Enhancing the postdoctoral experience for scientists and engineers : a guide for postdoctoral scholars, advisers, institutions, funding organizations, and disciplinary societies / Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy Staff, Corporate Author.

Contributor:

National Academy of Engineering Staff, Content Provider.

National Academy of Sciences Staff, Content Provider.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Science--Study and teaching (Graduate)--United States.

Science.

Engineering--Study and teaching (Graduate)--United States.

Engineering.

Graduate students in science--United States.

Graduate students in science.

Graduate students in engineering--United States.

Graduate students in engineering.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (212 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. ; [Great Britain] : National Academy Press, c2000.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The concept of postdoctoral training came to science and engineering about a century ago. Since the 1960s, the performance of research in the United States has increasingly relied on these recent PhDs who work on a full-time, but on a temporary basis, to gain additional research experience in preparation for a professional research career. Such experiences are increasingly seen as central to careers in research, but for many, the postdoctoral experience falls short of expectations. Some postdocs indicate that they have not received the recognition, standing or compensation that is commensurate with their experience and skills. Is this the case? If so, how can the postdoctoral experience be enhanced for the over 40,000 individuals who hold these positions at university, government, and industry laboratories? This new book offers its assessment of the postdoctoral experience and provides principles, action points, and recommendations for enhancing that experience.

Contents:

""Cover""; ""Front Matter""; ""Preface""; ""Acknowledgements""; ""A Note on Using This Guide""; ""Contents""; ""Figures, Tables, and Boxes""; ""Executive Summary""; ""1 Postdoctoral Scholars in US Institutions""; ""2 Features of the Postdoctoral Population""; ""3 Rights, Opportunities, and Responsibilities of the Postdoc""; ""4 The Postdoc and the Adviser""; ""5 The Postdoc and the Institution""; ""6 The Postdoc and the Funding Organization""; ""7 The Postdoc and the Disciplinary Societies""; ""8 Principles, Action Points, and Recommendations for Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience""

""Bibliography""""Appendixes""; ""Appendix A Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy: Member and Staff Biographical Information""; ""Appendix B Analysis of Quantitative Data on Postdocs""; ""Appendix C Results of Survey of Organizations with Postdoctoral Scholars""; ""Appendix D Summary of Workshop on Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience""; ""Appendix E Summary of Results from Institutional Focus Groups""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9780309171991

0309171997

9780309501248

0309501245