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This article, titled "Swimming through the fear," discusses the author's experiences with fear and how open-water swimming has helped them manage and overcome it. The author shares a story about encountering a shark while swimming in the ocean, which sparked a lifelong love for open-water swimming and a respect for hazardous activities. They also discuss their experiences as a scientist, feeling inadequate and afraid of failure. Through open-water swimming and analyzing risks, the author learns to confront their fears and take control of challenging situations. Ultimately, they express gratitude for the path they have chosen and the strength they have gained from these experiences. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on several labs of the U.S. face severe postdoc shortage and experiencing challenges span STEM fields, including biomedicine, chemistry, environmental science, anthropology, physics, and computer science. It mentions Graduate students are also listening to current postdocs, who in recent years have become increasingly vocal about the precarious nature of their positions and the challenges of getting by on a postdoc salary.

The article reports that Graduate students and postdocs in the U.S. are facing a slow-motion crisis due to low pay, lack of benefits, and toxic research environments. Topics include unionization and salary and benefits relief are incomplete solutions, and the research ecosystem needs reform to address flawed incentives; and Federal funding agencies can align incentives for a healthier environment, determining metrics, and supporting and rewarding scientists and institutions to optimize metrics.

The article reports that Postdoctoral researchers, who play a key role in academic science, are facing a financial crisis due to underpayment, inflation, and difficulty in finding new Ph.D. graduates to fill positions. Topics include institutions and states that have implemented policies to increase their pay and put pressure on lab leaders to cover rising costs; and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) asked Congress or state governments to increase funding for academic science.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to an article in the April 2015 issue asking young scientists if the idea of the postdoctoral position was obsolete, how it could be improved if it wasn't obsolete, and what should replace it if it is.

In this article, the author discusses as semiconductor business had nothing to do with degree in biotechnology and primarily executing others' plans, leaving little room for creativity. It mentions mentor's job, which significantly increased workload and he applied for postdoc positions, with the ultimate goal of securing a tenure-track job.

The article presents an overview of an Indian government initiative to increase investment in scientific research infrastructure and innovation funding. Particular focus is given to efforts to attract and develop skilled scientists for India's universities and research institutions. Topics include the expansion of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) system, postdoctoral research fellowship programs, and the commitment to emerging and translational research. Several Indian research institutions are profiled, including Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai.

The article discusses foreign researchers in Japan, examining the effect of the earthquake of March 11, 2011 on funding, efforts to internationalize science research, and research institutions which offer programs for non-Japanese scientists. Scientists and academics including William Tsutsui, Junko Suzuki, and Karin Sörgjerd discuss the government organization RIKEN, the program Japanese Universities for Motivated People (JUMP), and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). The use of Japanese and English inside laboratories, the availability of tenured faculty positions, and advice for postdoctoral students is discussed.

The article reports that Berlin's legislature took a radical step to address the precarious employment situation that plagues many early-career researchers. Topics include Federal legislators who belong to the center-right Christian Democratic Union party are also considering challenging the law in court, on the grounds that federal law; and Legislation to help early-career researchers sparks national debate over how to address job insecurity.

The article focuses on postdoctoral skill sets that can be utilized competitively in non-academic careers. It states that while 46 percent of postdoctoral students (postdocs) believed they would continue on to tenure-track academic positions in 2012, 21 percent were able to do so. It mentions websites that can help postdocs track their progress, including the Researcher Development Framework at http://scim.ag/1IVhLtb and the myIDP website, and talks about different fields for postdocs.

The article discusses the results of a 2012 survey of U.S. post-doctoral students. The author notes that highly trained postdocs must overcome struggling economies, hiring freezes, and high unemployment rates in the 2012 U.S. job market, adding that planning for the next position on the first day of a fellowship is essential in order to be competitive. He suggests that networking, staying flexible about career options, and gaining experience beyond the laboratory makes young scientists marketable. Results of the postdoc survey are discussed including the percentage of respondents that ranked advancement opportunities as very important, persistent trends across postdoc surveys in 2008, 2010, and 2012, and postdocs' experiences of trying to establish a career in science.

