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PhDs.org: Science, Math, and Engineering Career Resources

Information for scientists and would-be scientists at all levels, from high school students through Nobel laureates.

Getting into Graduate School
Finding a Job
Succeeding in Graduate School
Career Guide for Scientists
Postdoctoral Life
The Big Picture



The Real Science Crisis: Bleak Prospects for Young Researchers
Chronicle of Higher Education , September 2007. "[F]or many of today's graduate students, the future could not look much bleaker. They see long periods of training, a shortage of academic jobs, and intense competition for research grants looming ahead of them. 'They get a sense that this is a really frustrating career path,' says Thomas R. Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health. So although the operating assumption among many academic leaders is that the nation needs more scientists, some of brightest students in the country are demoralized and bypassing scientific careers."
Landing an Academic Job: the Process and the Pitfalls
Great advice on the application and interview process in academia from Jon Dantzig, the chair of the faculty recruiting committee at UIUC's Mechanical and Industrial Engineering department.
Professor of Desperation
"Bad pay, zero job security, no benefits, endless commutes. Is this any way to treat PhDs responsible for teaching a generation of college students?" Sunday Washington Post Magazine, July 21, 2002.
Community Recommendations on Visa Policies
May 12, 2004. Recommendations on visa policy changes by the AAU and a number of other organizations.
How to write a great research paper
Great advice from Simon Peyton Jones at Microsoft Research.
The U.S. Science and Engineering Workforce: An Unconventional Portrait
Michael Teitelbaum's presentation at the 2002 GUIRR Pan-Organizational Summit. "To state the message succinctly: those who are concerned about whether the production of US scientists and engineers is sufficient for national needs must pay serious attention to whether careers in science and engineering are attractive relative to other career opportunities available to US students."
What Scientist Shortage?
Daniel S. Greenberg, Washington Post, May 19, 2004. "A scientist shortage? Again? The gloomy warnings are back. They're underpinned by declines in science studies by U.S. students and a post-Sept. 11 falloff in the enrollment of foreigners, who have traditionally filled as many as half the graduate slots in U.S. universities and have taken jobs here after graduation. A crisis is in the making, says a report by a pillar of the scientific establishment, the National Science Board, which warns that the 'trends threaten the economic welfare and security of our country.'"
Malthus And Graduate Students: Checks On Burgeoning Ranks Of Ph.D.'s
Jesse Ausubel, The Scientist, February 5, 1996. "Universities must reconsider production of Ph.D.'s and the invisible hands of franchise expansion, recruiting to sustain the enterprise, and stars that propel it. We should seek positive checks on population rather than suffer the academic equivalents of famine, war, and ill health."
Developing Intellectual Entrepreneurship: For graduate students, communication is a basis for success
The Scientist, March 5, 2001. "Doctoral programs do not adequately prepare students for the future.... To solve this problem the University of Texas, which produces the largest number of Ph.D.s annually, established a professional development program. Initiated in 1997, the mission of the University of Texas at Austin Intellectual Entrepreneurship Program is to help students realize the value of their expertise, discover their disciplinary identity, and become successful academic professionals." (Requires free registration)
Panel: U.S. losing competitive edge in science
New York Times, Oct 13, 2005. "A panel of experts convened by the National Academies, the nation's leading science advisory group, called yesterday for an urgent and wide-ranging effort to strengthen scientific competitiveness." (Reprinted at Common Ground)
Virtual U: The World's First Higher Education Simulation Game
Run your own university in this SimCity-like computer game (free demo available). "Designed to foster better understanding of management practices in American colleges and universities, Virtual U provides students, teachers, and parents the unique opportunity to step into the decision-making shoes of a university president. 'Players' are responsible for establishing and monitoring all the major components of an institution, including everything from faculty salaries to campus parking. Players can make decisions such as decreasing faculty-teaching time or increasing athletic scholarships. However, as in a real college or university, the complexity and potential effects of each decision must be carefully considered. And the Virtual U Board of Trustees is monitoring every move."
New PhDs.org Graduate School Rankings
All new rankings of nearly 6000 graduate programs at 418 universities. Rankings include new data from NSF on where recent PhDs got jobs, how they were funded, and more.
Engineering Science: Building better scientists and engineers
Peter Fiske and Geoff Davis (creator of phds.org) have started a blog / forum on science and engineering careers and education. Come check it out!
The Science Education Myth
BusinessWeek, October 26, 2007. "Forget the conventional wisdom. U.S. schools are turning out more capable science and engineering grads than the job market can support."
Sloan Foundation Grants for Research on the US Science and Engineering Workforce - Second Round
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is pleased to announce the second round of its small grants program to support creative research on the U.S. workforce and labor markets in science and engineering (“S ”). The due date for submissions will be November 17, 2008.