Post Doc: To Be or Not to Be?

1. Post Doc: To Be or Not to Be? Douglas Densmore, PhD University of California, Berkeley Future Faculty and Professional Symposium GEM National Convention Las Vegas, NV 10/6/07

2. Outline • Why? • “What!? Stay in school!!” ..maybe not that bad • Post doc requires a very specific motivation • How? • “monster.com here I come!” …work smarter, not harder • You have more control than you think • Where? • “Finally that beach house in Hawaii!”…need real reason • Post doc is about positioning yourself for the “next level”

3. My Background Grandparent’s home on Lake Huron Richland Michigan (outside of Kalamazoo) • Born and raised in Southwest Michigan (Kalamazoo Area) • BSE in Computer Engineering in 2001 from the University of Michigan • MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 2004 and 2007 • Currently a UC Chancellor’s Post Doctoral Fellow at UC Berkeley Past GEM Fellow

4. Why I Am a Post Doc Concrete Reasons • Ultimately I want to be a faculty member at a research 1 university • Received a Post Doctoral Fellowship • Personally I needed to have “temporary” employment Emotional Reasons • Not sure my research agenda is “ready” • Personal life left me unprepared to do an effective analysis of my university options

5. How I Am a Post Doc • Final academic year of my graduate studies I was unsure of whether I wanted an academic position. • Prepared my academic job market materials • AND applied for a post doc fellowship • Fellowship PLUS my “why” reasons made the decision fairly easy. I took active control of my destiny! Do NOT leave this to chance!!!

6. Where I Am a Post Doc • University of California, Berkeley department of Electrical Engineering • SAME advisor that I had during my grad studies (Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli) • MIX of old and new research. Same project for publications and progress. New project for expansion and depth • NEW responsibilities. Grant writing and I run a seminar series

7. Main Question & Homework Question? Where do you want to be 2-5 years after you finish your PhD? This ultimately will answer 90%. Professionally? – University, National Lab, Industry Personally? – Family, Lifestyle Homework Identify 5-10 REAL people who match your goals and find out what they did!

8. Post Doc Myths • A post doc is just an extension of grad school • A good post doc should be an extension of your work as well as the development of new research AND your roll in a department • A post doc automatically makes you more attractive • A poorly done post doc can actually do damage to your image. You are only as good as your last job • A post doc is easier/less stressful than grad school • A post doc is DIFFERENT than grad school. That does not mean that it easier

9. Why #1 – Need a Post Doc • “Need” to do a post doc to get to the “next level” • “Need” means that it is literally a requirement • This can be very true in the physical sciences • An unwritten rule that all applicants will have a post doc

10. Why #2 – Not Done • Not “done” academically to move to the next level • Want to consolidate research from dissertation • Publish more papers from dissertation • Code/software release needs to be completed • What is not “done” will prevent you from moving to the next level successfully (i.e. don’t stay just to “dot the last ‘i’”)

11. Why #3 – Not Ready • Not “ready” to move on to the next level • Need to publish more new work to be a truly competitive applicant • Want to expand into a new area now that you are free from the burden of your dissertation • Family/personal situation requires that you stay in a temporary situation.

12. Why #4 – Need for Growth • Need to grow in various areas • Need to connect with more colleagues, mentors, etc. Grow your network • Learn more about the academic job market and processes. How to negotiate • Time to mature and gain confidence • Practice speaking, job talks, etc

13. Why – NOT to do a post doc • You should not do a post doc because: • You don’t know what you want to do next (i.e. stall/postpone the “real world”) • You think it is automatically going to make you a more attractive candidate • Feel flattered that someone offered you a position A post doc is unique because it is not a goal itself (like a degree or job) but rather a stepping stone.

14. How #1 – Finding a post doc • A post doc appointment needs to satisfy a particular research goal. Its selection should not be random! • Use your current network (advisor, peers, etc) • Look at university department job openings • Find those doing work in your area. Contact them! You are a PhD now! • Sell yourself. What do you bring to the table? You are going to bring a great deal of manpower and brainpower to the table.

15. How #2 – Types of post docs • Fellowship • You have your own money, potentially research funds • Pros: Independence, status • Cons: Need to make sure someone “cares about your success” • Employment • You are employed by the university or lab • Pros: Direct affiliation with who pays you (i.e. someone cares that you are productive) • Cons: Expectations related to who pays you. Limited flexibility in schedule and goals

16. How #3 – Questions to ask • How EXACTLY will I fit into the research picture at place/group X? • What will be the balance between publishing work and DOING work? • What have previous post docs gone on to do after they left place X? • Get names and contact them! Similar questions you would ask anytime you make a “life transition”

17. How #4 – Once you have a post doc • Make a specific timeline with explicit goals • This is a fixed length appointment! • Begin the transition from grad student to post doc • Establish new role with graduate students • Make yourself visible within the department • Begin to align yourself more closely with archetypes that fit your future vision of yourself

18. How – NOT to do a post doc • You should NOT: • Select a post doc based solely on the financial package/geographic location • Go into a post doc without a clear idea of what the responsibilities and expectations are • Research goals • Teaching requirements • Dive blindly into research without a clear vision of not only its academic merit, but also how it fits into your timeline and goals

19. Where #1 – Same location? • Same university as your graduate school? • Pros • Can keep the same momentum you had previously • Build your name and visibility more quickly • Perhaps this is simply the best match both academically and personally • Cons • May still be viewed as a graduate student (respect issues) • Need to work more to open up your network • Need to guard against complacency. Need energy

20. Where #2 - Different Location? • Different university than your graduate school? • Pros • Chance to “reinvent” yourself. Brand new start! • Whole new set of contacts and mentors. • Improve your “status” (i.e. go to a “better” school). • Cons • Start up time may “steal” momentum. • Need to reestablish yourself and make new contacts. • No assurance that you will like the new situation. At least with your old school you knew what it was like…

21. Where #3 - Outside Location? • Research in industry, national lab, etc? • Pros: • Visibility to commercial work. • “Real world” problems. • New environment. Distance yourself from academics • Cons: • Publishing may be difficult (NDAs for example) • Added pressures (i.e. bringing products to market) • Distance yourself from academics

22. Where – NOT to do a post doc • A place chosen solely for superficial reasons. • This is just a short stop (shorter than grad school!) • A place chosen solely since it is a “step up” from your grad school. • Not going to matter if you aren’t productive • A place where you have not spoken with several (if not all) of the people you are going to be working with and discussed YOUR goals.

23. Post Doc and Tenure • A post doc effectively delays your entry into an academic position • Pros: • Work you do as a post doc MAY be useful in the tenure process • You will enter the professoriate with more research ideas, projects, and momentum • Cons: • You have spent X years doing a post doc as opposed to pursuing tenure • May bring higher expectations to those evaluating you as a researcher

24. Conclusions • Ask the big question! “Where do I want to be 2-5 years after I finish my PhD?”. • Go through the why, how, where process to begin the to think about a post doc. • Truly view a post doc as a “stepping stone” rather than the ultimate goal. Don’t lose your grad school momentum!!!!

25. References • Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers • http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=9831 • Tomorrow’s Professor, Rick Reis • http://www.postdocjobs.com • National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) • http://www.nationalpostdoc.org • University of California, Presidents Post Doc Fellowship • http://www.ucop.edu/acadadv/ppfp/

26. Questions?? • densmore@eecs.berkeley.edu Thanks to GEM, Sheila Humphreys, Beatriz Lopez-Flores, Sam Casteneda