PostDocs World -All about PostDoctoral Researchers

PostDocs or PostDoctoral Fellows are Young Scientists with a PhD in Sciences, mainly Biological but also in other Scientific Disciplines, besides Medicine, Phy, Chem, Maths & Bio-Engg etc. Getting a PhD leads to further into a semi employee or trainee status called PostDocs, the very first PostDoc was ever created during 1970s, to move into a full term Faculty PostDoc was not necessary then but it is a Necessity now!, too many issues exist for PostDocs, Only Unionization can resolve it.

October 12, 2008

PostDoc CEOs?? What?

Susan writes about an upcoming career fair and a PostDoc recruitment initiative in the Washington DC area. It is interesting to note that the organizers would like to train the PostDocs and scientists to be CEOs?.

Postdoc Project Aims to Turn Scientists into CEOs
The Washington region is chock full of brainy researchers who come into town for a handful of years to put their knowledge to use during a fellowship at a federal lab, developing innovative intellectual property or possible cures for wicked diseases. But then they leave, taking their brainy ideas and their economy-boosting talent with them.

Read Washington Post for the complete news...!

October 11, 2008

POSTDOC UNION: University of Western Ontario Postdocs Unionize

The Uconn Postdoc Unionization is reaching far beyond the US soil, last month the biggest PostDoc campus, University of California system faced the challenges of postdocs unionizing, the local labor board recognized postdocs can unionize, what a great success to PostDocs at the UC campuses. Here is another news from far away land, Canada, the western Ontario University postdocs unionized this week.

News:

Post-doc fellows at UWO unionize Sat, October 4, 2008	Email Print Write Size: A A A Share: Facebook Digg Del.icio.us Google Stumble Upon Furl Newsvine Reddit Technorati Blinklist Feed Me Yahoo Socializer Ma.gnolia Raw Sugar Simpy Squidoo Spurl Blink Bits Rojo Blogmarks Shadows Netvouz Scuttle Co.mments Bloglines Tailrank Sitejot +Help
By VIVIEN FELLEGI, SPECIAL TO SUN MEDIA

Fed up with what they say are poor working conditions, post-doctoral fellows at the University of Western Ontario have unionized.

About 250 post-doctoral fellows joined the Public Service Alliance of Canada when the Ontario Labour Relations Board certified their application on Sept. 30.

PostDoc Union in Canada? News!

National union to represent Western postdoctoral associates

By Communications Staff
Friday, October 3, 2008
One of Canada's largest unions, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), will soon be certified by the Ontario Labour Relations Board to represent the group of postdoctoral fellows employed as postdoctoral associates at The University of Western Ontario

Last February when PSAC filed its application with the Ontario Labour Relations Board to represent the union, there were 236 postdoctoral fellows, 30 of whom were classified as postdoctoral associates and employees of Western and therefore eligible to join a union. The remaining fellows are considered to be independent contractors.

Western and PSAC have also agreed to develop objective criteria to determine in future which postdoctoral fellows are employed as postdoctoral associates and which postdoctoral fellows are independent contractors.

“As employees of Western, the postdoctoral associates have exercised their right to join a union,” says Helen Connell, Associate Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs at Western. “Western's administration looks forward to having a positive working relationship with PSAC as we do with the other unions on campus.”

"PSAC has developed a solid expertise in representing workers from the academic field," said Gerry Halabecki, the PSAC Regional Executive Vice President for Ontario. "By being part of the large PSAC family, postdoctoral fellows and postdoctoral associates at Western will be in a better position to improve their working conditions."

PSAC's campaign was supported by the Postdoctoral Association at Western, which is an uncertified association that has advocated for better working conditions for postdoctoral associates and postdoctoral fellows.

September 20, 2008

Introducing Neuro Forum, a Section for Young Neurophysiologists

The latest editorial "Neuro Forum" in the most respected neuroscience journal (the journal of neurophysiology) by David Linden

is an eye opener to promote young generations involvement in scienfitic writing?. He puts up his views through this video about the importance of young scientists in respectful manner, hope the young scientists will join such forum and utilize this opportunity.

