Benefits of a postdoc program
At many institutions, postdocs are isolated because of insular, hierarchical lab structure and lack of coordination or community among the department or institution postdoc community. The benefits of creating a postdoctoral group that cuts across this structure are multi-layered, addressing overlapping individual, group, and field-wide needs (Figure 1). Benefits are cross-cutting and include minimizing the challenges associated with the temporary nature of the position and uncertainty in the world, addressing the contraction of the contemporary job market, and creating a collective that enhances networking and identification of opportunities.
As individuals, we benefit from having a formalized postdoc group through a sense of community, well-being, and support that mitigates the social and psychological challenges associated with this type of position (Shaw et al. 2015). Meeting regularly, facilitated by technology that enables virtual participation, has increased interactions and peer mentorship among the postdocs at our institution, and helps to curtail the effects of social isolation and work-life imbalances. Building this program has also expanded our network of collaborators and peer-mentors as we discuss and connect ideas.
Our program also provides benefits that address the unfavorable job market. Given the mismatch between training and the diverse set of trajectories taken by PhD holders in ecology (Ålund et al. 2020), we set up a structure to facilitate learning and sharing of transferable skills useful across a wide range of potential careers (Table 1). Second, we pool information (e.g., where to find online training, how to prepare and format an application) gained in conversations with members of our individual networks working in alternative-to-academic careers to increase our awareness of career pathways and opportunities. Together, these provide us with the flexibility to pursue and be competitive for a variety of career opportunities.
As a group, we benefit in our current roles and positions through streamlined communication and agency within our institution. Through official recognition of the postdoc group, communication with the broader institution is more structured, efficient, and transparent, which is advantageous to both the institution and individual postdocs. Within the group, by sharing experiences, we can provide coherent institutional memory through time to new members. This institutional memory facilitates improved communication, which increases our leverage and agency within the institution (Stephan 2013). We are able to share information about funding policies and communicating our group’s consensus opinions and suggestions about topics like racial equity through formal and informal channels. In addition, we are more aware of, and involved in, issues and opportunities at our institution, which provides us with validation, voice, and confidence in discussing institutional progress and policies with leadership.
Expanding our academic network has further exposed us to cultural shifts that are occurring within the field of ecology, such as increasing recognition and partnerships that emphasize Indigenous and local ways of knowing (Kimmerer 2015). This, coupled with our group’s breadth of experience and expertise, allows us to consider career and research trajectories that align with current scientific and societal trends. By discussing such cultural shifts in ecological science, we remain aware and informed about the contextual needs of the field as a whole, thereby improving our ability to communicate effectively across disciplinary boundaries and do innovative disciplinary research. This reflection on science, both outwards towards the field, and inwards towards our own work, makes us more effective and adaptable scientists.