lectures, if the postdocs learn to incorporate a method of teaching that relies on having students interact with the material they are learning through discussions and assignments synthesizing new and old information and experiences, according to a paper published this week in Science.

http://chronicle.com/article/Postdocs-Can-Be-Trained-to-Be/127525/

Postdocs need support - Nature, 11 May 2011
A survey says that UK postdocs need more pastoral care and career advice.

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/2011/110512/full/nj7346-245c.html

Challenges facing the international postdoc - ASBMB, May 2011
International postdoctoral fellows and their mentors often are faced with distinct challenges, such as immigration status and language barriers. With almost half of the postdoc positions in the U.S. occupied by foreign nationals, it is becoming increasingly important to find solutions to these challenges.

http://www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday/asbmbtoday_article.aspx?id=12698&terms=NPA&page_id=1

Education: Rethinking PhDs - Nature, 20 April 201
Fix it, overhaul it or skip it completely — institutions and individuals are taking innovative approaches to postgraduate science training.

http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110420/full/472280a.html

Education: The PhD factory - Nature, 20 April 2011
The world is producing more PhDs than ever before. Is it time to stop?

http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110420/full/472276a.html

Teaching in the Postdoc Space - The Chronicle of Higher Education, 17 April 2011
Anyone who's finished graduate school knows that the student-adviser relationship doesn't end when you get your degree. Most advisers continue to give advice to—that is, to teach—fledgling degree-holders as they test their wings.

http://chronicle.com/article/Teaching-in-the-Postdoc-Space/127150/

Are long working hours inevitable for postdocs? - Naturejobs, 1 April 2011
More than half of postdocs surveyed work at least 50 hours per week and one quarter work at least 60 hours per week.

http://blogs.nature.com/naturejobs/2011/04/01/are-long-working-hours-inevitable-for-postdocs

The Emergence of the Research-Development Professional - The Chronicle of Higher Education, 27 March 2011
Research-development professionals—academic administrators who help faculty members plan and attract grants for their research—are being employed by a growing number of universities and institutes.

http://chronicle.com/article/The-Emergence-of-the/126906/

Recovering From Postdoc Mistakes - ScienceCareers, March 18 2011
It is vitally important for postdocs to be aggressive and take charge of their careers.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2011_03_18/science.opms.r1100101

Give postdocs a career, not empty promises - Nature, 2 March 2011
To avoid throwing talent on the scrap heap and to boost prospects, a new type of scientific post for researchers is needed, says Jennifer Rohn.

http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110302/full/471007a.html

Best Places to Work Postdocs, 2011 - The Scientist, 1 March 2011
Setting up your own scientific laboratory is no easy task, but this year’s respondents are using their postdoc experiences to prepare for the challenge.

http://www.the-scientist.com/2011/3/1/45/1/

Academia Faces PhD Overload - GenomeWeb, March 2011

As institutions produce more PhDs and postdocs than there are potential academic faculty posts, some believe the graduate training system should be restructured. GT looks at arguments on how to make the most of the biomedical workforce.

http://www.genomeweb.com/bioregionnews/academia-faces-phd-overload

The Budget Scalpel and Medical Research - The New York Times, 20 February 2011
President Barack Obama’s call for “investments” in education, infrastructure and science and health research is dismissed by most congressional Republicans as a fig leaf for more big-government spending.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/us/21iht-letter21.html?scp=3&sq=aging%20research&st=cse

Career decisions: Taking the plunge - Nature, 2 February 2011
Switching to a new postdoc may be risky and challenging, but it does not have to be career-threatening.

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/2011/110203/full/nj7332-129a.html

The disposable academic - The Economist, 16 December 2010
Why doing a PhD is often a waste of time

http://www.economist.com/node/17723223

Off the Beaten Path - The Scientist, 1 December 2010
Bench work isn’t for everyone. Find out about alternative careers available to biologists and how to transition out of research.

http://www.the-scientist.com/2010/12/1/72/1/

The Role of Postdocs, PIs and Institutions in Training Future Scientists - ASBMB, September 2010
By NPA's Zoë fonseca-Kelly, Darwin J. Operario, L. David Finger Jr. and Anthony J. Baucum II
Postdocs, principal investigators, institutions, funding agencies and nonprofits all must make strides in postdoctoral education and training that emphasize developing both research skills and professional competencies to ensure that postdocs achieve future success and that science in general becomes more productive.

http://www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday/asbmbtoday_article.aspx?id=9198&terms=NPA

Lab Management: The Human Elements - Science 12 March 2010

You've reached a career milestone: managing your own lab. This recognition of your achievements attests to your hard work, attention to detail, commitment to a goal—and outstanding science. But be prepared. You're about to face challenges you may not have considered.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2010_03_12/science.opms.r1000086

Coming to America: Doing a Postdoc in the U.S. - Science, 1 January 2010

When Swedish neuroscientist Jens Hjerling-Leffler moved to New York University (NYU) in New York City for a postdoc in 2007, he found life so exciting in the city that never sleeps that he never wanted to shut his eyes. "I actually didn't sleep very much my first year," he says. "There's this idea that you're going to work a lot, and then when you're done you've got the whole city at your doorstep."