It is probably the first of it's kind initiative that I never seen in such a reputed journal like Journal of Neurophysiology, neither I have seen happened through any other journals. I wish other editors from other fields do emulate this good path to make the young scientists, give them such opportunities.

A Message from the Chief Editor of the
Journal of Neurophysiology
David J. Linden
Dept. of Neuroscience
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD 21205

While Journal of Neurophysiology is beloved by most senior and mid-career researchers in our ﬁeld, I’m concerned that the next generation will not share this feeling unless their participation is more actively encouraged. Are there editorial initiatives that might help to address this issue? Starting in Fall 2006, the Journal of Neuroscience made an effort along these lines that we aim to emulate and adapt. They have a manuscript type (which they call “Journal Club”) for graduate students and postdocs to independently write brief commentaries on interesting, recently published papers in Journal of Neuroscience. These are reviewed by the Editors and are turned around quickly, so that the commentary can appear within 2 months of the target article.

September 03, 2008

Birth of PostDoc Union at University of California: It is Official now!!!

University of California is one of the largest university in USA and in the world, UC is very well known as one of the most influential and reputed universities in teaching, research and discoveries.

It is here in this huge university structured by multiple campuses that postdocs are making world news this week with their Union card signup finaly got approved by the local board PERB.

PostDocs in UC campuses reckoning to be the largest postdoc population in the
entire world, could easily translates this number into the fact that things happen in UC campus will spark the light all over the postdoc, postdoctoral organizaitons around US, UK, Canada and world over.

Well that might be understatement for those organizing committee and lots of postdocs who worked hard on this UC Postdoc unionization have learned how difficult to unionize the postdocs, and these postdocs were inspired by the work and successeful unionization of the small postdoc group at the Uconn Health Center, the very first Postdoc union in the world. It is an honor and previlege to congratulate UC Postdocs in winning this approval, we are very happy to learn that this great university Postdocs took a leaf out of Uconn Postdoc Unionization drive into their own and succeeded now. Job well done dear UC Postdocs, and I am waiting to here about your great experience and the first successeful contract, while the fence sitters all over the campus and in other universities will now jumb into the right side, the unionizaiton side, we can hear the little spark from Uconn to spread the unionization in other universities.

Since the PERB approved UC Postdocs
majority, it is official and postdocs are getting ready to organize and putting
papers together for a negotiation committee to sit with the university
administration.
Here is the latest update of the approval news from PRO/UAW:
Updates from the PRO/UAW Organizing Committee

PERB Verifies Majority!
August 20, 2008
On June 30th, PRO/UAW filed our unionization petition with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) of California. This week, PERB has confirmed that a majority of all University of California Postdocs have signed up for the Union! Thank you for your support!

August 25, 2008

George Bush is Detrimental to Science and Medical Research!?

America never faced such a crisis of govt & Federal funding for Science and medical research than in the last several years during Bush's regime. While billions and trillions of dollars have been wasted in the name of war, not even a fraction of such amount is allocated to scientific and medical research?.
During this time, the developing or underdeveloped countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, China and even the poverty ridden India been promoting better science and research with considerable amount of funding to research.

Here is the latest Higher Ed Report on Federal Funding and it's
aftermath of Scientific research in USA.
Aug. 25
©Istockphoto/Dr.Heinz Linke
‘Unprecedented’ 2-Year Decline for U.S. Science Funds
The numbers will not surprise anyone who has closely tracked federal budget discussions about science and technology in recent years. But that won’t make the data released Friday by the National Science Foundation any more palatable for those concerned about the American research enterprise.
But the extent of the downturn is stark, the NSF reports: For the second year in a row, federal funds for academic research in science and engineering failed to outpace inflation. That situation is “unprecedented,”
the science foundation notes; never before in the 36 years that the NSF has produced this report have there been two consecutive years in which federal science spending has declined in current dollars.As seen in the table below, colleges and universities spent $49.431 billion on research and development in the 2007 fiscal year, up 3.5 percent (or 0.8 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars) from 2006.
Federal support rose to $30.441 billion, up 1.1 percent in current dollars and
down 1.6 percent once adjusted for inflation.
That follows a 0.2 percent decline in inflation adjusted dollars from 2005 to 2006:
For complete story, click the topic linked to the original article.

