Transcript Post Doc: To Be or Not to Be?

Post Doc: To Be or
Not to Be?
Douglas Densmore, PhD
University of California, Berkeley
Future Faculty and Professional Symposium
GEM National Convention
Las Vegas, NV
10/6/07
Outline

Why?
 “What!?
Stay in school!!” ..maybe not that bad
 Post doc requires a very specific motivation
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How?
 “monster.com
here I come!” …work smarter, not harder
 You have more control than you think

Where?
 “Finally
that beach house in Hawaii!”…need real reason
 Post doc is about positioning yourself for the “next level”
My Background
Grandparent’s home on Lake Huron
Richland Michigan (outside of Kalamazoo)
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Born and raised in Southwest Michigan
(Kalamazoo Area)
BSE in Computer Engineering in 2001 from the
University of Michigan
MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the
University of California, Berkeley in 2004 and
2007 Past GEM Fellow
Currently a UC Chancellor’s Post Doctoral
Fellow at UC Berkeley
Why I Am a Post Doc
Concrete Reasons
Ultimately I want to be a faculty member at
a research 1 university
 Received a Post Doctoral Fellowship
 Personally I needed to have “temporary”
employment

Emotional Reasons
Not sure my research agenda is “ready”
 Personal life left me unprepared to do an
effective analysis of my university options
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How I Am a Post Doc
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Final academic year of my graduate
studies I was unsure of whether I wanted
an academic position.
 Prepared
my academic job market materials
 AND applied for a post doc fellowship
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Fellowship PLUS my “why” reasons made
the decision fairly easy.
I took active control of my destiny! Do NOT leave this to
chance!!!
Where I Am a Post Doc
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University of California, Berkeley
department of Electrical Engineering
 SAME
advisor that I had during my grad
studies (Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli)
 MIX of old and new research. Same project
for publications and progress. New project for
expansion and depth
 NEW responsibilities. Grant writing and I run a
seminar series
Main Question & Homework
Question?
Where do you want to be 2-5 years after you finish
your PhD? This ultimately will answer 90%.
Professionally? – University, National Lab, Industry
Personally? – Family, Lifestyle
Homework
Identify 5-10 REAL people who match your goals
and find out what they did!
Post Doc Myths
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A post doc is just an extension of grad school
 A good
post doc should be an extension of your work
as well as the development of new research AND
your roll in a department
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A post doc automatically makes you more
attractive
 A poorly
done post doc can actually do damage to
your image. You are only as good as your last job
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A post doc is easier/less stressful than grad
school
 A post
doc is DIFFERENT than grad school. That
does not mean that it easier
Why #1 – Need a Post Doc
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“Need” to do a post doc to get to the
“next level”
1.
“Need” means that it is literally a
requirement
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2.
This can be very true in the physical sciences
An unwritten rule that all applicants will have
a post doc
Why #2 – Not Done

Not “done” academically to move to the next
level
 Want
to consolidate research from dissertation
 Publish more papers from dissertation
 Code/software release needs to be completed
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What is not “done” will prevent you from moving
to the next level successfully (i.e. don’t stay just
to “dot the last ‘i’”)
Why #3 – Not Ready

