How do you draw the line between volunteer work and unpaid labour?
But questions remain about the plan’s actual intent and its potential impact on US universities’ current and future policies around existing faculty members. Read more
Fewer women lead top universities
Just 34 of leading universities named in this year’s annual Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings have female presidents, down 1% from the 36 that were led by women in 2017. Read more
US postdocs need more support from their institutions, says advocacy group
US academic institutions continue to enhance postdoctoral researcher experiences, but there is room for significant improvement, according to a 3 January report from the NPA in Rockville, Maryland. Read more
Changes to the U.S. tax code will harm graduate student mobility and career prospects
A recent editorial in Nature described the harm that newly proposed changes to the United States tax code will have on graduate student finances. If passed, these regulations — ostensibly designed to simplify tax calculations — will eliminate benefits previously given to students. Of particular harm to graduate students and the scientific world would be the elimination of the tax-free status of tuition waivers. Read more
Securing workplace rights for scientists in the age of Trump
In the wake of Donald Trump’s election, the scientific community is on edge. The future of federal science funding remains unclear, campus inclusivity is under threat, immigration policy is in disarray, and entire academic fields – such as climate change research – fear the worst. Read more
Industry partnership programs: A new type of PhD?
The problems with traditional PhD programs are well-documented: money is tight, funding is limited, academics often aren’t able to train for positions outside of academia, and the path up to tenured faculty positions just keeps getting narrower. Read more
Finding job satisfaction as a science communicator
…But a supervisor suggested that gaining first-hand research experience might make her a better communicator. Today, she sells workshops to companies, schools and universities and teaches science to Sunday-school students at a private academy in Tokyo. Read more
Tracking down the holy grail of academia
Having been awarded a faculty position at the University of Colorado, newly minted assistant professor Kate Smith is preparing to move from to the US from the UK. Here, she describes her experience of tenure interviews, how to maintain a passion for research and, crucially, how to find the elusive off-switch from science. Read more
Away from Home: Blending remote sensing with social sciences
The ‘Away from home‘ blogging series features Indian postdocs working in foreign labs recounting their experience of working there, the triumphs and challenges, the cultural differences and what they miss about India. They also offer useful tips for their Indian postdocs headed abroad. You can join in the online conversation using the #postdochat hashtag. Read more
Panic and a PhD
Here they share their story to support current doctoral students working to navigate and maintain a healthy work/life balance. Read more
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