Finding a Career Entry That Suits You - Part II

With far fewer academic positions available than there are people with PhDs, the traditional path from student to postdoc to professor is no longer the norm. But besides that, there are many reasons why you might want to leave academia. Maybe you want a more secure job, want to get in contact with clients, or just don't like research anymore. Luckily, there are more jobs out there than you might realize! The process of job hunting can be confusing and intimidating. This collection of tips will help you to identify your strengths and the industry you want to move into and finally find a career entry that fits your interests.

Where can I get insights into specific positions?
We all know former lab members or fellow students who have moved on to non-academic careers. Ask them what they do now, if they are happy, and what kind of additional qualifications they had, suggests career coach Ulrike Schneeberg (http://deinemonster.de/), whom I met last year at a career day organized by the FU in Dahlem.
Job shadowing is also a great opportunity to find out if a job will suit you. Some universities offer programs, but you can as well just ask your acquaintances who work in a job you would like to get to know better. If you are eager and self-confident, you can also directly contact companies; it will for sure make a good impression. If you are about to graduate, do not cancel your studentship just yet: companies prefer to give away internships to students than to recent-graduates.

How do I get familiar with the job lingo?
Online job portals will help you figure out what names the jobs have and what specific skills are listed for the different job titles.
Check the job descriptions of your networking contacts and contact those whose job descriptions sound interesting to you. Most people are happy to report about their job and how they got there. Reach out to people in different jobs, ask if you could meet them for a coffee to ask career questions or interview them for a few minutes on the phone. I can personally report that it is incredibly helpful to get some inside information.

Do I have the right skills?
Browse through job offers and carefully read the descriptions. Ask yourself if you have the essential qualifications. If not, what could you do to gain additional expertise? Maybe you can join a project from a befriended lab, or take a course at your university or online while finishing your degree? However, don’t let the lists of desired skills intimidate you. Most employers are open for applicants who do not have a final degree that exactly matches the industrial sector or job opening if the application is convincing.

How do I structure my job search?
Career coach Ulrike Schneeberg suggests making a timeline to structure your job hunt efficiently. For example: by the end of next month you should have interviewed five people with jobs that sound interesting. Upon completion, reflect if your view has changed and eventually schedule another round of browsing job options and setting up informational interviews. Then narrow your career options down to a few choices that align best with your skills and interests. Having completed this step, it makes sense to start writing your resume, CV and parts of a cover letter tailored to the specific positions and industry. This is a very crucial step - take your time and go over it several times. Show them to your friends and colleagues (maybe even to this person who holds your dream job). Some applications may require references; ask your supervisors early enough if they would be willing to write you a recommendation letter. Most of the time they will be happy to do so, but won’t have much time. In this case, draft a reference yourself, so your referee will only need to edit and update it.

How do I get the attention of prospect employers?
Tell your friends and colleagues that you are looking for a new job. This will increase the likelihood of being offered a position which is not on the public market.
At career fairs, you can get directly in contact with recruitment managers. If you make a good impression and give them your contact detail, you are already one step closer to your dream job.
According to recruiting managers, it is highly recommended to participate in online job portals. More and more companies follow the trend to search suitable candidates themselves or work with recruiting agencies. If you want to be found, make sure to include the right buzzwords in your profile.

Where do I find job adverts?
Most companies advertise their openings online. The biggest resources are LinkedIn (for the international job search), Xing (the most important platform in Germany) and Indeed, but don’t forget to check out more local portals and those specific to the sector you are looking at, such as yourfirm, jobmehappy, jobworld.de, or stepstone.
However, also check out individual company homepages, as not all openings are shared in online job portals. Interestingly, many small- and medium-sized businesses still advertise in print media. Thus getting a copy of your local newspaper might be a good idea as well.
A great resource are also Laborjournal, academics, duz wissenschaftskarriere, Science Jobs DE, Sci-Tec Career, and Wila Bonn. Those looking for international jobs, will find interesting job offers at Science Careers and Naturejobs.

Where do I get information about prospect employers?
Always use more than one source: the company webpage, press releases, social media and rating portals such as glassdoor or kununu. Also check whether local and/or daily news reported about the companies you are interested in. If you want to move into the biotech scene, you should definitely check out labiotech.eu. The different pieces of information will help you to shape an image of the company. Ideal would be if you could talk to current or former employees. This is possible at career fairs or by directly contacting employees.

Where can I get help?
A very helpful tool is the “individual development plan” from science careers. You may also get help from your university. Charité students may contact the stud-hotline@charite.de to get career advice, even after completion of studies. For students enrolled at the Humboldt University, these links might be helpful (http://bit.ly/2E7bMFU , http://bit.ly/2BMLjLW) and you can also attend their events even after you graduated. There are also many helpful events organized by the Agentur für Arbeit. If you are looking for individual help, I can recommend to meet with a career coach. And stay tuned for the new Career Development Program for Berlin Neuroscience graduate students, currently being developed by SPARK with the help of MedNeuro students!
Get in touch with recruitment agencies specific for the sector you want to move into. Generally their services are free of charge for the job seeker and they have a genuine interest to get you a position because they will be paid by the companies upon success. Furthermore, recruitment agencies have a great portfolio of companies, you might not be aware of.

