Is there a postdoc crisis in academia? Prof. Alexander Gail shares his opinion on the topic

Many well trained PhD candidates decide to leave academia, after graduating, because of various reason, seeking different development of their career path. Can we speak about a postdoc crisis? Prof. Alexander Gail gives us his opinion on the topic.

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#science #neuroscience #academia #research #career #postdoc #crisis #challenges #opinion #podcast

[k-bn]

Prof Gail provides very sensible suggestions that should be taken on board by people. Traditionally the decision to stay in Academia or go somewhere else is taken at the end of a PhD. At least this is what I tell my students and I think that is still correct. The reason why such decision is delayed is due to the fact that mental adolescence these days reaches into the early 20s. The number of people capable to absorb academic information is small not the least because people's mindspace is crowded with too much social (media) information: more than ever in the history of mankind. The consequence of that delay (compared to times prior to 2000) is that decision making on these issues moves into a time window in which (genetically defined) the highest degree of anxiety is to be found.

[TLTeo]

The fundamental problem this does not address is that there are not permanent positions for all postdocs, so Prof. Gail's suggestion that people should either leave the field earlier or not at all does not work. For most of us (I'm on my second postdoc currently), we feel like there are places to go to after our PhDs, but over time those places become fewer and fewer and they require worse and worse sacrifices, both professional and personal. That is what early career researchers refer to when they talk about a postdoc crisis. It creates a field that makes professors not out of the best scientists, mentors and educators (whatever that definition may be), but those who are most willing to compromise their personal life.

[danderas]

"There's no postdoc crisis in academia" is the equivalent of saying: "There's no war in Ban Sing Se"

[KenNeumeister]

Could the solution be to create a new degree distinct from PhD with its implication of eligibility to enter academia career track within universities. This might also help in developing technical skills by freeing up from the demands for publishing papers primarily for the sake of academic advancement. (a trade-school for doing research for hire)

[servicekid]

This guy is delusional. Academia has created a system that rewards toxic behaviour. That’s why people leave

[Sandramedo]

In my opinion, its more a failure to stay in academia, and the brightest people go into industry or start their own companies rather than risk their future trying to become a tenured member of an institute that is already slower to innovate than industry because of academic bureaucracy (writing papers, grants, teaching and politics) and 'overconfident' professors. Academia has become nothing more than any other "Officialdom" which primary objective is literately formal "paper" work.

[gilian]

Who knew Hugh Grant knew anything about the postdoc treadmill?