This research explored how mentoring, professional development, and the work environment correlate to postdoc satisfaction. Postdoc satisfaction perceptions were gathered through an online survey completed by postdocs at a research university in the southeastern United States. Mentoring satisfaction, professional development satisfaction, and work…

Students obtaining graduate and postgraduate degrees experience a high level of demands and stressors, often engaging in avoidant behavior in response. As these advanced studies are known for their rigor, the identification of strategies to support student successes and decrease student avoidant behavior is imperative. One such strategy identified…

The purpose of this research is to better understand how academic researchers in STEM fields identify and access postdoctoral positions, transition into postdoctoral roles, and access training, development opportunities, and networks once they are at their postdoctoral institution. Furthermore, this study aims to describe how aspects of identity…

The topic of interdisciplinarity has attracted interest and attention in academia for several decades. The intention behind interdisciplinarity is that bringing together experts from different disciplines--who have different knowledge and skills but shared interests or goals--will generate innovative ideas and novel approaches to societal and…

This dissertation considers three research questions. Why do scientists become postdoctoral scholars (postdocs)? What role do postdocs play relative to other categories of labor in research production? What factors are associated with a postdoc being dissatisfied? The literature review in Chapter 2 summarizes findings about which scientists are…

About 75% of U.S.-trained, non-citizen PhDs in science and engineering work in the U.S. after graduation, and 54% of those who stay take postdoctoral positions. The probability of postdoctoral participation is substantially higher for temporary visa holders than for permanent visa holders because of visa-related restrictions in the U.S. labor…

The purpose of this narrative essay was to share my experiences as a postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Curriculum Materials in Science. Data used to write this article came from two interviews, an on-line survey, and notes from a reflective journal collected during postdoctoral tenure. My experiences as a postdoctoral fellow have been…