We wish you all the best!
Let us know your career stories, so we can help future graduates to smoothly transition into their first positions!

by Claudia Willmes, PhD Alumna, AG Eickholt / AG Schmitz
This article originally appeared March 2018, in Beauty and the Brain , Vol 11 - Issue 01

Finding a Career Entry That Suits You - Part I

With far fewer academic positions available than there are people with PhDs, the traditional path from student to postdoc to professor is no longer the norm. But besides that, there are many reasons why you might want to leave academia. Maybe you want a more secure job, want to get in contact with clients, or just don't like research anymore. Luckily, there are more jobs out there than you might realize! The process of job hunting can be confusing and intimidating. This collection of tips will help you to identify your strengths and the industry you want to move into and finally find a career entry that fits your interests.

How do I start?
The most important building block for a successful career is to be honest in defining your interests and strengths. The first question should be: do I want to apply for jobs in a technical, creative or management sector? But don’t build up too much pressure: you don’t have to make the perfect decision. A career is a path that arises from many decisions. Of course, the first job sets the direction, but you can always transition to another position. Especially when looking for your first "real world job", you might need to compromise on one or two things.

Where can I get inspiration?
Use conferences, social events, career fairs, meet-ups and career talks to question others about their work and explore the realities of these possibilities. A great opportunity to get in touch with scientists working outside of academia is the Career Development Seminar every second Wednesday at noon in the CCO Auditorium. Find people with a similar academic background who share your view on life and ask them about their careers. You might not only get inspired but also make important contacts. Even getting to know what you don't like will shape your idea of what you might want to do.
Think outside the box: scientists are not only needed in science but also in jobs like consulting, the public sector, non-profit organizations, management, communication, and many more. There are plenty reports from scientists that escaped academia on Science, Nature and Reddit.
Reflect when you read advertisements in newspapers or scientific journals: why were you attracted to this advertisement? Could you imagine working for this company or in this sector?

What are my strengths?
Pinpoint moments when you really enjoyed or really didn’t enjoy doing something, instead of trying to imagine what you would enjoy doing, because a lot of things aren’t what they seem to be. Find out what you are good at by asking yourself “what do people ask me to help them with?”. Ask people around you what you are good at and what they think is special about you. Consider also your life beyond the lab and think about your strengths outside of your field of study.

What are my interests?
Maybe you are graduating in neuroscience, but you have always been attracted by nutrition science, or you are more interested in the bigger picture of science - all this is worth considering. Only if your career satisfies your interests, will it make you happy. Figure out what it is that drives you. Think about moments when you were really happy, inspired or content with what you were doing.

What is important to me?
Consider what is important to you and prioritize. This might be the work environment, career perspectives within a company, working hours, the salary, or additional benefits. Make sure your prospect job fits your lifestyle and incorporates your personal life plan. If you want kids and would like to take a break from work, would this be compatible with the career aspired to? Do you want to stay in this city or are you willing to relocate? Can you commit to a job that needs a lot of traveling or working on the weekends? Do you want to work in a highly competitive environment? Answering these questions will help you to further narrow down career options.

stay tuned for Part II : Everything from getting familiar with the job lingo, structuring your job search, and where to get further information

By Claudia Willmes, PhD Alumna AG Eickholt / AG Schmitz
This article originally appeared March 2018, in Beauty and the Brain , Vol 11 - Issue 01

From Academia to the Authorities

Let's start with the basics. My name is Henriette, I am 28 years old and I will soon be an alumna from the MedNeuro MSc and PhD programs at the Charité. 

I started my PhD in 2014 in the group "Experimental Psychiatry" with Prof. Christine Winter. My focus revolved around neuropsychiatric disorders and my daily work contained a mix of performing stereotactic surgeries, behavioral experiments and electrophysiological recordings. My thesis is written and ready to go, the plan is to open the procedure this summer.
However, a lot has happened since I finished lab work in 2017. I moved back to Denmark, mainly with the purpose of getting closer to my family (I am a dane) and finding a job. Luckily, all of this fell into place rather quickly.

Henriette Edemann Callesen

I started looking for jobs a few months before moving back to Denmark. I spent a lot of time figuring out what kind of job I wanted, which wasn’t easy. Moving from research into the “real world" seemed rather daunting. I mainly saw myself as a researcher and was interested in continuing in this field. Yet, after almost three years of working with rats, I wanted to get out of the lab. I did quite a lot of soul searching to figure out what kind of position met my requirements and to understand what qualifications the PhD had given me. In this period, I even wrote an article in the CNS newsletter about this topic – simply because I had to put my own doubts into words and let go of the imposter syndrome.

Let go of the imposter syndrome

I eventually boiled all my qualifications down to a proper CV that included my PhD, but also some organizational work I had been doing on the side. I made sure that the focus was not on my published papers nor my everyday handling with rats, since this is only relevant if you want to stay in academia. Back in Denmark, I sent out a bunch of applications. To make the story short: I am now an Academic Employee at the Danish Health Authorities in Copenhagen.

My Work Has Clinical Impact
My daily work evolves around constructing National Clinical Guidelines. I attend meetings with clinicians to figure out where the problems in their daily work are. For example, we discuss whether there is lack of evidence for the treatments that are being applied, or if one treatment is better than another. Then I go through research publications, critically evaluating its quality (using the so-called GRADE method [1]) in order to find out more about the effects of different treatment options. All of this is then composed into a National Clinical Guideline, which physicians can use in their daily work when doubt arises.

