The Post Doctoral Research Associates Program

Manorama M. Khare, PhDEvaluator, WISEST; Senior Research Specialist, Center for Research on Women and Gender

Mo-Yin S. Tam, Professor of Economics PI, WISEST; Vice-ProvostOffice of Faculty Affairs, UIC

March 12, 2010

WISEST FACULTY FOCUS

Women in Science and Engineering System Transformation www.uicwisest.org

A WISEST (UIC NSF ADVANCE IT Grant) Program

The goal of the WISEST Initiative is to increase the number, participation, and leadership status of women - majority and minority - in academic science and engineering through institutional transformation at UIC.

www.uicwisest.org

The WISEST Postdoctoral Research Associates Program

WISEST postdoc program Cohort (5 URM postdocs) Goal: mentor postdoc to

become a faculty member Engaged in research of

choice of postoc (matched with a mentor)

Mentored by a cadre of mentors

2 -year program (2007-2009) Funded jointly by WISEST

and the academic units Structured training/skill &

career building program

Standard postdoc program Individual with an advisor Goal: mentor psotdoc to be

successful in a specific research project

Engaged a research program funded by the advisor’s grant

Mentored by the advisor

Length varies Funded by the advisor’s grant

No formal program

Working with NPA

Program created by working with the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) Diversity Sub-committee

Components recommended by the NPA:Proactive RecruitmentProgram Components

MOU between advisors and post doc associate Individual Career Development Plan (ICDP) Career Building Seminar Series

Outline

– Recruitment• Finding URM STEM women

• Application Process

• Applicant Pool

• Applicant Selection

• Final Candidates

– Key features of the program• Matching research interests

• Cadre of mentors

• Structured training and skill building

– Assessment of the Program

– Where are the postdocs now?

– Cost of the Program

– Lessons learned

Recruitment: Finding URM STEM women

Intensive Proactive Search

Advertised through job sites such as

• Science Careers.org

• Naturejobs.org

• The Scientist

• Sciencejobs

Recruitment: Finding URM STEM women

Intensive Proactive Search

NPA contacts: National Research Council Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowship Program Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate-National

Science Foundation (AGEP) National Postdoctoral Association MentorNet SACNAS Postdoc Committee UNCF/Merck Postdoctoral Science Research Fellowships AAAS MiSciNet: Minority Scientists Network

Recruitment: Finding URM STEM women

Intensive Proactive Search

Science and Math Organizations:

American Indian Science and Engineering Society American Physical Society Committee on the Status of Women in

Physics Association for Women in Mathematics Society of Women Engineers The Woman Astronomer

Recruitment: Finding URM STEM women

Using the SUCCEED search training model for recruitment

Faculty called departments and their contacts to identify potential candidates

Recruitment: Finding URM STEM women

How did we find the final 5 candidates

- All 5 through web advertisements

- 1 also had worked for another ADVANCE program

Recruitment: Application process

Two Part Application Process

Part 1: Eligibility requirements – Candidate had to be a U.S. citizen or permanent

resident– Candidate must have completed a doctoral degree

in a STEM field as of August 2007– Other reviewed materials: reference letters,

papers/abstracts, CV, career statement

Recruitment : Application process

Two Part Application Process

Part 2: Invitation to apply

Candidate was required to identify a research advisor at UIC Candidate & potential adviser collaboratively

submitted a research project

Recruitment : Applicant Pool

African-American

18%

Asian14%

Caucasian18%

Latina18%Native

American/ Asian

Americn4%

Not Available

28%

Race/Ethnicity of Applicant pool

Recruitment : Applicant Pool

Where were the applicants from?

• 3 Illinois• 21 other states• 1 UK• 3 Not available

Recruitment : Applicant Pool

What disciplines did they represent?

FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION (N=28) Biology 6 (21.4%) Earth & Environmental Sciences 4 (14.3%) Chemical Engineering 3 (10.7%) Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Mechanical Engg, Computer Science

2 (7.1%) each

Civil Engg, BioEngg, Electrical Engg 1 (3.6%) each Not Available 2 (7.1%)

Recruitment : Applicant Pool

A total of 28 applications received

• 13 (46%) completed Part 1• 10 (36%) invited to complete Part 2• 6 (21%) completed Part 2• 6 offers; 5 (18%) accepted

Recruitment : Applicant Selection

Selection of final candidates was based on:

Matching of postdoc research interest with a UIC STEM faculty member

The merit of the collaboratively designed research project submitted

Recruitment: Final Candidates

5 URM women postdocs were hired

– 1 African American; 3 Latinas; 1 Native American/Asian

– 1 Chemical Engineer; 1 Earth Scientist; 3 Biologists

Key features: Matching Research Interests

Serving research interest of postdocs (funded by WISEST and the department)

External Mentors

Research Interests of STEM faculty

Research Interest of Postdoc

Example A: a postdoc interest being intersection of 3 faculty interest (3 mentors)

Example B: a postdoc interest partially matched by one faculty member: brought in an external researcher (1 internal and 1 external mentor)

Key Features: Cadre of Mentors

Multi-member Mentoring Team:– The research advisor– The departmental mentor– The WISEST facilitator– The WISEST Director– An external mentor (optional )

Key Features: UIC Facilitator Model

Features:– One from each department– The group meets monthly– Facilitators are mentors– Facilitator contributes to training

Key Features: Structured Training and Skill Building

The Postdoctoral Institute for Career Development and Academic Diversity

– Is a series of skill building seminars and panels on topics such as: Setting Goals & Objectives; Work-life Balance; Research Integrity & Data Management; Managing Research Projects; the Job Search; Grant writing; Getting Funded; Getting Published & Increasing your Visibility; Preparing an Application Package; Obtaining & Negotiating a Faculty Position; Proposal Presentations; Developing a Research Program, not just a series of projects; Gender & Culture Issues & Dynamics in Academe; The Complete Application Package

– Sessions were conducted by faculty from UIC, experts in specific topics, scientists from Argonne Labs.

The Postdoc Institute

1. Balancing personal and professional life

2. Research integrity, data management, managing your research

3. Getting mentored, networking. Cultivating "sponsors." Setting up collaborations

4. The job search: finding the right match

5. Overview of the funding process NSF. NIH, DOE, DoD

6. Getting published. Responding to reviewers

7. Panelists discuss each submitted proposal in turn

8. Preparing an application package I:CV, cover letter, research statement/proposal, teaching philosophy

9. Preparing an application package II:finding a suitable niche, positioning oneself in the faculty job market

10.. Search Committee review of submitted application package

11. Preparing for the campus interview, negotiating an offer

12. Giving a job talk (research proposal)

13. A 30-min mock job interview one-on-one with a senior professor of the hiring department

14. Research presentations formal 50-min talks by participants on their completed work to host department

15. Anatomy of an NSF proposal. Preparing a budget for an NSF CAREER proposal.

16. Getting started, Staffing your laboratory

17. Your role as a lab leader, building & sustaining an effective team

18. Final progress report

Application package review bypanel

Casestudies

Panel discussion

One-on-oneinterview

Proposal review by panel

Manuscript review

Team-on-one

Presentation followed by discussion

Informal job talk (proposal) to mockSearch committee

IV.5. Slides from UIC NSF Mid-Award Visit

Assessment of the Program

How do we assess One on One interviews with the post doctoral

associates before and after the 2 year program

Survey with the mentors after the program to learn about their experience and get their recommendations for the future.

Assessment of the ProgramInterviews with postdoctoral associates

Topics covered in baseline and follow up interviews include: Experience with program

– i.e. How would you describe your experience with the program and the people involved?

Goals for the program– i.e. Do you feel you have achieved these goals you set out for

yourself? Personal strengths and weaknesses

– i.e. What do you see as your main strengths as a candidate for academic positions?

Program strengths and weaknesses– i.e. What do you see as the main strengths of this fellowship

program? Perception of specific program components

– i.e. Are there any specific components you would like to see modified or added onto the program?

Assessment of the ProgramFindings from postdoc interviews

Experience with the program

Both before and after the 2 year program the words the postdocs used to describe the program were: wholistic, constructive, supportive, informative, and educational.

