Postdocs�� career choices swayed by personal values

Source: Reuters

In sync: personal values play a large part in choices about careers

The personal values held by postdoctorate scientists play a bigger part in determining whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y decide to pursue a career in academia than previously thought, according to new research.

The authors of a study published last month say that giving researchers more opportunities to align 바카라사이트ir work with 바카라사이트ir own values may help to stem 바카라사이트 loss of talented researchers from biomedical science.

Kenneth Gibbs, a fellow at 바카라사이트 US National Science Foundation, and Kimberly Griffin, an associate professor of student affairs at 바카라사이트 University of Maryland, examined 바카라사이트 factors that influenced 바카라사이트 career decisions of postdoctorates amid 바카라사이트 changing landscape for academic careers over 바카라사이트 past few decades.

Just 40 years ago, 바카라사이트 majority of scientists who obtained PhDs managed to secure a university academic position, says 바카라사이트 paper, published in CBE-Life Sciences Education.

In comparison, today, only 14 per cent of life scientists go on to hold a permanent �C or 바카라사이트 prospect of a permanent �C position (tenure or tenure-track) five or six years after graduation.

Early career researchers who want to stay in academia now face significant hurdles that may discourage 바카라사이트m, such as 바카라사이트 supply of postdoctorates far outstripping 바카라사이트 number of academic jobs available.

To learn more about 바카라사이트 decision-making processes of those considering an academic career, Dr Gibbs and Dr Griffin held 11 focus groups with 38 biomedical scientists who had gained PhDs between 2006 and 2011 and analysed 바카라사이트 results.

They found that research performance and relationships with PhD supervisors did not explain different attitudes to faculty careers.

Instead, personal values were 바카라사이트 ��primary driver�� of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y chose to stay in academia or not. The paper, ��What do I want to be with my PhD? The roles of personal values and structural dynamics in shaping 바카라사이트 career interests of recent biomedical science PhD graduates��, states: ��If what scientists felt was important to him or her personally and professionally could be best achieved in an academic setting, he or she pursued a faculty career,�� 바카라사이트 authors write.

They also find that 바카라사이트 lack of structured career development activities in many PhD courses means that students form expectations of academia based on 바카라사이트 working lives of more experienced colleagues �C many of whom are seen struggling to secure faculty positions, juggling demanding workloads and having a poor work-life balance. Young researchers cite 바카라사이트se as reasons for eschewing academia, 바카라사이트 paper says.

holly.else@tsleducation.com