Use your qualifications wisely

And, boy, is this work different from being in the lab! I no longer work with rats, I have normal working hours and I get to drink coffee at my desk, while going through research. I developed competencies in understanding what contains good research (and what not) and I get insight into the challenges doctors face daily. Moreover, my products have clinical impact, which is very motivating.
What I miss, though, is being able to sit down and scientifically analyze and interpret data. I miss the flexibility that comes with being a PhD student, including structuring the day myself. I miss my friends and colleagues in Berlin and the thrill of being abroad. With that said, right now, I would not change it for the world. My new position offers other interesting possibilities and I get to grow in a different direction then what I would have if I had stayed in academia.
So, to all of you currently in academia who are thinking about changing tracks: first of all, yes, your PhD is a valuable asset that can land you a job in the “real world”. However, be aware that when promoting yourself, employers outside academia value other aspects of your work than a potential PI. There are indeed jobs out there, where you can combine research and regular working hours. Seriously, let go of the imposter syndrome that many PhD students have. Use your qualifications wisely, take a leap and go for it.

by Henriette Edemann Callesen, MSc and PhD Alumna, MedNeuro


[1] http://bit.ly/1IQ69Ub

This article originally appeared March 2018, in Beauty and the Brain , Vol 11 - Issue 01

Conference Announcement: I, scientist

https://www.iscientist.de/

The Commission on the Advancement of Women

Perspective by a Member of the Commision, By Carmen Infante-Duarte

Carmen Infante-Duarte, senior scientist and leader of the research group "Experimental Neuroimmunology" is a member of the Commission for Promotion of Women at the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and will tell us about the structure and tasks of this Commission.

When considering the careers of women in science and academia, Berlin, and the Charité in particular, are exceptional: already in 1912, Lydia Rabinowitsch obtained the first professorship of a woman in Berlin; in 1913 Rahel Hirsch became the first woman in Prussia to be appointed as a Charité professor in medicine; and currently, the faculty of medicine at the Charité is the only German medicine faculty that has been chaired by a female Dean, Prof. Dr. Annette Grüters-Kieslich since 2008. Nevertheless, the situation of women in leading positions at the Charite is far from being optimal. While about 60% of the students at the Charité are female, only about 17% of the professors are woman. Thus, the institutional promotion and support of career of women remains an essential task of the faculty.
The Commission for Promotion of Women at the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Kommission für Frauenförderung, KoFF) was established by the Faculty Council in autumn 2009 and is composed of 8 female full professors (including chairwoman and deputy chairwoman), 8 scientific associates, 4 students and 2 non-scientific representatives. The KoFF works very closely with the officer for Women and equal opportunities at the Charité (Frauen- und Gleichstellungsbeauftragte, http://frauenbeauftragte.charite.de/) and meets once a month, usually the second Tuesday of the month.

The primary goals of the Commission are:

1. To encourage the establishment of equal opportunities for women and men at the Charité at all professional levels.
2. To support the career of female researchers by advocating the establishment of a family friendly Charité.
3. To promote gender studies within medical research and teaching. The first accomplished objectives of the KoFF were the establishment of a regular dinner-meeting (takes place 3-4 times per year) of female Charité professors, including the Dean, to improve scientific networking, and the creation of a comprehensive and informative homepage (http://koff.charite.de/).

On the KoFF homepage, you can find information and links to:
 -         Research and teaching: including extend information on gender-sensitive research and teaching at the Charité.
-         Funding and fellowships: including information on internal and external funding possibilities for women.
Particularly relevant Charité fellowships and programs are the Rahel-Hirsch fellowship, to promote Habilitation of female scientist; the Lydia Rabinowitsch fellowship, to support (re-)integration of female scientists in the Charité, in case they had to reduce or cease their scientific activity for family or social reasons; and the mentoring program, a personal development strategy to support young female scientists in their career planning and development.
-         Family issues: here you will find links to offices and offers at the Charité that should guaranty a framework for a successful balancing of work and family obligations for all students and employees at the Charité. Very important are the links to the "family office" and internal and external child care services.

 In summary, the KoFF is a recently re-established Commission that aims to make the work of women at the Charité more visible, to promote their networking activities and to improve the presence of women in all professional fields in which they are underrepresented, principally in clinical, scientific and also administrative leader positions.

This article originally appeared 2011 in CNS Volume 4, Issue 1, Neuroenhancement

Why women leave academia and why universities should be worried

Despite the high number of female undergraduate and PhD students, most higher positions in academia, namely professorships, are given to men. A recent study in the field of Chemistry aimed to enlighten the underlying reasons [1].

