In-Depth Survey Analysis Available

An examination of the factors that contribute to postdoc productivity and satisfaction.

"Improving the Postdoctoral Experience: An Empirical Approach" is slated to appear in the forthcoming book, The Science and Engineering Workforce in the US, Richard Freeman and Daniel Goroff, editors, NBER/University of Chicago Press.

Abstract: Recent reports have called for changes to the training of postdoctoral scientists and engineers.  We tested the hypotheses that the practices advocated make a measurable difference in the experiences and productivity of postdoctoral researchers using data from a large-scale survey.  We found that structured oversight and professional development opportunities are associated with a broad range of positive outcomes; compensation-related measures, in contrast, have few quantifiable benefits.  Postdocs who wrote research/career plans at the start of their appointments were 23% more productive than those who did not.  Teaching experiences, exposure to non-academic careers, and training in proposal writing and project management were also associated with multiple positive outcomes.