In this article the author discusses scientific progress in the cancer vaccine field. She notes that once treated as a myth, the cancer vaccine field has rapidly grown and that researchers have overcome a myriad of challenges to develop and introduce vaccines that are marketable. She argues that the achievements seen in the cancer vaccine field make it an opportune time for graduate and postdoctoral students to enter it and discusses the direction of future of cancer vaccine research, such as combining vaccines with chemotherapy.

The article discusses the ability of post-doctoral (postdoc) students to be creative fundraisers. The author notes that one of the most important skills that a postdoc student can demonstrate is an ability to acquire funding in the form of grants, fellowships, or outright monetary gifts. She suggests that regardless of how postdocs acquire funding, it is necessary if they want to maintain their own research enterprise and show prospective employers that they are experienced in raising money. Topics include the importance of fundraising creativity in career scientists and examples of creative ways several postdocs raised needed research funds including internal fundraising, targeted campaigning, and networking.

The article discusses post-doctoral education in the U.S. According to post-doctoral supervisors, the attributes contributing to a successful postdoc experience, such as communication and mentoring, have not changed despite tough economic conditions in the U.S. and tighter university budgets. Topics include a discussion of the results of the annual survey for "Science" Careers, including the perspective of supervisors who note the importance for post-doc students to carefully plan their career to ensure that they will receive the training they need during their postdoc years, the survey methodology, and the importance of mentoring in post-doctoral education.

The article presents vocational guidance for postdoctoral students, called postdocs in the article. Science and technology deputy director Doon Gibbs of the Brookhaven National Laboratory gives advice to postdocs on doing the things they enjoy and making sure they are noticed via published papers and conference presentations. Former Argonne National Laboratory representative Harold Myron is cited regarding the training aspects of postdoctoral positions and using the position to learn how to manage resources including people and grant money. Executive director Cathee Phillips of the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) discusses the need for postdocs to engage in career planning.

The article discusses career planning for postdoctoral students considering the perspective of an uncertain economy. A survey of postdoctoral students that ranked attributes of a successful postdoctoral experience is discussed. Funding and networking opportunities were ranked highly by postdoctoral students. National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) executive director Cathee Johnson Phillips is cited regarding these results and the rankings offered by supervisors of postdoctoral students. Guidance is provided to postdoctoral students on planning for themselves and their partners, learning from mentors, and having back-up plans.

The article compiles and analyzes data obtained from a series of surveys sent to supervisors in postdoctoral education programs within the science fields. As research has become more prominent, competition for funding, jobs, and publications within scholarly journals has also increased. The author discusses how postdoctoral supervisors believe that more career options for researchers will impact educational programs. University of Pennsylvania dean for postdoctoral training Yvonne Paterson and David Kreil of Boku University provide quotes.

In this piece the author suggests options that should be explored by postdoctoral students, including positions in government, industry, nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations. To illustrate this, the results of a survey conducted by U.S. National Postdoctoral Association executive director Cathee Johnson-Phillips are examined.

The opinion paper presents advice to beginning faculty members within the realm of scientific academia on how to go about finding the best postdoctoral assistants to aid in carrying out research agendas. Recommendations are made for how to first initiate e-mail contact , how to check references, and how to conduct interviews with the candidate.

The article reports on the attributions of industrial postdoctoral studies of scientists in the U.S. Although these curricula offer higher salaries and greater access to resources than their academic counterparts, many scientists opted for a research career in pharmaceutical or biotech industry. Research conducted by the National Science Foundation (NSF) reveals that 59% of individuals who received their doctorates in life and physical sciences had completed or were participating in postdoctoral appointments. They discovered that 11% in the life sciences and 14% in the physical sciences were doing their postdoctoral in for-profit or nonprofit companies.

The article offers information on a survey conducted by the United States National Institute of Health. The mentioned survey includes the institute's fellow postdoctorals in 2003, where more than 1300 of them have answered questions which ranged from family and marital status to their perspectives on the value of flexible hours, good salary, and other workplace issues. The survey shows that women are less confident regarding their chances to be promoted to a position, much less, be able to achieve tenure.