First, it is important to look at the pool of applicants from which universities recruit their top staff. In a prior study, PhD students were asked about their career plans at different stages of their PhD [2]. At the beginning, obviously, both men and women are enthusiastic about pursuing a career as researcher, both in academia and industry: This intention is expressed by 61 % or 72 % of first-year male and female PhD students, respectively. However, in the third year of their PhD, women changed their mind dramatically. Whereas 59 % of men still see research as a career option, only 37 % of women do so.
If one separates between a career intention in industry and in academia, only 12 % of women and 21 % of men see their future in academia. In other words, 88 % of female PhD students and 79 % of their male fellows don't want a career in academia. Curt Rice describes this as an alarming result for universities, as they may no longer be capable of attracting the best and the brightest minds [3].
Both genders, but especially women, regarded an academic career as all-consuming and competitive. First of all, the short-term nature of most post-doctoral positions implies frequent relocation and a lack of security about future employment. The level of competitiveness to achieve a permanent position is seen as very fierce and the impression of young scientists is that it has become harder to get a first foothold on the ladder, especially under the circumstance of a constant hunt for funding [1].

female PhD students felt more affected

However, there are several issues that affect only women keeping them away from academic careers: There is a lack of positive examples, as most women feel that female professors often show a quite masculine behavior and are, in many cases, childless. They do not want to sacrifice their personality and their plans for a family, to an academic career. Whereas both male and female PhD students report poor supervision, frustrating experiences in the research process, and problems within the research group, women feel more affected and restricted by this and are more likely to see this as a personal failure. A relevant number of women also report that they were told that their gender might be a problem for a future academic career [1].
Although these studies were focused on Chemistry, it seems to be likely that it is not much different in other subjects. Obviously, the pool from which universities can recruit their lecturers and professors shrinks, and especially women are not attracted by an academic career. Universities should ask themselves if the working conditions and career paths they offer are suitable to encourage talented young researchers staying in academia. Without young and innovative researchers, cutting-edge research at universities is endangered. But considering recent headlines about the German Max-Planck-Society and its plans to cut PhD students from social security system [4], a fundamental rethink has not yet begun.

By Odilo Engel, PhD Student Medical Neurosciences, AG Clinical Neuroscience

This article originally appeared 2012 in CNS Volume 5, Issue 4, Fat Gut or Fat Brain


References
[1] Jessica Lober Newsome: The chemistry PhD: the impact on women's retention - A report for the UK Resource Centre for Women in SET and the Royal Society of Chemistry. London, 2008. http://bit.ly/JC2T5m
[2] The Career Intentions & First Employment Destinations of Chemistry PhD Students: A Gender-Based Quantitative Analysis, Royal Society of Chemistry: London, 2008.
[3] Curt Rice: Why women leave academia and why universities should be worried. The Guardian - Higher Education Network, May 24, 2012. http://bit.ly/MTWaB9
[4] Sven Grünewald: Forschungsstipendien - Schwarzarbeit in der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft? Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, June 10, 2012. http://bit.ly/Lrvd7A

Gender Bias Prevails in Academia

It is still an upstream battle for women trying to reach the top of the career ladder in academia. In Germany, 44 % of all doctoral candidates are women, but this number drops sharply down to 25 % at the post-doctoral “on their way to tenure" track. In leadership positions within academia, only 13 % are women [1].

The Council of Canadian Academics reports slightly higher number with 32 % women in faculty positions [2], but the pattern is the same: there is a staggering decline in the percentage of women in higher positions, while the trend is reversed for men. The highest-ranking positions are still being filled by men, and the skewed composition remains discouraging.
One might set aside the choice of lifestyle issue for a moment – that some women simply choose to stay away from the leadership role in order to play a bigger role in family life – and simply consider the matter of how individuals with hiring power perceive one gender over another. Shocking is the statistical evidence that there is still a laden gender bias within our current system: a new study by Moss-Racusin and colleagues has announced that there are prevailing attitudes amongst faculty members when making hiring decisions to fill managerial posts. The study, led by Jo Handelsman from Yale University, looks at academic biology and physics and questions current faculty members' perception of individual candidates in terms of their hireability and starting salary [3]. The surveyed faculty members, a mixed group in terms of gender composition, were shown application materials for a management position. The applications were randomly assigned male or female names. The results were shocking: across all parameters – competence, hireability, inclination to mentor, and salary -- the applications with a male name were ranked significantly and consistently higher. Even female faculty members held these beliefs based on the name of the applicant being either male or female.

Source: Council of Canadian Academies, 2012. Strengthening Canada’s Research Capacity: The Gender Dimension. The Expert Panel of Women in University Research, Council of Canadian Academies. 

Since each individual likely judges their own worth and aptitude based on their perceived ranking and feedback from superiors in any given career field, engrained preference of a male candidate over themselves may discourage women from seeking out higher positions. The study points out powerful cultural norms, which prevail in even the most rational disciplines such as physics or biology.
The results of this study highlight the continued need to strengthen, foster and incentivize women to apply to high-level academic posts in order to counter the current cultural status quo and perception of competence.

By Gina Eom
This article originally appeared 2013 in CNS Volume 6, Issue 1, Gender Differences

[1] BMBF Report on Programme for Women Professors, 2012
[2] Council of Canadian Academics Report in Focus November 2012
[3] Moss-Racusin et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2012

A Degree For Life: The Job Market for PhDs Past and Present

Perspectives For PhD Graduates

The amount of PhD holders in Germany has greatly increased since the 1980s, producing many more graduates than available positions in academia [1]. Since then, the surplus of PhD degrees on the market has presumably been the cause of changed job perspectives for graduates. In the past, the traditional PhD-postdoc-professor career seemed more predefined for young scientists. Nowadays, the PhD bears importance as a title that represents more than just scientific expertise and the key to becoming a professor.

