TY - JOUR

T1 - Academic ecosystems must evolve to support a sustainable postdoc workforce

AU - Alund, Murielle

AU - Emery, Nathan

AU - Jarrett, Benjamin J. M.

AU - MacLeod, Kirsty J.

AU - McCreery, Helen F.

AU - Mamoozadeh, Nadya

AU - Phillips, John G.

AU - Schossau, Jory

AU - Thompson, Andrew W.

AU - Warwick, Alexa R.

AU - Yule, Kelsey M.

AU - Zylstra, Erin R.

AU - Gering, Eben

PY - 2020/6/1

Y1 - 2020/6/1

N2 - 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 Postdoc professional development, however, remains rooted in outdated realities.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.

AB - 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 Postdoc professional development, however, remains rooted in outdated realities.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.

U2 - 10.1038/s41559-020-1178-6

DO - 10.1038/s41559-020-1178-6

M3 - Article

VL - 4

SP - 777

EP - 781

JO - Nature Ecology and Evolution

JF - Nature Ecology and Evolution

SN - 2397-334X

IS - 6

ER -