This newsletter is typically distributed the last Thursday of the month and contains a variety of resources, links, and reflections on graduate-level career & professional development, higher education, and an occasional detour into neuroscience topics, the area I formally trained in as a graduate student and postdoc.
Missed the inaugural newsletter from January 2021?
We are more than our skills and physical outputs and the acceleration in generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology has left many wondering what are we “good for” in a future where AI can produce similar creative and practical outputs to our own more efficiently and effectively?
The answer is each other…we are good for each other in this quickly evolving world.
The enduring skills of the future of “work” are human skills…making others feel something: feel valued, heard, and understood.
This recent peer-reviewed publication examined biomedical doctoral students and postdocs at NIH BEST institutions. The authors found career self-efficacy was lower in non-citizen trainees and that the sex and citizenship status of those surveyed was associated with differential career interests.
This report from the Strada Institute for the Future of Work and the Burning Glass Institute found that the majority of college graduates (52%) are "underemployed" a year after they receive their degree.
At a high level, the report points to the value of internships and the development of marketable skills in securing employment opportunities aligned with one's training. It also shows that the first job, post-degree is a strong predictor of future underemployment. In essence, graduates can get "tracked" onto career pathways that are difficult to transition from even years after graduation.
One could also ask the question of whether a graduate is working in a field different from their college degree is a problem.
This report from Bain & Company was released in May 2023 but I just came across it. It tries to capture the financial stability of colleges and universities in the United States under a variety of future conditions (macroeconomic environment, enrollment scenarios, and operating expense scenarios).
Succeeding as a Postdoc online course launched March 18th
This course provides skill development for postdocs from orientation to their next career step. Using inclusive, active-learning approaches, participants in this course will build skills to
find success as a postdoc
draft an actionable career plan
develop resilience
work effectively in an intercultural environment
This course explores the research related to postdoc success and guides participants in applying it to their environments. Discussion boards available through the edX platform allow for engagement with other postdocs enrolled in the online course.
National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) Programming & Resources
The NPA's SmartSkills program returns in 2024 featuring webinars on a variety of topics related to postdocs' career and professional development and well-being.
And check out the NPA's Resource Library for more guides and resources including a guide to the postdoc timeline, mentoring, and more.
What can Pixar Animation and Walt Disney Imagineering teach us about the often long road to impact? A combination of hard work, teamwork, talent, technology, and innovation are often needed to achieve results that impact the lives of others.