August 12, 2008

Fixing the structural ills of US biomedical research

This news piece is a good analysis about Michael Teitelbaum's article on policy changes to fill the cracks in academia?.

Fixing the structural ills of US biomedical research

By Jonathan M. Gitlin | Published: July 31, 2008 - 01:03PM CT

Although the US biomedical research endeavor might appear to be in great shape, it faces some significant problems. The rapid doubling of the NIH budget started during the Clinton administration was followed by several years of flat funding, and this has exposed structural cracks in the way that we're training and employing researchers. Here at Ars we've been banging that drum for a while now, and today in Science, Michael Teitelbaum, vice president of the Sloan Foundation, joins in with a policy forum article on the topic that contributes a list of suggestions for policymakers.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080731-fixing-the-structural-ills-of-us-biomedical-research.html

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UC System & the Number of PostDocs?

How many PostDocs work at the UC system, this is one of the largest PostDoc group in US and probably in the world, what happens here can be a great event!. When things said and done on the PostDoc unionization, they will join the only Unionized PostDocs, the Uconn Health center Postdocs. Here is the latest numbers from the UC postdoc society website?

Postdocs in Numbers

UC Berkeley	1150
UC Davis	800
UC Irvine	344
UC Los Angeles	1110
UC Merced	20
UC Riverside	200
UC Santa Barbara	300
UC Santa Cruz	148
UC San Diego	907
UC San Francisco	1100
Total	6059

The above numbers are approximate and were correct to within 10 in
March 2008.

Academic Productivity, a Blog about Academia???

Academics salaries lower than automobile industry worker salary?

Though, a comparision between an academician and a autoworker is not the right choice to do a salary or work related benefits, it certainly brings an issue of importance. What exactly academic people get as a benefits is a daunting task?. Read further about the disparity of salary for academicians and the following thoughtful comments by readers of the blog.

From Mark J. Perry’s blog, I just learned that the average UAW worker with a high school degree earns 57.6% more compensation than the average university professor with a Ph.D. Considering that there are plenty of academic positions that do not enjoy the average salary mentioned in the blog post, this is something to worry about. Average Postdoc salaries according to the NSF are nowhere closer to this figure, and you have to add the uncertainty of these positions (they are always short-term) and mobility demands (expect to move to a different university sooner or later). And of course, academic work longer hours and suffer a lot more psychological stress than car factory workers.

What PostDocs Favor?

Postdocs favor top biomedical research institutes
Several of the world's top biomedical research institutes--including a couple run by biopharma giants--have made this year's list of the best places for postdocs to work. The annual ranking by The Scientist for the U.S. includes the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (4); U.T.'s M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (5); Genentech (6); the Fox Chase Cancer Center (7) and the Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research (15). Among the top international institutions ranked, the University of Cambridge in the UK jumped from 9th to first place, largely because of their focus on professional training.
The survey found that institutions which consistently rank at the top of the heap are noted for their ability to listen to postdocs' concerns "about uncertain career opportunities, work/life balance, and the need for first-rate professional development."

Interesting Little Piece on Diversity &

From Nature.com, Postdoc Journal

I'm an alien

Jon Yearsley is a senior postdoc in evolutionary genetics at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.

Finding refuge in my science.

"Naturalisations en masse, STOP," is one of the more startling political posters that I pass as I cycle into work. The poster shows that the rights of foreigners are once more up for debate. This reminds me that I, as a Brit, am an alien in this European society.