Outside of academia, a PhD title, regardless of the field it is in, is worshipped as a sign of highly valuable personal skills such as motivation, responsibility, perseverance and ambition. These traits are extremely important for leading positions in any profession [1]. Thus, scientists holding a PhD are appreciated in research and development in industry, in consulting, in patent law, scientific writing, sales and much more [2].

"The PhD Factory" by Pina Knauff

The Changing Face of Grad School

In the last few decades, the quality of PhD education has improved. Graduate schools were founded to turn the classical student-professor relationship to a more structured and interdisciplinary system. This helped shorten the graduation time and increase the quality of the degree [3]. Nonetheless, the prospects of long-term employment in academia remain poor in Germany [4].

One advance was the introduction of the junior professor position with tenure track option in 2002, representing an alternative to the classic Habilitation [5]. More recently, in 2015, a draft bill was passed to prevent short-term contracts in academia [6]. Despite these steps, Germany still lacks promising career prospects for PhD graduates in academia. There is clearly much room for improvement. 

[1] http://bit.ly/29R8eqH

[2] http://bit.ly/1EyziUL 

[3] http://bit.ly/29R2iOs 

[4] http://bit.ly/29EyLoz

[5] http://bit.ly/29Yxb2J

[6] http://bit.ly/1NZLNg5

Pina Knauff, PhD Student AG Wulczyn

Why women leave academia and why universities should be worried

Despite the high number of female undergraduate and PhD students, most higher positions in academia, namely professorships, are given to men. A recent study in the field of Chemistry aimed to enlighten the underlying reasons [1]. 

First, it is important to look at the pool of applicants from which universities recruit their top staff. In a prior study, PhD students were asked about their career plans at different stages of their PhD [2]. At the beginning, obviously, both men and women are enthusiastic about pursuing a career as researcher, both in academia and industry: This intention is expressed by 61 % or 72 % of first-year male and female PhD students, respectively. However, in the third year of their PhD, women changed their mind dramatically. Whereas 59 % of men still see research as a career option, only 37 % of women do so.
If one separates between a career intention in industry and in academia, only 12 % of women and 21 % of men see their future in academia. In other words, 88 % of female PhD students and 79 % of their male fellows don't want a career in academia. Curt Rice describes this as an alarming result for universities, as they may no longer be capable of attracting the best and the brightest minds [3].
Both genders, but especially women, regarded an academic career as all-consuming and competitive. First of all, the short-term nature of most post-doctoral positions implies frequent relocation and a lack of security about future employment. The level of competitiveness to achieve a permanent position is seen as very fierce and the impression of young scientists is that it has become harder to get a first foothold on the ladder, especially under the circumstance of a constant hunt for funding [1].

female PhD students feel more affected

 

However, there are several issues that affect only women keeping them away from academic careers: There is a lack of positive examples, as most women feel that female professors often show a quite masculine behavior and are, in many cases, childless. They do not want to sacrifice their personality and their plans for a family, to an academic career. Whereas both male and female PhD students report poor supervision, frustrating experiences in the research process, and problems within the research group, women feel more affected and restricted by this and are more likely to see this as a personal failure. A relevant number of women also report that they were told that their gender might be a problem for a future academic career [1].
Although these studies were focused on Chemistry, it seems to be likely that it is not much different in other subjects. Obviously, the pool from which universities can recruit their lecturers and professors shrinks, and especially women are not attracted by an academic career. Universities should ask themselves if the working conditions and career paths they offer are suitable to encourage talented young researchers staying in academia. Without young and innovative researchers, cutting-edge research at universities is endangered. But considering recent headlines about the German Max-Planck-Society and its plans to cut PhD students from social security system [4], a fundamental rethink has not yet begun.

By Odilo Engel, PhD Alumnus Medical Neurosciences, AG Clinical Neuroscience
This article originally appeared 2012 in CNS Volume 5, Issue 4, Fat Gut or Fat Brain

References
[1] Jessica Lober Newsome: The chemistry PhD: the impact on women's retention - A report for the UK Resource Centre for Women in SET and the Royal Society of Chemistry. London, 2008. http://bit.ly/JC2T5m
[2] The Career Intentions & First Employment Destinations of Chemistry PhD Students: A Gender-Based Quantitative Analysis, Royal Society of Chemistry: London, 2008.
[3] Curt Rice: Why women leave academia and why universities should be worried. The Guardian - Higher Education Network, May 24, 2012. http://bit.ly/MTWaB9
[4] Sven Grünewald: Forschungsstipendien - Schwarzarbeit in der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft? Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, June 10, 2012. http://bit.ly/Lrvd7A

How Much Does a PhD in Neuroscience Cost?

A doctorate in any field is a significant undertaking both intellectually and financially. In recent years, the costs of PhD students are increasingly borne by the primary investigator as part of a grant proposal, while the number of graduate students supported by individual fellowships has remained relatively constant [1]. 

