“a crucial but often marginalized segment of the scientific workforce”
NATURE CAREER NEWS 19 JUNE 2020
In the middle of the pandemic, June 2020, Nature launched a remarkable project. They made a survey dedicated to postdocs, which they described as “a crucial but often marginalized segment of the scientific workforce”. The questions are about the postdoctoral experience, including “job satisfaction, career progression, working hours and financial compensation” and also COVID related issues.
Take our postdoctoral-researcher survey CAREER NEWS 19 JUNE 2020 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01863-y
After they got the results, special featured articles have been followed. These articles can give us a brief look at the current situation and even share some useful tips for junior researchers. Nature openly shares the summarized result of the survey also. I think it is worth to share with people especially for whom are insecure and burned-out. This outlook tells us that you are not alone and maybe it is not all your fault. Some articles ask for immediate action to relieve the frustration many postdocs are facing amid COVID. And discussions often lead to questioning the sustainability of the current academic job structure.
Pandemic darkens postdocs’ work and career hopes CAREER FEATURE 08 SEPTEMBER 2020 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02548-2
Postdoc survey reveals disenchantment with working life CAREER FEATURE 18 NOVEMBER 2020 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03191-7
Postdocs under pressure: ‘Can I even do this any more?’ CAREER FEATURE 23 NOVEMBER 2020 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03235-y
Uncertain prospects for postdoctoral researchers CAREER FEATURE 01 DECEMBER 2020 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03381-3
Postdocs need urgent financial support amid COVID conditions EDITORIAL 01 DECEMBER 2020 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03377-z
Uncertainty plagues junior researchers from underprivileged backgrounds amid pandemic CAREER FEATURE 07 DECEMBER 2020 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03465-0
For me, this survey is a small irony, in a good way. Because Nature, one of the biggest giants in research publishing ecosystem, has been blamed for its power over the scientific community. Some people think their recent rapid growth and financial success are unfair. But here probably one of the most significant steps toward helping junior researchers has been done by this love-hatred character. It is even more impressive that they have the plan to do this kind of surveys repeatedly in the coming years.
And for those who are grad students, don’t worry. They already did a survey on the life of PhD in 2019.
PhDs: the tortuous truth CAREER FEATURE 13 NOVEMBER 2019 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-03459-7
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