Postdoc problems — postdoc solutions

Since it was set up in 2003, the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) has been raising awareness about the challenges faced by postdocs in the United States. It advocates three main collaborative approaches to help solve these issues: positive change, the provision of resources to empower stakeholders who seek change, and the formation of a network and virtual gathering place for postdocs and their allies.

Recent months have seen developments in each of these three areas. Advocacy has brought an increase in the amounts that institutions can receive in training grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NPA will also play an active role in encouraging the NIH to implement the recommendations in the National Research Council's recent Bridges to Independence report.

Meanwhile, the NPA has developed three new resources to improve the postdoc training experience. The Recommended Practices Guide targets leaders of research institutions and presents recommendations from national organizations such as the National Academy of Sciences and the Association of American Universities.

The Postdoc Association Toolkit aims to help postdocs start up or maintain a local postdoc association. This online toolkit includes sample by-laws, budgets and guidance on how to represent postdocs within a larger research institution.

And the International Postdoc Survival Guide offers guidance to postdocs from outside the United States. The website explains the differences between a postdoc in the United States and other countries, provides a comparison of the different types of visa available to foreign postdocs, and gives advice on how to negotiate with a principal investigator.

The third prong of the NPA's work has focused on networking and community-building activities. The association's third annual meeting, held in San Diego last month, brought together postdocs, faculty members and administrators from research institutions and national organizations across the United States. Participants debated the best strategies for seeking positive change.

As the national conversation about the postdoc experience shifts from identifying problems to focusing on solutions, the NPA will continue to work for the best interests of postdocs.

http://www.nationalpostdoc.org