Not “ready” to move on to the next level

Need to publish more new work to be a truly
competitive applicant
 Want to expand into a new area now that
you are free from the burden of your
dissertation
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Family/personal situation requires that you
stay in a temporary situation.
Why #4 – Need for Growth
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Need to grow in various areas
 Need
to connect with more colleagues,
mentors, etc. Grow your network
 Learn more about the academic job market
and processes. How to negotiate
 Time to mature and gain confidence
 Practice speaking, job talks, etc
Why – NOT to do a post doc
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You should not do a post doc because:
 You
don’t know what you want to do next (i.e.
stall/postpone the “real world”)
 You think it is automatically going to make you
a more attractive candidate
 Feel flattered that someone offered you a
position
A post doc is unique because it is not a goal itself (like a degree or
job) but rather a stepping stone.
How #1 – Finding a post doc
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A post doc appointment needs to satisfy a
particular research goal. Its selection
should not be random!
 Use
your current network (advisor, peers, etc)
 Look at university department job openings
 Find those doing work in your area. Contact
them! You are a PhD now!
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Sell yourself. What do you bring to the
table? You are going to bring a great deal
of manpower and brainpower to the table.
How #2 – Types of post docs
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Fellowship
 You
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have your own money, potentially research funds
Pros: Independence, status
Cons: Need to make sure someone “cares about your
success”
Employment
 You
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are employed by the university or lab
Pros: Direct affiliation with who pays you (i.e. someone cares
that you are productive)
Cons: Expectations related to who pays you. Limited
flexibility in schedule and goals
How #3 – Questions to ask
1.
2.
3.
How EXACTLY will I fit into the research
picture at place/group X?
What will be the balance between
publishing work and DOING work?
What have previous post docs gone on
to do after they left place X?

Get names and contact them!
Similar questions you would ask anytime you make a “life transition”
How #4 – Once you have a post
doc
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Make a specific timeline with explicit goals
 This

is a fixed length appointment!
Begin the transition from grad student to
post doc
 Establish
new role with graduate students
 Make yourself visible within the department
 Begin to align yourself more closely with
archetypes that fit your future vision of
yourself
How – NOT to do a post doc
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You should NOT:
 Select
a post doc based solely on the
financial package/geographic location
 Go into a post doc without a clear idea of
what the responsibilities and expectations are
Research goals
 Teaching requirements
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 Dive
blindly into research without a clear
vision of not only its academic merit, but also
how it fits into your timeline and goals
Where #1 – Same location?
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Same university as your graduate school?
 Pros
Can keep the same momentum you had previously
 Build your name and visibility more quickly
 Perhaps this is simply the best match both
academically and personally
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 Cons
May still be viewed as a graduate student (respect
issues)
 Need to work more to open up your network
 Need to guard against complacency. Need energy
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Where #2 - Different Location?
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Different university than your graduate school?
 Pros
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Chance to “reinvent” yourself. Brand new start!
Whole new set of contacts and mentors.
Improve your “status” (i.e. go to a “better” school).
 Cons
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Start up time may “steal” momentum.
Need to reestablish yourself and make new contacts.
No assurance that you will like the new situation. At least with
your old school you knew what it was like…
Where #3 - Outside Location?
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Research in industry, national lab, etc?
 Pros:
Visibility to commercial work.
 “Real world” problems.
 New environment. Distance yourself from
academics
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 Cons:
Publishing may be difficult (NDAs for example)
 Added pressures (i.e. bringing products to market)
 Distance yourself from academics
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Where – NOT to do a post doc
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A place chosen solely for superficial reasons.
 This
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A place chosen solely since it is a “step up” from
your grad school.
 Not
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is just a short stop (shorter than grad school!)
going to matter if you aren’t productive
A place where you have not spoken with several
(if not all) of the people you are going to be
working with and discussed YOUR goals.
Post Doc and Tenure
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A post doc effectively delays your entry into an
academic position
 Pros:
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Work you do as a post doc MAY be useful in the tenure
process
You will enter the professoriate with more research ideas,
projects, and momentum
 Cons:
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You have spent X years doing a post doc as opposed to
pursuing tenure
May bring higher expectations to those evaluating you as a
researcher
Conclusions
Ask the big question! “Where do I want to
be 2-5 years after I finish my PhD?”.
 Go through the why, how, where process
to begin the to think about a post doc.
 Truly view a post doc as a “stepping
stone” rather than the ultimate goal. Don’t
lose your grad school momentum!!!!
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References
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Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for
Scientists and Engineers
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http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=9831
Tomorrow’s Professor, Rick Reis
http://www.postdocjobs.com
National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)
 http://www.nationalpostdoc.org
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University of California, Presidents Post Doc
Fellowship
 http://www.ucop.edu/acadadv/ppfp/
Questions??
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[email protected]
Thanks to GEM, Sheila Humphreys, Beatriz Lopez-Flores,
Sam Casteneda