When it comes to my research, the environment is as familiar as a decent pint of English ale and BBC Radio 4. The culture of science is truly international, and interesting research is exciting in any language. At the last count, my department was home to 18 nationalities, making it almost as diverse as the flowers in a Swiss alpine meadow. And rather than this turning into a Tower of Babel, science is done, null hypotheses are refuted, papers are published and impact factors are recorded.

My research gives a welcome dose of the familiar in what can sometimes be an unfamiliar culture. I wasn't brought up with alpine cows, wrapping my lips around french vowels or trying the odd yodel. The unfamiliar is fun, but I'm glad that my habitual pursuit, science, is an important one. Arguably, scientific method crosses national boundaries. I like to think that even a bug-eyed alien postdoc from a distant planet would find some common currency with earthling academics.

PostDocs Union: New Minimum Ssalary: $37, 740!!

SALARY AND STIPEND LEVELS

UCSF Graduate Division

Current University of California Office of the President, UCSF Graduate Division, and UCSF Graduate Council policies require that postdoctoral scholars receive a minimum compensation equal to $37,400 (effective October 1, 2009). This salary level was established by the UC Office of the President and was consistent with the NIH salary scale at time of announcement. [IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AGREEMENT REACHED WITH PRO/UAW, THE NEW MINIMUM SALARY FOR POSTDOCS WILL BE $37,740 AS OF 9/1/10. SEE THE UCOP WEBSITE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. PLEASE CONTACT THE UCSF POSTDOC OFFICE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. (jeannine.cuevas@ucsf.edu or christine.desjarlais@ucsf.edu; ph 514-4852)]

UC PostDoc Union Proposal, now Public Document, Read it at the Link?

Union update- Laura Bartley, UCD representative to the bargaining team

The union has been working to put together proposal to bring to the University. There was an election for the initial proposal ratification that passed in December. The union and the University have now exchanged proposals which are now public documents:

(http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/employees/policies_employee_labor_relations/ne

ws_events/0901-heera_notice_px.html).

There will be opportunity for public comment on these proposals (on both sides) Jan 20th at the UC administration building in Oakland, and also Feb 3rd. Laura encouraged PD to attend and comment. The first bargaining meeting between the union and the University will be held Feb 5th and 6th. The union will be conducting bargaining surveys over the next couple of months to get PD input, however PD must sign a card to give input. They are also conducting campus working conditions surveys to collect information on good and bad practices. The union will also be seeking authorization to go on strike if necessary during the bargaining process. This will be done through an election, no date has been set. PD who would like more information or have questions can contact Laura. Chair’s note: Laura confirmed that signing a card to give input does NOT enroll a person

PostDocs in Canada Unionize, win Union Battle?

Western’s Postdocs Win Union Battle
Postdoctoral associates at the University of Western Ontario will soon be bargaining a collective agreement as the latest in a growing number of postdocs that are unionizing at universities across North America.Western’s administration opposed the union move, arguing that postdocs at the London campus were independent contractors who didn’t meet the legal definition of employees. The issue went before the Ontario Labour Relations Board that ruled in favour of the more than 200 workers, certifying the Public Service Alliance of Canada as their bargaining agent on Sept. 30.

PostDocs in India

How often you hear about PostDocs in general, and how often you hear news about PostDocs in India or China?. Which brings a question?, are there PostDoc jobs in India and China?. PostDocs in these countries is relatively a new development, remember the first time PostDoc was introduced in USA during 1870's, it was such a luxury, it was used to gain some special expertise to expand once background and it was not necessary to have a PostDoc in order to get a Job in Academia or in other arena's?. This is not the case today, it became so important to have PostDoc experience to get a decent job, and may be more than a couple of PostDoctoral position and even after such a prolonged procrastination in Academia, there are huge number of PostDocs life is a treacherous one?.... If this is the case in USA, just imagine in India and China?. PhD holders from India and China used to migrate in huge numbers to US, the conditions of PostDocs got gradually worsened in terms of salary, benefits, child care and future career opportunities, it became like a Slavery in Academia?.