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2010_01_01/caredit.a1000002

The Evolving Postdoctoral Experience - Science, 28 August 2009

Science has gotten bigger in the past decade. There are more scientists doing research and more competition for funding, jobs, and journal space. Projects have become larger in scale, often requiring the collaboration of several groups. Techniques are more powerful, generating massive amounts of data. There are also more career options for researchers to pursue. How have these changes affected the postdoctoral research experience? We asked postdoc supervisors who completed a recent survey for Science Careers to share their views.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2009_08_28/science.opms.r0900076

Independent Postdocs, Part 2: On-the-Ground Experiences - Science, 21 August 2009

Last month in " Independent Postdocs, Part 1: Gaining Early Autonomy," we got some tips from group leaders and career advisers on how to negotiate more autonomy with your principal investigator (PI) while you are still a postdoc. We also highlighted some of the schemes put in place in recent years to help postdocs pursue an independent research project or even set up their own small research groups. (See our Resource Page for more of these.)
But how does this play out on the ground? To find out, we asked some other experts: three postdocs, all at different stages on their way to independence.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2009_08_21/caredit.a0900103

The Ups and Downs of Doing a Postdoc in Europe - Science, 7 August 2009

The thing that helped Jessica Torrey get over her homesickness during the first few months of her postdoc at the Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg in Erlangen, Germany, was beer. More specifically, it was a regular gathering at a beer hall: She took a 30-minute train ride to Nürnberg to attend a weekly stammtisch, a regular gathering in which locals and foreigners meet over drinks and practice their English and German. "At first, it was a conscious effort to seek out other people," Torrey says. "I had to show up at a bar and hope that there would be friendly people, ... but it turned out that was one of the groups where I made the most friends."

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2009_08_07/caredit.a0900097

Independent Postdocs, Part 1: Gaining Early Autonomy - Science, 31 July 2009

These mostly new programs offer postdocs opportunities to establish their independence early, but they have also upped the ante in the competition for scarce faculty positions.
Perhaps the most vexing challenge facing early-career scientists is how to demonstrate independence while working for someone else. And doing so is crucial. These days, an increasing number of institutions require compelling evidence that you're ready to function as an independent scientist before they're willing to hire you even for an entry-level faculty position. So how do you prepare for that transition? How do you demonstrate independence while still a postdoc?

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2009_07_31/caredit.a0900094

Positions Available: No Ph.D. Required? - Science, 15 August 2008

Upon completing college, many science undergraduates who don't want to go on to medical school think only one other option exists: pursuing a Ph.D. A Ph.D, however, is not one-size-fits-all. While personally and financially rewarding in the end, those who choose this path should do so upon serious introspection. Long hours with low pay and dry spells in data are often the norm. Add to this the varied completion time which, depending on the program, ranges from four to eight years.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2008_08_15/science.opms.r0800057

Faculty Positions: Seeking the Skills for a Successful Career in Academia - Science, 25 January 2008

To many on the outside, life as a tenured faculty member conjures up images of dreamy afternoons spent theorizing at one's desk, interspersed with occasional trips to the lab to hold up test tubes to the light. Of course, anyone who's been to grad school for more than a week knows there's more to scientific endeavor than that. In fact, a faculty member's requisite skill set is quite extensive.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2008_01_25/science.opms.r0800046

Reclaiming Life From Work - Science, 7 December 2007

How should you spend your time if your goal is to be a successful, well-rounded, happy person? When he was a postdoc, developmental biologist Thomas Lecuit spent many evenings and weekends hard at work on his research, in the lab and at home. But then he had children. He was determined to be a committed father as well as a successful researcher, so he sought a position that would allow him to tend to both his new family and his work responsibilities.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2007_12_07/caredit.a0700176

Opportunities: The Accidental Consultant - Science, 13 July 2007

Much has been written in the pages of Science Careers about scientists working as consultants. Consulting jobs can be found in nearly every industry. There are management consultants, PR consultants, image consultants, political consultants, technical consultants--the list goes on and on. Demand for consulting services continues to grow as businesses, governments, and the nonprofits find tapping into outside experts (read: more productive and cheaper) easier than developing their own internal expertise.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2007_07_13/caredit.a0700100

Going Abroad for Your Ph.D.- Science, 6 July 2007

For students brave enough to dust off their passports in seeking a Ph.D., the rewards can be great.
Graduating with a bachelor's degree is the end of a long journey of study, but it's just the beginning of another adventure. There are so many possibilities: Should I continue in academic research? Should I get a Ph.D.? Should I get a job? With all those difficult choices to make, it's not surprising that few graduates make the bold choice of going to a foreign country to pursue a Ph.D.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2007_07_06/caredit.a0700096

Postdoc Unionization Drive Reaches a Climax in California - Science, 1 September 2006