The article presents results of a survey conducted to know factors that contribute to a successful postdoctoral experience and offers some tips for effective communication between postdoctorals and their mentors. According to a survey of supervisors, communication is the second most important factor after mentoring for a successful postdoctoral appointment. Ninety-four percent of postdoc supervisors rated communication as important or very important factor in a successful postdoc experience. 96 percent to 97 percent of the survey respondents feel that providing regular feedback, and ensuring good interaction and discussion within the group are the important communication traits.

The article discusses the need for skill development by postdoctoral fellows to make them competitive for jobs beyond university settings. The article states that skill learning can be beneficial to even those who take up academic careers. According to Gregory Kopf, researcher, if postdoctors want to be competitive, they should develop skills beyond the laboratory. Neil Stahl, senior vice president at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, says that the most important skill required of postdoctors is the ability to work well in a team. Strong communication skills, being able to say the right things without antagonizing colleagues, is a skill which should be developed by all postdoctors, according to Chee-Keng Ng, research scientist.

The article focuses on a survey by the scientific society Sigma Xi found that the U.S. was the most attractive place to settle for postdoctoral scholars of all nationalities, regardless of where they earned their Ph.D. The Sigma Xi survey also found that although international and domestic academic postdoctoral scholars expressed similar satisfaction with their training experience, temporary residents had more limited access to funding sources and to employment opportunities. In addition, the stipends of temporary residents were about seven percent less than those of citizens.

A personal narrative is presented which explore author's experience as a Chinese postdoc working in the U.S., and was forced to cut her family vacation in China short after hearing the U.S. government was about to issue a ban on travelers from China.

The article focuses on the Becas Chile program as a scholarship system of the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT) for proliferation of scientists in the country. Topics discussed include provision of scholarships for master's or a doctorate degree in foreign universities; consideration of the program for enhancement of research communities in the region; and expansion of scholarships for postdoctoral program by CONICYT.

A personal narrative is presented of a scientist's experiences as a postdoctoral student and how he learned that he needed to take more time to rest and take time for himself and how he came to realize novel ideas would come to him after he allowed himself to relax and for his mind to drift.

A personal narrative is presented concerning his work as a postdoctoral scholar for a laboratory that ended up shut down and what other people should do to avoid similar situations, including not being trapped by fear of leaving an initial postdoc position, not to be blinded by passion for research, and on focusing on themselves and deciding what are best for them.

The article discusses research that examined why Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students in the U.S. pursue postdoctoral positions and how their plans depend on individual-level factors such as career goals or labor market perceptions. Topics covered include the need for increased attention to career planning among students and their mentors, the career plans of biological and life sciences students, and the preference of many postdoctoral students to establish a career outside of academia.

A personal narrative is presented in which the author reflects on how he never felt he would venture far from home even after pursuing his doctorate but chose to take up a fellowship program in Japan as he knew learning different approaches to science would be valuable and how he ended up remaining in Japan for postdoctoral work.

The author reflects on a report by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) with suggestions addressing challenges that postdoctoral students experience. It mentions the 2018 annual meeting of the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) concerning significant challenges to improve postdoctoral studies. It states the NPA and the NASEM report support additional fellowships for early career researchers which would require an additional billion dollars in funding.

The article discusses the process of developing taxonomies in relation to broader and narrower categories. Topics include the impact of information accumulation on taxonomies, the relation of taxonomies to job descriptions for postdoctoral positions held by scientists, and the creation of taxonomies of alternative careers for people with sciences Ph.D. degrees.

In this article the author discusses problems faced by postdoctoral researchers in the U.S. According to the author, at most of the universities, policies which control working conditions of the researchers and terms of employment are either below standard or do not exist at all. The author says that it is essential for the researchers to form an employee union.

The author describes his plan to start a postdoctoral fellowship studying chronic pain as he begun to consciously make professional choices that are deeply tied to his personal life. He wants to break down the walls between the personal and professional compartments of his life and wants to continue approaching his career decisions in this holistic way.