PostDoc Salary is the most debated issue of all of a postdoc's life. So much happened in the past 10 years to PostDoc activities in US. The most profound activity was the postdoc unionization of the Uconn Health Center, followed by the unionization by the largest Postdoc campus in US or perhaps in the world the University of California campuses.

No one knows how terrible could be the postdoc conditions in developing poor nations like India and China, but there is certainly no information about many European, African, Asian and South American nations. Most of the postdoc data available thus far are from US, Canada, UK and the rest of the world's postdoc data is simply redundant?.

Two of the most important countries to watch for postdocs concern or PostDoc plights are India and China, these two nations alone bulk produce two- thirds of the PostDoc pool of this world, while most of them used to move out to either west, Europe or Australia, the trend is changing, more Indians look for the green pastures right there in India, I believe the same applies to Chinese youngsters.

But, is the Indian govt or higher education bodies do their jobs to keep postdocs career equitable and respectable?.

The answer is no, there is not even a body to monitor the welfare of postdocs, at least in US, there is NIH standard and there is the National Science Foundation and various other bodies that influence policy making for postdocs. On top of All the above the new found awareness of PostDocs in US catapulted by UCONN PostDocs after they Unionized? Their unionization is greatly helping a sea change in postdocs plight. Hope the postdocs in India and China watch and learn some lessons and start tightening the policy making to benefit the postdocs....!

So, what is happening to PostDocs in India, I could not find much news, but the Nature forum has a little bit of discussion going on......

This is a public forum

Postdoc Salary in India

Saturday, 21 February 2009 18:36 UTC

Hello All
I am Arun, pursuing postdoc in India. I am personally not satisfied with the postdoc stipend offered in India and I believe that the handful of students doing postdoc in India might concur with my view.

The low salaries offered to Postdocs in India is one of the major factor which is impelling Indian students to either pursue postdoc abroad or to join private R&D establishments. This is slowly devolving the scientific future of India.

Read Further:

The Plight of Japan's PostDocs?

The Fate of Japan's Postdocs and their obscure future?

Japan's postdocs open to alternative work

Toshiyuki Misu¹ & Akira Horoiwa¹

The government and universities must highlight non-academic careers and nurture a diverse skill set, say Toshiyuki Misu and Akira Horoiwa.

Postdocs in Japan have had a tough time finding permanent positions, either in academia or in the private sector. In a 2005 survey by the National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) to identify postdocs' career intentions, we investigated people's awareness of and desire for non-traditional science jobs (NISTEP Report 161). We asked about 10% of the postdocs in Japan to participate, 66% of whom responded.

Rutgers PostDocs are on their way to Unionize successefully, FAQ!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I get involved with a postdoc union when I don’t plan on being around in a year?

If not you, then who? The postdocs who are currently employed at Rutgers have a vote over whether they and future generations of postdocs get to have a meaningful voice in determining their pay and working conditions. Also, any improvements we can make here can serve to raise standards for postdocs at other institutions across the country.

UCLA PostDoc Union Negotiations with University?

Subject: Update on Postdoctoral Scholar Negotiations
UCLA Graduate Division

Dear Deans, Directors, Chairs, and Faculty:

As of November 3, 2008, the University of California recognized the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) as the exclusive representative for addressing wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment for the following Postdoctoral Scholar title codes:
• Postdoctoral Scholar – Employee (Title Code 3252)
• Postdoctoral Scholar – Fellow (Title Code 3253)
• Postdoctoral Scholar – Paid Direct (Title Code 3254)
• Postgraduate Researcher – FY (Title Code 3240)
• Postgraduate Researcher – AY State Funds (Title Code 3243)
• Postgraduate Researcher – AY Extramural Funds (Title Code 3245
• Visiting _________ - Postdoc (Title Code 3370)

The University and the UAW have commenced negotiations on an initial collective bargaining agreement for the postdoctoral scholars unit. Below is a short summary of negotiations currently in progress.

