San Diego

Foreign postdocs in the United States work longer hours and publish more, but are paid less than their American counterparts, according to a poll of young scientists.

The survey, by Sigma Xi, a scientific research society in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, also found that substantial numbers of foreign postdocs experience some form of visa or international travel problems because of US security rules.

But a preliminary version of the analysis, which was released on 11 March at the third annual meeting of the National Postdoctoral Association in San Diego, did contain some encouraging results. Male and female postdocs are paid about the same, it indicated, and stipends have risen steadily over the past decade. “That is pretty good news,” says mathematician Geoff Davis, who led the survey.

The questionnaire gauged the views of 7,500 postdocs at nearly 50 universities or research institutions. It was sent to 22,000 postdocs — about 40% of the total thought to be working in the United States.

The median salary for all respondents was $38,000 per year — up from $28,000 in 1995. On average, electrical engineers fared best, earning about $45,000, and ecologists came off worst with $35,600.

Credit: SOURCE: SIGMA XI

The median for foreign postdocs was $37,000 — 8% less than the $40,000 received by US citizens. But the foreign scientists said that they worked 52 hours a week — two hours more than the Americans. And international postdocs said that they had produced almost 30% more peer-reviewed, published articles than their American counterparts.

Nearly three-fifths of the foreign researchers reported experiencing difficulties on re-entering the United States after travelling abroad.

The survey, which is published in full in American Scientist next month, comes at a time when US universities and research agencies are making increasing efforts to address the lot of postdocs. Faced with postdoc organizations springing up on campus, many universities are appointing administrators to operate offices dedicated to them. But postdocs continue to complain of long hours and uncertain career prospects.