In the annals of the American labor movement, contested unionization campaigns are a common story, often involving downtrodden workers struggling against the concerted opposition of wealthy, powerful, even malign employers. This Labor Day weekend, however, the postdocs on the University of California’s (UC) ten campuses are embroiled in a unionization dispute that violates that time-honored script. The cast includes union organizers who claim to have the support of most UC postdocs, an employer that asserts neutrality, and an unknown number of postdocs who oppose the union and are working to defeat its efforts to organize their approximately 5800 colleagues.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2006_09_01/noDOI.11263469350245079283

Spreading your Postdoc Wings in Industry - Science, 3 June 2005

Anna Moraitis recognized early on in her doctoral studies at McGill University that she probably wouldn't be following the academic route after graduation. She yearned to get hands-on experience to broaden her knowledge by working on applied problems. So when the time came to choose the next step in her career, Moraitis decided to do a postdoc, but not the usual kind in academia. Moraitis chose a postdoc in industry.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2005_06_03/noDOI.16110283957096927186

Postdocs at the Tipping Point - Science, 3 June 2005

"Those who favor such changes, including forward-looking policy makers, administrators, and postdocs themselves, need a strong advocate?such as the NPA to pressure these organizations to push these changes through."
For those who aren't familiar with it, the "tipping point" is a concept from epidemiology (popularized by the best-selling book by Malcolm Gladwell) that suggests that small changes accumulate innocuously until a critical mass is reached, at which point a large-scale, irreversible change occurs in the system under study. There is reason to think that the institution of the postdoc is approaching a tipping point.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2005_06_03/noDOI.8474427838476872315

NSF Workshop on the Postdoc Experience Calls for "Culture Change" - Science, 3 December 2004

Correcting the problems and inequities that bedevil postdocs will require changing the culture of labs and universities across the country, and the National Science Foundation can and should take steps to catalyze reform.
Correcting the problems and inequities that bedevil postdocs will require "changing the culture" of labs and universities across the country. What's more, the National Science Foundation (NSF) can and should take steps to catalyze reform. This call to action emerged as the unanimous conclusion of an NSF workshop on the postdoctoral experience held 15 to 17 November at foundation headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2004_12_03/noDOI.11974932352400780017

Postdoc Fellowships in Government - Science, 26 November 2004

"While this may not necessarily be the way to get a government job," says Candace Robinson, team leader for the physical, earth sciences, and ecology NSERC fellowship programs, "it is a good way to get experience in government and see if it's something that you like."
It's no secret that landing a full-time academic job at a university in Canada can be difficult. At the best of times, it is highly competitive. Many postdocs are searching for alternatives that allow them to stay within their chosen fields but keep their career options open. With positions at universities at a premium, many postdocs are looking to span the gap by turning to government programs. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) is offering early career scientists and engineers postdoc fellowships to work with research groups and leaders in Canadian government laboratories and research institutions.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2004_11_26/noDOI.14179220848089963341

Assessing Progress and Prioritizing Policy Efforts: Day One of the 3rd Annual Postdoc Network Meeting - Science, 4 April 2003

Scientific societies such as FASEB, funders including the NIH and NSF, and various scientific institutions agree about most of the major issues that need to be updated: stipend levels, healthcare benefits, term limits, and professional development. Now comes the hard part: making the changes.
It is clear that the ways of yesterday's science don't jive with today's scientific culture. The inaugural National Postdoctoral meeting fueled the fire, which continued to burn bright at the third annual Postdoc Network (PDN) Meeting the next day. Speakers and attendees of the PDN meeting focused on ways to work with institutions, societies, and mentors to implement changes for postdoctoral scholars across the U.S.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2003_04_04/noDOI.15927357616703519597

Are There Too Many Postdocs? - Science, 30 August 2002

Universities are in the people and knowledge business. Highly skilled people are needed by industry, commerce, the service sector, government, and universities themselves. If universities are in the business of providing highly skilled people for the nation, it is a moot point as to why they keep so many of the nation's intellectual elite trapped in short-term postdoctoral appointments.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2002_08_30/noDOI.15335088092821402624

A Guide to Surveys by, for, and of Postdocs - Science, 21 June 2002

As John Marburger stated in his keynote address at the 2002 Postdoc Network meeting, "bringing data on postdoc issues to the attention of institutional and government officials will inevitably lead to improvements." A credible, quantitative database will serve as the foundation supporting necessary reform initiatives and a baseline from which to track progress.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2002_06_21/noDOI.14534915268850949079

Solutions to Postdoc Parenting Problems - Science, 1 December 2000

All working parents struggle to balance their work and family lives, but for many postdocs, the issues are further burdened by a lack of resources and support. In the Postdoc Network this week, Karen Spratt describes the efforts at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to create a child care subsidy program for postdocs. However, a subsidy program may not be the answer for all institutions. Thus, in this article, we'll cover a few additional financial support options and a couple of solutions that postdocs have created for themselves.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2000_12_01/noDOI.6817967988372019542