The article offers the author's insights on his working life as a postdoctoral associate at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. Topics discussed include his passion of becoming a neuroscientist, possible impact of financial problem to achieve his career dreams, and his career options that may offer financial security.

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experiences of searching a job, studying and training as a medical resident and post-doctoral researcher.

The article discusses the professional challenges facing industrial chemists who are employed within the private sector. The importance of an industrial chemist being able to communicate with peer scientists, lawyers and administrators is discussed. Postdoctoral programs and internships within the field are also evaluated. The author chronicles the professional experiences of DuPont chemist Daniela Radu and Merck chemist Neil Strotman. Christopher Ciolli of Ricera Biosciences provides quotes.

The article reports on career development of Erik S. Barton in the U.S. Barton is about to leave his postdoctoral position at Washington University School of Medicine to a faculty position at Purdue University. He provides that changing job will result to financial changes such as higher pretax income and 13 percent increase on his summer salary. The substantial income would be used to pay for his children's education, retirement plans and for buying new cars, clothing for faculty parties and a house.

A personal narrative is presented in which the author discusses how she balanced her personal life and relationships during her postdoctoral training as a scientist.

The author reflects on a webinar that examined perseverance in science and the discouragement that young scientists can feel about their career prospects. She comments on the need for young scientists to hone people skills and improve their communicative abilities, and suggests graduate students should pick a laboratory for postdoctoral training that includes opportunities for leadership in publications and a collaborative atmosphere. She reflected on balancing personal life with a scientific career.

In the spring of 2011, I started a 2-year Whitaker International postdoctoral scholarship in bioengineering. My husband, an experienced mechanical engineer who is fluent in German, left his job in the United States and found a new one in Vienna. The next year, I learned I was pregnant. We didn't go to Europe to start a family--our goal was to experience a new culture and remain competitive in our fields--but we recognized almost immediately the advantages of Austria's support for young professionals pursuing careers and a family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an interview with neurologist Gregory Petsko of Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, who discusses postdoc training in the field of research, the number of research positions available, and postdoctoral salaries.

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of pursuing a postdoctoral degree (Ph.D.) in biophysics on topics including his admission to the gradate program in biology at University of Delaware (UD), his work in metabolic disease drug discovery, and his travel writing.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article “The Stressed-Out Postdoc” by C. Arnold in the August 1, 2014 issue.

An interview is presented with Nobel Prize-winning researcher Tim Hunt of the Clare Hall Laboratories at the London Research Institute of Cancer Research UK. Topics include his postdoctoral work and its impact on his career, his commitment to the controversial results of his research, and advice to young researchers based on his career success.

The article discusses the advantages and disadvantages for scientists that go abroad to do research. Topics include the author's experience of leaving the University of Parma in Italy to work at the University of Zurich (UZH) in Switzerland, where he is pursing a postdoctoral degree (Ph.D.), his move to study membrane proteins at scientist Gunnar von Heijne's laboratory at Sweden's Stockholm University, and the personal and cultural growth opportunities of travel and relocation.

The author reflects on non-research employment opportunities for post-doctoral (Ph.D.) graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The author cites unemployment statistics for Ph.D. STEM graduates in a 2014 report from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), discusses her participation in the "Science Careers" Webinar, and skills Ph.D. scientists need for a successful transition out of the laboratory, such as communication and listening skills.

The article focuses on plans by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) to increase the pay of post-doctoral students, prepare scientists for a range of careers, and move doctoral students through their doctoral program faster. It comments that the NIH's decision is based on a June 2012 report that found only 43 percent of U.S. biomedical doctoral students will end up in academia, but only two percent are unemployed. It mentions plans to increase funding for NIH scholarships for minorities.

The authors reflect on career paths for post-doctoral students (Ph.D) in the U.S. They argue that science Ph.Ds are expected to pursue a career path in academia, but most Ph.D. graduates pursue careers outside academia in fields such as communications, knowledge brokering, and patent law. Topics include the disconnect between how scientists are trained and available employment opportunities, individual development plans, and a web application for creating IDPs, called myIDP.