UPDATE ABOUT POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR NEGOTIATIONS – APRIL 3, 2009
SUMMARY INFORMATION

Today's PostDoc & their Plight?

A man of his stature with the title “the NIH director”, supposed to be the highest and most respectable government authority and policy maker on issues in science/medicine writes “we should not eat our seed corn but protect it”?.

his writings underlies the fact that even this high and mighty NIH director knows the problem of the young scientists of today?, especially the postdoctoral fellows. But yet, neither he nor the scientific committee's at the NIH has taken necessary measures to help improve the current NIH funding system. This area is grossly/largely ignored or deliberately let loose without much restructuring.

The whole academia or higher education system in USA needs a careful reorganization, otherwise what you see will continue, a single faculty of 65 or 70 years old will have all the funding available and sit on it for years until his/her demented brain kills all the funding with as many as 32 grants (MOST OUTRAGEOUS DISPARITY) and

our most valuable and efficient young scientists will be struggling to meet the ends between the academia, lab and their family commitments.

What our current academic policies and atmosphere does to our young scientists is to chase the potential scientists out of labs and academia. Why blame these youngsters if they seek green Pasteur elsewhere like a “biotech job or an industry job”, they have no choice than to look elsewhere for their future.

STEM EDUCATION

Plight of the Postdoc

Is Modern American Science Strangling Its Young Talents In the Cradle?

In some cases, one can even single out

an apparent hoarding of research funds.

In 2007, two hundred scientists received six or more NIH grants, and a single investigator won 32 grants, while many others got close to ten.

An NIH advisory panel has recommended that grant awardees devote at least 20 percent of their time to each, but these numbers show a clear disconnect between intentions and reality. These multiple awards are going to established investigators—who are certainly not spending one fifth of their time per study—while younger scientists would probably devote more energies to the work. Thus, laboratories around the country are fostering a “survival of the oldest” dynamic.

University of Connecticut PostDoc Union is a Model!

Indo-American Fights For Postdoctoral ‘Slaves’

Francis C. Assisi

An Indian-American scientist, Dr. Muni Subramani, is leading the first nationwide effort at organizing postdoctoral fellows, or non-faculty laboratory scientists, for acceptable standards of working conditions, including salaries, benefits, and vacation.

A neuroscientist at the University of Connecticut Health Center, Subramani earned his PhD from the National Institute for Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore, and has been a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Connecticut since 1999.

Subramani says that the decision to unionize was not made lightly and that he and other postdocs spent years trying to negotiate with the university for certain minimum acceptable working conditions, such as salary. Science researchers have encountered problems joining unions because they typically receive grants from outside sources and are not considered employees of an institution

The National Institutes of Health recently set a minimum starting salary for a postdoctoral fellow at $34,200. However, Subramani told ´The Scientist´ that University of Connecticut postdocs earn as little as $25,000 per year and work more than 60 hours each week. "I have no doubt [the union] will address this and we will be able to work through and negotiate and get a better work environment for postdocs here," he said. Subramani added that this is one of the first instances of science postdocs having unionized. Their goal is to exact a contract that includes a set policy on vacation and sick leave and more career development help.

“My hope is that overall it will improve the ability of postdocs to do science," said John Wagner, a postdoctoral researcher working in the physiology department at the University. "If you are making $25,000 a year trying to live in Farmington, you spend a fair amount of time trying to figure out how to pay your bills."