In the US for example, research grants funded about 40% of all biomedical sciences PhD students in the 1980s and this figure had risen to 70% by 2007 [2]. National Institutes of Health statistics also showed that very few PhDs in the US were funded out of pocket, with at least 96% of PhDs receiving full funding [2].
One aspect of neuroscience education cost that varies quite widely by country is the amount of money required for tuition. Based on a search of program websites, in the US, tuition can range from USD 30,000-80,000 for the duration of the program, depending on how the university charges its students and the number of full time semesters required. In Germany, on the other hand, tuition from the university's side can be as low as 200-300 euros per semester, and the bulk of the cost of a PhD is for the stipend/salary that pays living expenses and supports the student during the training period.
Comparing for example Germany and the US, the cost for the principle investigator is quite different because US tuition is two orders of magnitude higher! One might expect this to have a corresponding impact on the number of PhD students in the two countries, perhaps with fewer being accepted in the US where they are relatively more expensive. If anything, the trend is reversed. According to a 2011 article in Nature magazine, the number of PhDs in the US increased by 2.5% from 1998 to 2006, while the number of doctoral graduates in Germany remained virtually the same [3]. As neuroscience funding gets more and more competitive in both Europe and the US, while the numbers of scientists entering the pipeline increases, one wonders what the future will hold for the cost of a neuroscience PhD [4].

[1] Alberts et al., PNAS, 2014
[2] http://1.usa.gov/1MrTiHP

[3] Cyranoski et al., Nature, 2011
[4] Joels et al., Neuron, 2015

by Lauren Elizabeth Mamer, PhD Student AG Rosenmund
this article originally appeared 2015 in CNS Volume 8, Issue 4, Money on My Mind.

Compensation in Life Sciences

“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” (Epictetus)

"Piled Higher and Deeper" by Jorge Cham, www.phdcomics.com

 

Renumeration in the Life Sciences

Can I fuse my passion for research with a worthwhile and financially secure living? This is one of the most gripping questions that researchers at all levels face when becoming part of an ever-growing global academic elite of dynamic, aspiring scientists.

More and more countries of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) are building up their higher education sectors. Science doctorates, post-docs, and principle investigators are key factors for the generation of wide-scale economic growth [1]. However, the question arises as to how we compensate life scientists for their academic excellence.

ACADEMIA PAYS UP TO 30% LESS THAN INDUSTRY

Taking a closer look at the importance of salaries in neuroscience becomes even more crucial in the light of global ‘over-production’ of science graduates [1]. Nowadays, scientists are increasingly being exploited as a cheap working force derived from a never-ending fountain of highly-skilled doctoral students and post-docs, allowing countries to develop their higher education system and general economy by paradoxically investing as little as possible into compensation of academics.

Salaries in Europe and the USA

The Scientist's 2014 web-based survey of compensation of life scientists gathered information from over 5334 individuals ranging from graduate students to professors in various life science sectors [2]. The survey revealed differences in income between different sectors, genders and institutions. European life scientists annually earn US$68,361 on average compared to US$99,011 in the US.

This regional discrepancy (in both academia and industry) is compounded by sector-specific differences in academia. Figures for academic neuroscientists in the US indicate an average salary of US$102,770, which is close to the average payment scale. Molecular biologists earn an average of US$77,970 and scientists working in drug discovery and development are more highly compensated – up to US$143,544.

Those working in academia make 30% less income in both Europe and the US compared to industry employees. Interestingly, researchers in the US working in specific areas in both academia and industry, such as genomics and biostatistics, had a 13% higher pay compared to the preceding year and compared to their colleagues in other disciplines. This indicates that employment in specific sectors with larger demand tends to be a ‘gold mine’ – that is, until the supply of new graduates reaches saturation. The vicious cycle continues because the demand for new graduates is being dictated by the amount of money (from research grants) available for paying them. This allows group leaders to recruit as much cheap labor as they want without considering the fact that not enough senior positions are available in the job market to keep these people employed in academia in the long run [3].

MEN ARE STILL PAID FAR MORE THAN WOMEN

Other fundamental factors affecting life scientists' salaries are age and experience, consisting of a leap in salary by up to 20% for every additional 5 years of experience. Remarkably, gender is still another dismaying aspect of salary inequality in the life sciences in the highly-developed countries of the 21st century. The survey revealed that European male scientists in high positions earn up to US$13,000 more than their female counterparts – a situation which is even worse in the US, where the discrepancy can reach up to US$28,000 [2].

Intellectual Freedom vs. Lifestyle

Looking at future compensation in the life sciences, we will probably continue to face a rather grim picture of ‘brain drain’ from academia to other institutions or to countries with a smaller salary gap [4]. Insufficient compensation and/or insecure job positions currently discourage scientists from staying in academia (only 6% of PhD students do stay) [5].

Promotion of progressive PhD programs that equip researchers with transferable skills that can be applied not only in academia but also in the wider job market is nowadays a pivotal part of German scientific training [6]. This increases the chances of circumventing the bottleneck problem of occupational demand due to educational ‘over-supply’ of researchers that ultimately leads to dwindling salaries in the academic life sciences.

Academic scientists at all levels have to face the reality that salaries in the future will most probably continue being unstable and less lucrative than in other sectors. It remains the individual decision of every scientist as to how to weigh academic intellectual freedom with monetary compensation.  

[1] Cyranoski et al., Nature, 2011
[2] http://bit.ly/1rZ8nGD
[3] http://bit.ly/1OZQ2IT 
[4] Jacobs, EMBO Rep, 2013
[5] http://bit.ly/20Ehktz
[6] Shen, Nature, 2013

by Meron Maricos, PhD Student AG Kettenmann
this article originally appeared 2015 in CNS Volume 8, Issue 4, Money on My Mind.

