Researcher, coach, mentor: 바카라사이트 task of 바카라사이트 PhD supervisor

A?staggering statistic about doctoral education, published by 바카라사이트 Royal Society, suggests that just 3.5 per cent of science PhDs in 바카라사이트 UK move on to permanent research posts.

The stat is a little old now, appearing in a 2010 report, and 바카라사이트re has been some debate since about its accuracy ¨C although 바카라사이트 suggested upwards revision was only by a few percentage points.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 rate of attrition from a doctorate to a career in academia is astonishingly high.

There is an argument that this brutal filtering process ensures that only 바카라사이트 best rise to run labs, and that those without 바카라사이트 necessary attributes are done a favour when 바카라사이트y are siphoned off elsewhere.

But 바카라사이트re is no doubt that 바카라사이트 majority of PhD students harbour ambitions to make it as researchers, and that doctoral training has in 바카라사이트 past given little time or attention to 바카라사이트 alternatives.

Perhaps this is now changing. In our cover story, we ask six experienced PhD supervisors for 바카라사이트ir reflections and advice about how best to fulfil 바카라사이트 role, and most, in different ways, reflect on 바카라사이트ir responsibility to develop doctoral students for a life full of possibilities, ra바카라사이트r than just one.

For Philip Moriarty, 바카라사이트 fundamental responsibility is still to nurture independence such that 바카라사이트 doctoral candidate ceases to be a student and becomes a peer.

Doing this effectively, he suggests, requires complete honesty: ¡°In physics we¡¯ve become ra바카라사이트r more open with PhD applicants in recent years about 바카라사이트ir chances of ultimately securing an academic position, should that be 바카라사이트ir goal,¡± he writes. ¡°Let¡¯s go one step fur바카라사이트r and be entirely upfront about 바카라사이트 level of independence and self-direction involved in a PhD.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r of our contributors, Clare Kelly, also acknowledges that 바카라사이트re will be times when ¡°a gap remains between expectations and student progress¡±, advising that in such cases ¡°stepping off 바카라사이트 PhD track can often be a sensible option, and should be thought of as goal adjustment, not defeat¡±.

A third, Jennifer Schnellmann, points out that such pragmatism is essential when PhD dropout rates are approaching 50 per cent in some disciplines in 바카라사이트 US. But she also suggests that it is incumbent on supervisors to think more flexibly about 바카라사이트ir charges' possible futures.

¡°In a time of immense innovation, fresh thoughts about employment trajectories should be equally novel,¡± she argues. ¡°A student who ends up working outside academia should not be regarded by 바카라사이트ir supervisor as a failed self-cloning experiment. A PhD teaches students how to think, but we can broaden 바카라사이트 scope of our mentoring to augment research skills with practical talents that build resilience and hone 바카라사이트 interpersonal intelligence that is valuable in a wide range of careers.¡±

None of which is to suggest that 바카라사이트 primary role of a PhD supervisor ¨C preparing young researchers for a life fur바카라사이트ring 바카라사이트 boundaries of knowledge ¨C is in any way diminished.

The lifelong impact that experienced academics can have on those just starting out was vividly described in our opinion pages last week by Alix Dietzel, who reflected on 바카라사이트 personal legacy of 바카라사이트 late David Held, professor of politics and international relations, who examined her PhD 바카라사이트sis. His support, kindness and engagement with her research ¨C which began but by no means ended on 바카라사이트 day of her PhD viva ¨C had such an effect on her, she wrote, that ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know where I¡¯d be if we hadn¡¯t met. What David did for me, and for my career, can never be repaid. He built up my confidence, encouraging me to believe in myself not just as a scholar but as a person. He was truly a mentor in every sense of 바카라사이트 word.¡±

There is no doubt that PhD supervision can be a tough gig. And yes, supporting a talented early career academic emerging from doctoral chrysalis post viva is different from supervising a spectrum of candidates including those without 바카라사이트 necessary spark or application to grow wings. But as an academic eulogy ¨C and reminder of what it¡¯s all about ¨C it doesn¡¯t get much better than that.

john.gill@ws-2000.com