Assessment of the ProgramFindings from postdoc interviews – Goals

Goals at the start of the program Make a decision on the career to

pursue Learn new research techniques &

skills needed to be successful in an academic position

Develop and strengthen teaching skills

Be confident about mentoring students

Gain experience in writing and submitting grants

Produce at least 2 publications from the 2 years of work

Outcomes at the end of the program 3 postdocs reported meeting all of the

goals, 2 met some of the goals 4 of 5 reported learning new skills

All improved their teaching skills, in the words of one of them “I used my mentors to get advice on how to structure a class…. I created the class and I had not had the experience before.”

All published at least one paper

Assessment of the ProgramFindings from postdoc interviews – personal

strengths and weaknesses as a candidate

Strengths Research experience and

skills (4 of 5 report) Publications (2 of 5) Expanded network of

researchers and collaborators (2 of 5)

Funding record (1 of 5) Awareness of subtleties and

challenges of academia

Weaknesses (varied) Lack of focus on a single

research area Lack of skill in a specific

methodology Lack of grant writing

experience Adequate teaching

experience – developing a course

Assessment of the ProgramFindings from postdoc interviews – program

strengths and weaknesses

Program Strengths

Postdoc Institute Seminars Developing their own

research proposals The mentoring team

Program Weaknesses

Research Funding

“Money is a weakness because none of us are truly independent from the work of our mentors.”

Assessment of the ProgramFindings from postdoc interviews

Overall impressions: 4 of 5 postdocs reported that their experience was very

successful the program opened up new opportunities for them in regard to

networking and developing their skills for an academic position. One said, “I learned things that I didn’t know I even needed to

learn.” Working as a cohort - “I think the post doc world can be

isolating and it was great to be brought in with a group at the same time.”

Assessment of the Program On-line survey for Mentors

Topics covered include: Experience as a WISEST mentor

– i.e. Please rate the importance of the benefits you have experienced as a WISEST mentor.

Mentor/mentee relationship– i.e. What factors were enablers/ barriers to your

relationship with your mentee? Mentee skills

– i.e. Do you think your mentee is ready to enter the academic job search process?

Perceptions of program components– i.e. How useful were the Post Doctoral Institute seminars

to your mentee? Overall experience with program

– i.e. Would you be a mentor again?

Assessment of the ProgramFindings from the Mentor Survey – Description of Mentors

Total of 18 mentors were sent the survey– 12 internal; 6 external

Total of 9 responses (response rate 50%)– 7 internal; 2 external

7 mentored one postdoc, 1 mentored 2 postdocs, and 1 mentored 3 postdocs

Role of the Mentor

Assessment of the ProgramFindings from the Mentor Survey – Reasons why they chose to be a mentor

Mentees need your experience, Potential to learn from your mentees, Help conducting their research. Personal satisfaction, relationship building,

recognition from your department/UIC, and networking were other factors mentioned

Assessment of the ProgramFindings from the Mentor Survey – Enablers and Barriers to successful mentoring

Enablers

Initiative of the mentee Common research interests Support from the

department

Barriers

Lack of initiative from the mentee

Lack of time Conflicting personalities

Assessment of the ProgramFindings from the Mentor Survey – Most time spent

The top three skills mentors spent most of their time on

Research skills Networking Grant writing

Assessment of the ProgramFindings from the Mentor Survey - Overall comments

Overall the mentors were satisfied with the program Need to provide travel and research money Include more networking

– “Networking with STEM women faculty at UIC and in neighboring institutions is also very important and was not a formal component of the program.”

Needed more guidance about their roles as mentors

Where are these postdocs now

Two were offered and accepted tenure track positions

One was offered a tenure track position but chose to do another post doc

One accepted an adjunct research faculty position

One did not inform WISEST of future plans

Cost of the Program

Required matching of salary from the departments

Total cost per postdoc for 2 years ~ 100,000 with full medical & dental benefits

Donated time from the advisors and mentors Office space, adminstrative support from the

department

VIII. Lessons Learned

Additional research and travel funding should be provided by the program

Program is resource and labor intensive, but this is necessary for success

Features contributed to the success– Serving the postdoc interest– A strong mentoring relationship– Training and skill building postdoc institute

Disciplines of post docs should mirror institutional need for tenure-faculty. This process is more likely to mutually benefit the post doc and the institution.

“A holistic way of training post docs is ideal and desired. I haven’t had to trade off my research productivity to have a more holistic program.”

Questions??

For more information contact:

Manorama Khare

mkhare1@uic.edu