Careers in science: policy issues according to Nature and Science editorials

Abstract

This study analyzes the editorials in Science and Nature published between 2000 and 2012 about careers in science. Of the total body of documents, 8.8% dealt with science careers. The editorials were manually classified by topics and then mapped using the VOSviewer. This revealed six easily distinguishable clusters: career conditions in science, the attractiveness of science as a career, merit-based career policies, the effect of research funding on careers, specific groups underrepresented in science, and mobility of scientists. The paper summarizes the main thrust of the arguments in these editorials.There is strong agreement about the problems in scientific careers, but less consensus on the solutions to these problems. The paper also explores whether mapping on the basis of automatically identified terms could have provided adequate results, but concludes that manual classification is needed.

Effects of appointment types on the availability of research infrastructure, work pressure, stress, and career attitudes of PhD candidates of a Dutch university

“…Among PhD graduates in the Netherlands, temporary employment decreases the job satisfaction (Waaijer, Belder, Sonneveld, van Bochove, & van der Weijden, 2016). These effects of temporary employment in academia are also seen as a problem by leading opinion makers in science, as they decrease the attractiveness of academic careers (Waaijer, 2013).…”

“…Preferences for a career in academic research decrease during the PhD (Sauermann & Roach, 2012), but at the end of the PhD and onwards, there are still more PhD students and graduates who would like to continue working in academia than there are academic positions available (Stephan, 2012, p. 170). Career prospects in academia are seen as bad by many, including PhD students (Fox & Stephan, 2001;Waaijer, 2013;Waaijer, 2016). Here, we determine whether internal and external PhD candidates differ in their career preferences and perception of career prospects.…”

The Coming of Age of the Academic Career: Differentiation and Professionalization of German Academic Positions from the 19th Century to the Present

“…A focal issue in academic career policy is the imbalance between the number of people entering the scientific workforce (i.e., PhD candidates) and the number of available faculty positions (Waaijer 2013). A common sentiment is that it is more difficult for today's new PhD candidates to obtain a permanent faculty position than it was a few decades ago, but hard facts on this issue are lacking.…”

“…Researchers and policymakers identify problems regarding current academic careers with a high level of consensus, notably the small number of PhD candidates eventually becoming tenured staff at academic institutions and the long probationary periods (Konsortium Bundesbericht Wissenschaftlicher Nachwuchs 2013;Waaijer 2013). To put it another way: "many are called but few are chosen".…”

Framing the challenge of climate change in Nature and Science editorials

“…This potential to influence professional scientists and wider public discourse makes the content of editorials in high profile journals especially interesting to study 27 23 hint at both similarities and differences in editorial content between these two journals. A later study analysed these same journals' editorials with respect to their positioning on the challenges of pursuing careers in science 30 .…”