Young scientists bemoan post-doc treadmill

The age structure of the science academic workforce is in better shape than the academic workforce as a whole, but new research reveals a lot of young scientists seem disinterested in pursuing an academic career. A paper in the journal Higher Education says disincentives to pursuing or remaining in an academic career in Australian universities include the lure of academic and private sector research jobs overseas, a declining number of tenured appointments in Australia and a phenomenon described as the post-doc treadmill. “Researchers in the sciences indicated that they found themselves stuck in post-doctoral contract after post-doctoral contract, always chasing new grants and never getting time to properly establish their research profile, nor having the opportunity to gain teaching experience.” Daniel Edwards from ACER, who wrote the paper with Monash University’s T. Fred Smith, said it was a worrying sign that for a number of young scientists post-doctoral appointments were not leading to tenure or ways of expanding research and teaching: “Ultimately, if young and mid-career science academics cannot see long-term career options available, we are likely to see them leaving the profession,” Daniels said. Currently, academics employed in the natural and physical sciences (comprising mathematical sciences, physics and astronomy, chemical sciences, earth sciences, and biological sciences) make up approximately 20 per cent of Australia’s total academic workforce. The authors point to two major concerns relating to the future sustainability of the science academic workforce. First, if measures are not taken to make academic careers more desirable there is a risk that today’s young academics will leave universities before they reach an age and level of experience suitable for replacing the retiring baby boomers in coming years. Second, the government’s 40 per cent bachelor-completion will require a new large group of academics to provide the training to more students. Edwards said Australian universities need to go beyond sustaining the current number of science academics; they will need to find more. “If we are going to get anywhere near the government targets we need to encourage young scientists to pursue academic careers. We need to find and develop a new generation of science academics,” he said. The paper concludes that there are key challenges to ensuring the sustainability of the science academic workforce in the future: “While there is recent growth in the number of younger academics in these fields, retaining these academics in the middle and latter stages of their careers remains a big issue. Key challenges in this regard include providing security of tenure, realistic career pathways, and providing incentives for bright young scientists to remain in Australia or to be lured back from overseas positions.” The paper draws on findings of a research project undertaken in 2008 for DEEWR with analysis of national data and feedback collected from interviews carried out with 120 individuals, representing academics, science employers, early career researchers and postgraduate students in Australia. The paper, ‘Supply issues for science academics in Australia: now and in the future’, is available from SpringerLink at www.springerlink.com/content/l363081783601811/