Female Voices of the Charité Research Community - part 3

What does it mean to be a female scientist at the Charité? We set out to interview researchers at all career stages, learning about their challenges, hopes, and unfiltered thoughts on being a woman in science. As you will see, not everyone shares the same opinion or experiences...

University women’s representative 

Why do we need woman’s representatives?
As women, we have come along way from not having any rights at all to being members of society that are acknowledged as such, with rights and potential that can be used. But there are still some improvements that need to be done, especially concerning the underrepresentation of women in leading positions- including in academia. Women's representatives are the conscious voice that demand these improvements and make sure that our progress doesn't come to a halt when we are getting close to equality. 
Do you feel that you are treated equally?
I feel treated equally and I cannot say I have encountered any discrimination due to my gender. I believe this is thanks to the hard work of generations of women who fought for their rights as women in society. However, I believe there is still some inequality when it comes to letting women advance to leadership positions and certain disadvantages that come with the biological role of women in having children.

GENDER EQUALITY IS NOT A TRADE-OFF FOR EXCELLENCE!

What needs to be improved?
We need to improve the opportunities of women to reach the top steps of the career ladder. This can be done by improving the compatibility of career and family, by increasing the acceptance of family as something that is a normal progression in life- even at competitive workplaces- and by making people aware that women are as capable as men. We need to stop thinking that gender equality in science can only come at a cost. Gender equality is not a trade-off for excellence!

by josemiguels via pixabay

Postdoc, mid 40s, one child

Do you have a female scientist role model?
Not really, because I do not differentiate between man and woman with respect to intellectual capabilities. And I never had the opportunity to talk to a female professor in this private way how she managed to get there and what she thinks is necessary and one has to leave aside to get there.
Do you feel that you are treated equally?
When I was younger I thought that yes, we are treated equally  But looking back now there are some occasions where I think that is just wrong.
My PhD was rather equal even though my supervisor was a bit more outspoken with his male students. During one of my postdocs I had one supervisor who was borderline sexist. Later on, I also had female bosses, who were far more research-focused and gender-neutral. One was a mother and the other wasn’t, but both welcomed women who decided to start a family. The most sexist man I encountered was when I applied for a postdoc and he asked me if I wanted to start a family and and so on. I reconsidered and retracted my application. However, there are also female professors who have an issue with female postdocs. It always boils down to whether you want to have a family or not. This is the most important fact in regard to gender equality: it is the woman who bears the child. It is almost a biological disadvantage. We have to welcome women who want to start a family. I always found it very strange that many bosses do not welcome children.
What did you struggle with most as a woman in academia?
I guess it gets more difficult the more you advance in your career. It is really difficult to have a break from academia for several month to raise your child – like I did when I became a mum. You are out of the job, out of contact with your colleagues, and out of the progress that happens in the lab. Despite being on maternity leave, the women need to come to the lab every now and then to keep up to date because science will not wait. This is hugely important.
What needs to be improved?
Both sides have to improve. Young people have to honestly ask themselves, "What is my capacity and strength"? The earlier you start thinking where you want to go in life, the better. Also, it is absolutely necessary that young people get more advice from experienced researchers.
What needs to change is the attitude of how we look at young mothers: For example, I remember an Icelandic politician who was in front of a congress with her baby, and breastfeeding while giving an important speech. I think this is so cool- they do not make a fuss about it at all. Another thing: This building (CCO) is great, but it does not even have a room where a pregnant of breastfeeding mother can go to and rest for a moment. There is not even a kindergarten here. The Charité is just starting to build one. Organizations like Charité need to make childcare easier for parents who want to return to their jobs.

Tell yourself every day that you are smart.

 
Another point is finances: The situation is bad in research. It's an insecure job in itself, because we don't know what comes out of our experiments. These short-term contracts are a disgrace for smart and ambitious young people. As women, we really need to consider whether we want to go the whole path from PhD to Professor. It is very difficult, and could be a waste of time.
Your advice for a female scientist?
Go for it! It's tough, it's rough, and it's a fight every day. The best one can do is find colleagues who you can rely on, and who you can collaborate with. Ask yourself "Where do I want to go?". "What kind of restrictions can I live with?". Tell people like your boss what you are willing to deal with and what you are not. Be more self-assured. Women are equally smart as men, but they tend to be more insecure and humble in the way they interact. This is not the right attitude. Tell yourself every day that you are smart.



by Claudia Willmes, AG Eickholt/Schmitz
These interviews have been edited lightly for quality and content.

this article originally appeared March 2017 in "Diversity in Neuroscience"

Female Voices of the Charité Research Community - part 2

What does it mean to be a female scientist at the Charité? We set out to interview researchers at all career stages, learning about their challenges, hopes, and unfiltered thoughts on being a woman in science. As you will see, not everyone shares the same opinion or experiences...



PhD Student, 28 years old


Do you feel that you are treated equally?
During my studies I had an encounter with a sexist professor that made inappropriate remarks. That was the first time that I realized that women are still not treated the same way as men. At the moment I have the impression – and this might be just my feeling – that I am looked at differently than a male person would be in my position. I am about to finish my PhD and I think that prospective companies and bosses are hesitant to hire me, because I might drop out soon due to pregnancy.

WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PATCH THE “LEAKY PIPELINE”

 
What needs to be improved?
We need to figure out how to patch the “leaky pipeline” and help more women get access to leadership positions. It is especially critical to provide a surrounding for young woman where they have the certainty that they do not have to choose between family or career. It would help very much if the government would support research institutes more, so that the group leaders can give better contracts to their female PhDs and young postdocs that do not depend so much on getting publications. It's simply detrimental to having a family and pursuing a career; it's hard to get a grant if you did not publish for a year or so, because you were busy with your baby.
What is your fear / hope?
At the moment I feel under pressure to make the right choices so I can both pursue a scientific career and start a family. I hope to secure a job outside academia that offers me a contract that lasts longer than the average position in academia.

via pixabay

Postdoc who left academia, 38, married, kids

What did you struggle most with, as woman in academia?
I actually never had to struggle with being a woman in academia as I always had supportive and fair supervisor and peers.
Why did you leave academia?
Because I learned that I am not made for an academic career and that I have other priorities in my life.

EXCELLENT NEUROSCIENCE CAN’T BE DONE PART-TIME.

 
What needs to be improved?
The whole scientific evaluation system. It is detrimental for good, wide-ranging science to evaluate researchers only by the journals they have published in.
What is your advice to an aspiring female neuroscientist?
You should find out and decide for yourself what is most important for you and then go for it. Try to find good mentors, not necessarily limiting yourself to women or individuals from your field, and ask constantly for advice.
I also believe that excellent neuroscience can’t be done part-time.





by Claudia Willmes, AG Eickholt/Schmitz
These interviews have been edited lightly for quality and content.

this article originally appeared March 2017 in "Diversity in Neuroscience"

Female Voices of the Charité Research Community - part 1

What does it mean to be a female scientist at the Charité? We set out to interview researchers at all career stages, learning about their challenges, hopes, and unfiltered thoughts on being a woman in science. As you will see, not everyone shares the same opinion or experiences...

Master's student, 24 years old

Do you feel treated equally to your male peers?
I feel treated equally- I do not have any trouble with gender inequality.
Do you perceive gender-equality in a different way in Germany, compared to your home country?
Gender equality is more common here in Germany than in my home country. Especially after the latest political developments at home, where the government just decided for woman and their bodies. That is a lack of freedom in a way, which is also inequality.
What needs to be improved?
There is always room for improvement, though the situation is already quiet good. The problem for many women in science is that they cannot come back to work easily when they had a child. They do not know how to be in both roles at the same time, and only chose one path. It would be good if co-workers, bosses, and companies would help them more to come back to work and at the same time to be a mother to the children.

I WOULD RATHER USE MY ENERGY TO DO SCIENCE INSTEAD OF FIGHTING FOR MY RIGHTS.

I think that my generation has to understand that we still have to fight for some rights. We shouldn’t just adapt. As I said, the situation is already very good, but there are still things to improve. I think that the younger generation is the one that should do it!
What is your fear / hope?
My fear is that I will burn out too quickly. Women still have to fight for their positions in science and I feel that can be very exhausting in a way. I would rather like to use the energy to do science instead of fighting for my rights.
Do you have a female scientist role model?
I don’t have a specific role model, but I feel that all woman that achieved something in science can be a good role model to look up to.

by Claudia Willmes

Professor, mid 40s, married, kids

Do you have a female scientist role model?
No, most woman in history of science which are famous were somehow cheated by their male counterparts.
Do you feel that you are treated equally?
Now: Mostly. Earlier: No. With my colleagues at the moment, there is equality but there are also circles that I chose not to participate in, as they are not equal
What did you struggle most with as a woman in academia?
Probably the perception from the male counterparts is one of the problems. In Germany women still have the less well-paid jobs. And of course children: As soon as you enter child-bearing age, even if you have no children, it sort of sends a signal to everyone. If you have a child it automatically gets interpreted that you have a second job now, therefore you can’t be 100% a scientist. Men can be fathers without as many problems as woman being mothers.

THE THOUGHT THAT A MOTHER IS NOT PRODUCTIVE IS ACTUALLY COMPLETELY WRONG!

 
What needs to be improved?
There have been a couple of things moving in the right direction. But they haven’t gone far enough. There are some grants for woman to come back to work (though I heard now that the one at the MDC has stopped… ). They used to give you two years after maternity leave – not enough time at all!
The DFG gives you a couple of years grace for every child you have, but again they do not go far enough. It is not just the time that you are pregnant which you need. A child does occupy a lot of your time until it is three or so. The thought that a mother is not productive is actually completely wrong! You actually get more productive. You are less productive during pregnancy and in the first year, but after that you become so good at organizing and multitasking! Once the kids go to school, you are up early – you will always be one of the early birds. And you do not mess around. You have aims. You do not go for your second cup of coffee, you actually do not have a coffee at all. You eat while you work, and you really are much more goal-oriented than others.
What is your advice to an aspiring female neuroscientist?
If you want to have a family, make sure you have a very understanding partner who will do at least 50% of the childcare. It is not possible without a good partnership. It gets really hard in a situation with two people with careers that are equally important. That would be my biggest advice: make sure that your partnership is up to the challenge.



by Claudia Willmes, AG Eickholt/Schmitz
These interviews have been edited lightly for quality and content.

this article originally appeared March 2017 in "Diversity in Neuroscience"