Session R5: Paths from Academics to Employment

AIP Statistics on Physics Employment Trends

This talk provides a statistical overview of the employment trends for physicists. The work done by physics bachelors, masters, and PhDs is qualitatively different. This talk will describe the career paths commonly pursued by recent physics graduates at each degree level and will illustrate how these trends have changed over time. It will discuss the indicators that point to both the strengths and weaknesses of the current job market for physicists. The paper will include a discussion of recent reports that claim that American students are avoiding science and engineering. It will conclude with a discussion of the pro's and con's of recent calls for dramatic increases in U.S. degree production in the sciences.   

Industry Job Hunting for PhDs.

The industrial environment presents opportunities and challenges that are significantly different from those in academia. The research problems encountered are often complex and the solutions are generally sought by teams of researchers with a variety of skills from different disciplines. An important criterion for a new researcher in industry is that they be able to represent their area of competency on such a team. In most instances, hiring decisions are based on a reasonable compatibility of the candidate's skills and the needs of the research area, but the supposition is that the individual will evolve with time and with changing assignments. Important attributes for the candidate are solid technical strength in their area of expertise, good ``peripheral vision'' of science and technology in proximate and more remote areas, and a willingness to adapt to changes in the direction of the project. In contrast to academia, there are a variety of career paths for the industrial scientist, including a long-term participation in research and development, migration into the more practical aspects of the business (such as problem-solving or technical liaison) or management. Initially, it will probably not be apparent which of these paths is the most desirable and, in fact, a person may be involved with more than one during the course of their career. Each of these paths, or a combination of them, can be extremely satisfying and rewarding.   

Government Positions for Physicists.

There are a number of government agencies that employ physicists in a wide variety of jobs -- from student internships to post docs to full time staff positions. You can do real, creative, fore-front physics or pursue a wide range of leadership positions. The possibilities are almost unlimited and so is the impact your work can have on the government, academia, and industry. So how do you go about finding a government job? What qualities or abilities are deemed valuable? What are the advantages and disadvantages to working in the government? I will bring some personal experiences and observations from working in the government (one year as a rotator at the National Science Foundation in the Division of Materials Research and almost 18 years at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, both as a Group Leader and a Division Chief) to bear on these questions and more. Prior to my government career I was a physics professor pursuing research and teaching in academia.   

Aiming for Professorship at a Research University

In this talk, I will discuss and provide guidance on how to prepare and approach applying for an academic faculty position at a research oriented university as a first time professor. First I will discuss what is expected of a beginning faculty member at a research university. Next I will cover what you should be doing as a postdoc to enhance the chances of a finding a research position at a university. Finally I will go over all aspects of the job search process. Topics that will be discussed include: 1) preparing your CV, research and teaching statements, and cover letter, 2) getting letters of recommendation, 3) preparing for the interview, 4) the ``Job Talk", 5) following up the interview, 6) negotiating the start-up package, and finally 7) accepting or rejecting an offer. Throughout the talk, I will try to emphasize what the ``search committee" as well as the department is looking for in a successful candidate and some pitfalls to avoid in the process.   

Teaching and Research at Undergraduate Institutions

My own career path has been non-traditional and I ended up at a primarily undergraduate institution by pure accident. However, teaching at a small college has been extremely rewarding to me, since I get to know and interact with my students, have an opportunity to work with them one-on-one and promote their intellectual growth and sense of social responsibility. One of the growing trends at undergraduate institutions in the past decade has been the crucial role of undergraduate research as part of the teaching process and the training of future scientists. There are several liberal arts institutions that expect research-active Faculty who can mentor undergraduate research activities. Often faculty members at these institutions consider their roles as teacher-scholars with no boundary between these two primary activities. A researcher who is in touch with the developments in his/her own field and contributes to new knowledge in the field is likely to be a more exciting teacher in the classroom and share the excitement of discovery with the students. At undergraduate institutions, there is generally very good support available for faculty development projects in both teaching and research. Often, there is a generous research leave program as well. For those who like advising and mentoring undergraduates and a teaching and learning centered paradigm, I will recommend a career at an undergraduate institution. In my presentation, I will talk about how one can prepare for such a career.