Norma M. Allewell

1. The Postdoctoral Experience: What Works? What Doesn’t Work? Norma M. Allewell

2. The Data • How many? • How long? • Why? • Who? • Funding Source? • Where? • With whom?

3. How Many Recent Ph.D.’s Postdoc? Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.10

4. In Which Fields? Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.23

5. How Long? Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.11

6. Why? Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.16

7. Who are our postdocs? • Field • Gender • Race and ethnicity

8. Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.8

9. Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.34

10. Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.35

11. Race and Ethnicity • Approximately 50% temporary residents, regardless of field • Total number of under-represented minorities in 1997: 1242 (3%) • 57% in life sciences

12. Sources of Funding Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers,,National Academy Press, 2000, p.27

13. Where? Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.5

14. Washington University University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Cornell University University of Minnesota University of Southern California University of Arizona California Institute of Technology University of Wisconsin - Madison Massachusetts Institute of Technology Indiana University Baylor College of Medicine U Texas SW Medical Center at Dallas U Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Harvard University University of California at San Francisco Stanford University Johns Hopkins University University of California at San Diego University of Washington University of California at Berkeley University of Pennsylvania University of California, Los Angeles Duke University University of Michigan University of Colorado Top 25 Academic Institutions in terms of Total Number of Postdoctoral Appointments in 1998 Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.6

15. Work and Family http://pw1.netcom.com/~swansont/science.html

16. Percentages of Postdoctorates who are Married or have Children, by PhD Field and Gender, 1997. Source: 1997 Survey of Doctorate Recipients. Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.38

17. Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.38

18. Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers, National Academy Press, 2000, p.38

19. Relationship to Advisor • Matching Expectations • Degree of independence • Financial • Choice of project • Execution • “Taking it with you” • Mentoring • Communication • Career paths and career skills • One or many? The Scientist 14[3]:6, Feb. 7, 2000

20. Relationship to Institution • Institutional recognition and support • Personnel policies • Immigration issues

21. Career Preparation Outside the Laboratory • Communication • Interpersonal skills • Managerial skills • Teaching experience • Grant and manuscript preparation • Ethical conduct of research

22. Work and Family • An uncertain future? • Delayed gratification? • The two career couple • Children When I went from grad student to postdoc, I got a 20 percent increase --from 80 hours a week to 96." The Scientist 12[23]:2, Nov. 23, 1998

24. The Scientist 15[11]:4, May. 28, 2001

25. http://www.arscomica.com/scienceandtechnology.html

26. A postdoc, a grad student, and their professor are taking a walk outdoors during lunch when they come upon an old brass lamp. They pick it up and dust it off. Poof! Out pops a genie! "Thank you for releasing me from my lamp-prison," he says, "I can grant you three wishes- one for each of you." The postdoc thinks a moment, and then she says, "I'd like to be out sailing a yacht across the Pacific, racing before the wind, with a crew of totally buffed-out, gorgeous guys." "It is done," says the Genie, and Poof! the postdoc disappears. The grad student thinks a moment and says, "I'd like to be riding my Harley with a gang of beautiful women throughout the American Southwest." "It is done," says the Genie, and Poof! the grad student disappears. The professor looks at where the other two had been standing and rubs his chin in thought. Then, he tells the Genie, "I'd like those two back in lab after lunch."