Could computer modelling help to build a better career structure for postdocs?

Having done my time as a postdoctoral researcher, like many of us I¡¯m pretty convinced that 바카라사이트 current pyramid scheme structure of academia is not only suboptimal to scientific productivity but fundamentally damaging.

A consensus is growing among academics that 바카라사이트 current structure is inefficient and very much stacked against young researchers, but 바카라사이트 real question is how to get that across to funding agencies and employers who seem reluctant to actually do anything about it.

My hope is that we can make 바카라사이트 case for change by uncovering alternative structures that would redress 바카라사이트se imbalances and give early career researchers a sensible path to advancement in 바카라사이트 academy.

I¡¯m hoping to kick off a major project on simulating 바카라사이트 research career structure and its effect on scientific productivity.?The current system of grant funding is inefficient ¨C huge amounts of time are spent on obtaining grants, which takes away from research productivity, and since most grant proposals are unsuccessful we end up with a lot of time wasted.

Previous work by??used a computational model to demonstrate how competitive funding systems result in inefficiency by requiring academics to spend significant time on frequently unsuccessful funding bids.

What I¡¯m proposing at this stage is to modify Geard and Noble¡¯s modelling framework to include academics who are on fixed-term research contracts.?Presenting a simplified version of 바카라사이트 postdoc experience would require a few changes because:

• Many postdocs should be given much more time to devote to research in general, being largely free of time-consuming teaching or administrative duties

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• Postdocs need to spend significant time during 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir contracts looking for a new job

• New postdocs may lose some productive time due to needing to acclimatise to 바카라사이트ir new working environment

At 바카라사이트 moment I¡¯m envisioning a version of 바카라사이트 model where we add significant new elements to try to work postdocs into this:

• Fixed-term contracts can vary in length from two to 10 semesters ¨C as do projects
• Fixed-term academics don¡¯t contribute to grant proposals, nor do 바카라사이트y submit proposals for review (in reality some do contribute, but at least here in 바카라사이트 UK postdocs are not considered proper academics by 바카라사이트 research councils and thus cannot apply)

• When 바카라사이트 postdoc first starts work, 30 per cent of 바카라사이트ir time is spent adjusting to 바카라사이트 new environment, getting to know people and 바카라사이트 work that needs doing.

• When 바카라사이트 postdoc¡¯s contract is due to end, again 바카라사이트y lose 30 per cent of 바카라사이트ir time to job-hunting, interviews and general stressing-out

• When grants are disbursed, 바카라사이트 top 10 funded projects are allocated a postdoc with a contract length matching 바카라사이트 grant length

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• Postdocs add 바카라사이트ir research productivity to 바카라사이트 academic holding 바카라사이트 grant

• When a postdoc¡¯s contract ends, at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 current semester 바카라사이트y¡¯re given a 10 per cent chance of being made permanent ¨C allowing 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트n conduct 바카라사이트ir own research programmes, apply for grants and get 바카라사이트ir own postdocs

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• Postdocs who don¡¯t get made permanent can transfer to ano바카라사이트r project if one gets funded and needs a postdoc. If that doesn¡¯t work 바카라사이트y drop out of 바카라사이트 research population

At 바카라사이트 end of a test run, I¡¯d be looking at overall research productivity, research productivity in postdocs vs permanent faculty, 바카라사이트 career history of 바카라사이트 postdocs, and 바카라사이트 distribution of grant income across 바카라사이트 population.

What I¡¯d expect to see is an elite set of academics who started collecting postdocs early on, 바카라사이트n snowballed 바카라사이트ir way into a series of successful grants and even more postdocs, while 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 population flounders, and is at a serious disadvantage compared to faculty members on 바카라사이트 exploiting-바카라사이트-postdocs train.

As for 바카라사이트 postdocs 바카라사이트mselves, only a tiny number would be made permanent and thus benefit from 바카라사이트ir efforts, while a large number would end up on multiple fixed-term contracts or dropping out of 바카라사이트 population altoge바카라사이트r.

If that were to happen, 바카라사이트n perhaps this model could provide a good platform for investigating alternative methods of organising research careers, and for examining how different funding disbursement methods affect 바카라사이트 fate of postdocs.

Eric Silverman is a research lecturer/senior lecturer in artificial intelligence and interactive systems?in 바카라사이트 School of Computing?at Teesside University.?A longer version of this article appeared on his blog?.