Read the Full Article here:

-----------------------------------------------------
"The University of Connecticut postdoc union is obviously a model and an inspiration for us." --Matthew O'Connor

Taken for Granted: The Fat Lady Sings Beryl Lieff Benderly

In 2006, union organizers tried and failed to unionize the nearly 6000 postdocs in the vast University of California (UC) system. The acrimonious and complicated attempt, which pitted postdoc against postdoc, ended when the organizers,

---------------

PRO/UAW Site

http://www.prouaw.org/home/home.php
Here is the PostDoc Wheel of PRO/UAW, this is like the Wheel of Dhamma of Lord Buddha's that is a symbol of justice and liberation. The latest news from PRO/UAW is very promising to the 5000 or more postdocs in different campuses of University of California System.
PRO/UAW
The Union for Postdoctoral Researchers at the University of California
PRO/UAW is the Union for over 5,000 Postdoctoral Researchers at the University of California. By signing up a majority of Postdocs, we can exercise our legal rights to bargain with UC. Postdoc representatives we choose will survey us to determine priorities and will then negotiate a contract with UC. We can negotiate for improvements in wages, hours, benefits, and terms and conditions of employment. Postdocs will then have an opportunity to democractically approve the agreement that UC and our bargaining team reach, before it becomes a binding contract.

PostDoc News Writers/Reporters/Advocates

Issues & Perspectives

Taken for Granted: Joe the Plumber and the Postdocs

That leaves grad students and postdocs not as promising aspirants to a prestigious trade but rather as employees of large organizations, namely, the research universities that pay their wages out of PI grants.

As such, these young scientists are exactly the sort of worker for whom the second type of labor union, the so-called industrial union, was devised.

This type serves the interests not of accomplished artisans selling their skills in competitive markets but rather of workers drawing their pay from a given large company or organization. Rather than defending the prerogatives of a particular craft against the threat of interlopers, industrial unions strive to recruit all the workers at a particular workplace and defend them against the power of their employer.

The unmistakable transformation of aspiring scientists from apprentices to hired hands has finally persuaded at least some postdocs to move explicitly from the now-outdated trade union model of academe, with a "union card"

that no longer opens the way to a desired career, toward an industrial union model designed for large numbers of employees who need to negotiate job conditions with their single, even larger, employer. The old "union card" no longer provides Joe and Joan the Ph.D. scientist decent employment in academe. Perhaps their new union cards can.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2008_11_07/caredit.a0800161

From UCLA News Room: Stagnant funding of NIH is shackling young research scientists

Stagnant funding of NIH is shackling young research scientists
Report says lack of support threatens medical advances, nation's health
By
Roxanne Moster
3/11/2008 6:30:00 AM
Flat funding of the National Institutes of Health over the last five years is deterring promising young investigators at UCLA and other major research institutions across the country and threatening the future of Americans' health, according to a new report.

Released today in Washington, D.C., the report by UCLA and a group of five other academic research institutions describes the toll that cumulative stagnant NIH funding is taking on the American medical research enterprise and warns of the consequences of a continued lack of action. If the NIH does not get consistent and robust support in the future, the report concludes, the nation could lose a generation of young investigators to other careers and other countries. With them, a generation of promising research findings that could cure diseases for millions of Americans might be lost.

Take this POSTDOC SURVEY!

Postdoctoral Web Survey & Other Important Survey's

Please take this survey only once, because only your first submission will be recorded.

http://www.nber.org/~ctaylor/assets/survey.html

Bullying and Abuse in Academics/Universities Survey

Dear Participant: We ask that you consider participating in this important research study about academic bullying. This study is being conducted by faculty from the college of Human Medicine at Michigan State University and the School of Business at Wake Forest University.

https://wakeforest.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0uZSsSRmzJDVnb7

Some PostDocs comments & my reply..!

5,000 Postdocs Choose UAW
cross-posted from howtheuniversityworks.com

To Both Dr.Masoi and the anonymous Midnight Rambler,

I wish you go through the plights of postdocs carefully before you tarnish such effort as the postdoc unionization as done by the organizing committee at the UC. Oki and other postdocs are doing this to help the postdocs get better benefits and basic dignity in the academy instead of being treated as a slaves.

Did you ever read what happened at the Uconn Health Center, Farmington, CT. The very first union ever for Postdocs, this is the best Postdoc place in the world where postdocs are paid the best salary and benefits, besides highly respected by colleagues, faculties and the administrators.

