cathee johnson phillips, m.a. executive director, npa june 2011

Cathee Johnson Phillips, M.A.Executive Director, NPA

www.nationalpostdoc.org June 2011

National Postdoctoral Association www.nationalpostdoc.org

First: Thank you!

The previous report on postdocs was a major catalyst for change; we expect this report to play an equally important role in giving the process of change new impetus.

Benefits of a Postdoc

• Provides opportunities to:• Strengthen credentials through

publishing and grant writing• Expand knowledge base• Interact with thought leaders in

research area• Interact with researchers “outside of

discipline”• Engage in interdisciplinary

collaboration

Benefits of a Postdoc

• Today, also expected to provide opportunities to:• Pursue professional development• Receive more mentoring or guidance• Establish networking base for future

career options• Explore geographically or

institutionally

• Disenfranchisement• Isolation• Perceived lack of status

• Lack of mentoring• Inadequate compensation• Inequitable, poor, or no benefits• Career prospects

• Understanding career options outside of academia

• Developing/recognizing transferable skills

Major Issues for Postdocs

Critical Issues

• Pros and cons of classification of postdocs: Employees vs. Trainees• Impacts compensation and benefits

• The expansion of “postdoc” to “all” disciplines

• Advancing women and underrepresented groups

• Supply and demand: the “international” postdoc question

• The power of supervisors• Career and funding prospects


NPA Efforts

• Institutional Policy Database• In the process of establishing a regular survey

effort to provide current data on postdocs– Instrument almost finalized for postdoc

survey– Beginning work on survey of institutions

• Online toolkits/clearinghouses of information– NPA Core Competencies

• Focus groups/workshops• NPA ADVANCE


NPA Institutional Survey

• Postdoctoral Compensation, Benefits, and Professional Development Opportunities

• VERY early stage of development

• Conducted Nov. 28 – Dec. 6

• 175 Institutions; 52% response rate; 42% completion rate



• 47% reported that the minimum salary/stipend for postdocs is based the NIH-NRSA scale

• 79% provide health insurance, and the majority require that the postdocs pay 25% or less of the premium

• Only 40% provide paid maternity leave

• Regarding all benefits, in every case fellows had fewer or poorer benefits

• RCR training leads the way



• 89% require that postdocs receive a letter of appointment

• 54% require that postdocs receive an annual performance evaluation/review.

• Fewer than half, or 32%, require exit interviews for postdocs.

• RCR training leads the way.


• NPA ADVANCE is a project to adapt and disseminate promising institutional practices that can help women postdocs successfully transition to faculty careers.

• We provide:– Summary of current data on postdocs and gender– Online Clearinghouse of promising practices for

institutions– Technical assistance to institutions seeking to

implement programs for postdoc women– Forthcoming resource compendium of best practices

• Supported by National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE program

The Leaky Pipeline of Scientist Women

Figure adapted from Mary Ann Mason, based on study from Goulden, Mason & Frasch 2009, “Staying Competitive Patching America’s Leaky Pipeline in the Sciences.”

Ph.D. Receipt

First Tenure-Track

Position TenurePostdoc

Women Ph.D.Water Level

“…at every academic career milestone the proportion of women in science and engineering declines. … In examining the transition into academic positions…,

the declines are greatest in fields requiring a period of postdoctoral study”

– National Research Council, Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering (2007)


NPA Recommendations

• Collect data!• Establish and support postdoc offices• Allow release time for professional

development on research grants• Require mentoring plans on grants and

develop a system of evaluation that impacts supervisors’ careers

• Educate from the top down at research universities about postdocs

• Provide graduate offices information to help students carefully consider a postdoc


You Are Invited!

NPA Annual Meeting

March 16-18, 2011

Sir Francis Drake Hotel

San Francisco, CA

Saturday, March 17

Plenary and Town Hall Meeting

3:15 p.m. – 6 p.m.

cathee johnson phillips, m.a. executive director, npa june 2011

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