Becoming a Postdoc in Engineering

• In Event: Change Is Hard: Transitions Into and Through Engineering Graduate Education

Abstract

Postdoctoral fellowships have become a significant step in academic and industry positions in engineering and computer science, though little research investigates the purpose of a postdoc position, the experiences of postdocs, and how postdocs transition into the role. While some work has been conducted in biological sciences, there are contextual factors in engineering and computer science that make a disciplinary focus interesting. Particularly interesting is the fact that many postdocs do not want to go into academia, and the extremely high salaries in industry positions. Because of the liminality of the position, postdoctoral scholars experience conflicting messages about their purpose and position that contribute to isolation and confusion. To this end, this paper explores postdoctoral scholars’ perspectives on transitions into their positions.
Leader-member exchange (LMX) theory informs the theoretical basis for investigating the ways faculty and postdocs mutually construct the postdoctoral role. LMX proposes that member experiences inherently reflect the perspectives of the leader. In the context of the postdoctoral position, faculty as leader and postdoc as member demonstrate the construction of the postdoc role. LMX relationships obtain clarity through role definition in which leader and member develop roles and tasks based on informal and successive exchanges and mutual agreement as the relationship develops and continues.
As part of a larger IRB-approved project investigating postdoctoral mentorship in engineering and computer science, 30 semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted via zoom with postdoctoral scholars (postdocs) across the US. Participants had varying experience in their postdoc position with some newly in the role while others were in a second postdoc position. Open coding and thematic analysis identified postdocs’ assumptions, experiences, and recommendations for transitioning into the postdoc role. Open coding allowed new and unexpected codes to be identified in the interview transcripts. Axial coding used LMX and role definition concepts to identify the ways role clarity or ambiguity contributed to postdocs feelings of success or frustration.
The findings from this research reveal that postdocs identified a lack of structure as a major hurdle for transitioning into the role, and that often, initial conversations with their supervisors during the hiring or onboarding process did not consistently match the eventual roles and activities completed by the postdoc. Some postdocs identified mentoring resources, like Individual Development Plans, as tools that sometimes clarified their role, while often not used effectively to define their role. Social exchanges between postdocs and faculty further contributed to confusion and ambiguity around the purpose and position of the position. This work provides a window into postdoctoral training and mentorship that identifies opportunities to improve the transition period for postdocs. Clear role definitions, regular and open discussion of the mutually beneficial role for the postdoc can improve the experience of the postdoc. Further, clearly constructing the individual development plan and using the plan as a touchstone for revisiting the postdoc role definition can contribute to ongoing clarity of the postdoc role. The paper concludes with a worksheet for postdocs and mentors to complete together as they develop the individual development plan.

Authors

• Matthew Bahnson, Pennsylvania State University
  Presenting Author

• Monique Ross
  Non-Presenting Author

• Catherine Berdanier, Pennsylvania State University
  Non-Presenting Author