Is it just me or are career researchers facing a dilemma? We love what we do so we stick to it. The disadvantages of course are permanent uncertainty over our future, and constantly writing grants to fund our employment, activities that take up valuable research time. Want a mortgage? "You've gotta be kidding, right? Your contract runs out at the end of the year!" Surely we deserve better!
UPDATE 28 Feb, 2014: The Global Young Academy has initiated an international study to better understand the “Global State of Young Scientists”.
"A major aim of the project is to enhance the current knowledge about young scholars’ career paths and prospects in different parts of the world by conducting the first systematic, global study on the challenges and opportunities that young scholars face in today’s system of science."
http://www.globalyoungacademy.net/projects/glosys-1/
Check out the Global Young Academy's call for contributions here:
http://www.globalyoungacademy.net/projects/glosys-1/Call_for_Contribution.pdf
"We are interested in finding experts, studies and other scholarly work from different countries and regions around the world that add to the state of knowledge in the following areas:
1) motivation for young scientists to enter an academic career,
2) support mechanisms for young researchers (e.g. promotion, job security),
3) access to mentoring,
4) gender equality,
5) scientific productivity, excellence, impact and innovation,
6) career-paths and obstacles,
7) access to research funding,
8) mobility,
9) inter-disciplinarity and
10) self-perception and effectiveness."
The first report on the the “Global State of Young Scientists” is available here:
http://www.globalyoungacademy.net/projects/glosys-1/gya-glosys-report-webversion
"'Charting a Course for a Successful Research Career' is a crash course of practical advice on how to plan your career. Written by 30-year research veteran Professor Alan Johnson, this free mentoring booklet—used as a resource in many workshops around the world— provides a detailed map of the important milestones you should reach along the path to a successful research career."
http://www.journals.elsevier.com/biological-psychology/policies/charting-a-course-for-a-successful-research-career/
"young researchers across the world felt that many important factors were out of their control. "[E]ven if they are hardworking, productive and well-connected, young scholars—in particular in developed nations—feel that this is not sufficient for career success as they are also dependent on luck, the availability of suitable positions and the number and the quality of their competitors."
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2014_01_27/caredit.a1400023
New study published in BMJ Open journal on: The impact of funding deadlines on personal workloads, stress and family relationships: a qualitative study of Australian researchers
http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/4/3/e004462.full
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