Ignorant postdocs has to live and lead like slaves, I find your message full of ignorance and ill informed. Why don’t you make some effort to understand the fundamental principles of a union, before you lament.

Muni
http://postdocunion.blogspot.com

— drmuni · Aug 7, 06:13 PM · #

Serial PostDoc by Jon Y

Serial postdoc

Jon Yearsley Jon Yearsley is a senior postdoc in evolutionary genetics at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.

It's a bad habit to get into. Postdoc positions are liberally scattered over the past 10 years of my CV, and it's got to stop. Well, something has to change, because my funding runs out in 12 months. So here's the deal: I find a permanent position by the end of the year or I move out of academia... Gulp.

It's hard to believe that it's been 10 years since I finished my PhD in cosmology. It's been 10 years since I made a galactic research leap and followed my growing interest in biology. And I've conducted 10 years of research in mathematical ecology and evolutionary biology, which has taken me to four countries and facilitated collaborations with a diverse array of biologists. At the start it was hell. But the collaborations gave me a research foothold. Now, looking back on seabirds, cows, sheep, frogs, DNA and equations, the range of problems and experiences has been a joy. Theoretical ecology brings a lot of job diversity.

So here I am, a well-travelled senior postdoc at the University of Lausanne. Lectureship applications have started, job searching is well under way, as is considering where my partner and I could live. Have I been a postdoc too long? Have I collaborated too much? And what if this career doesn't work? In the year to come I'll have to explore the possibilities and contact friends who have made the move out of academia. Kick the postdoc habit.

PostDoc Job Wanted!?

If you have a postdoc position or if you know someone will be interested in this guy, help him.

postdoc@yahoogroups.com
From prahlad_kpatil" Add Mobile Alert Yahoo! DomainKeys has confirmed that this message was sent by yahoogroups.com. Learn more
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 04:46:12 -0000
Subject:

[postdoc] Seeking for postdoc position

Hello everyone,
I am Dr.Prahlad Rao, K, completed my MTech & PhD in Biomedical Engg from IIT Madras, India. I have worked as Research Fellow for one year in NUS Singapore. My research areas are bio optics, imaging and biomedical instrumentation. I am searching for a postdoc position. So,if anyone have info, please help me!
Regards,
-Dr.Prahlad Rao, K
prahlad_kpatil"

Looking for Tenure Track...Damn it...: Get Another Life?

The academic life, at least according to popular culture, is one of leisure and banter interspersed with a few hours of off-the-cuff teaching. Remember the character named Gary on the late-1980's television show thirtysomething? He was an assistant professor of English literature with a large, beautiful office. Research, teaching, and service were invisible components of a lifestyle suffused with love-making and bicycling. (Reality did intrude a bit when he was denied tenure.)

******************** READ FURTHER

http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/2008/03/2008031101c/careers.html

The tenure track may feel like the medieval torture of having each limb pulled in a different direction by whipped horses. In response you need to plan, to organize, to recognize your strengths and limits, and to negotiate honestly how you allocate your time.

Research Associate, Pre-Clinical Research Programme!!

Seeking Research Associate to purify and biochemically characterize recombinant mammalian proteins to support late stage research and pre-clinical programs.

High growth visible position with top company. Top salary plus bonus plan; company paid full family coverage medical, dental, prescription and vision; matched 401(k); stock; tuition reimbursement and more.

For complete details contact Bill Green at
(732) 316-1911 ext 210

Or apply online at
http://dmc9.com/bdg/app.asp

Or email to:
1000001952_10006839@candseek6.com

Education Requirements: Bachelor Degree
Job State Location: NY
Job Country Location: USA
Salary Range: $65,000 to $85,000

If you are interested in this position or if you know anyone that might be interested, please forward this to them or contact:

Contact Name: Bill Green
Email to: 1000001952_10006839@candseek6.com
Apply Online at: http://dmc9.com/bdg/app.asp
Call: 732.316.1911x235

Company Name: DMCContact address (may not be location of job):
USA
Respondents should include the latest copy of their resume.

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