THE CHALLENGE OF POSTDOC'ING IN THE US: PERSPECTIVES FROM INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS

S. L. Mendez; K. Watson; J. A. Tygret

doi:10.21427/N8XH-V956

THE CHALLENGE OF POSTDOC'ING IN THE US: PERSPECTIVES FROM INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS

S. L. Mendez, K. Watson, J. A. Tygret

Educational Leadership Studies

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

An intrinsic case study explores the challenges shared by international engineering postdoctoral scholars about working in the United States (US). Little research has been devoted to their experiences despite their stark increase in the postdoctoral labor force over the last decade. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight engineering postdoctoral scholars hailing from Canada, China, Colombia, Iran, Italy, and Thailand. Participant interviews were analyzed inductively and resulted in four themes: (1) Immigration concerns; (2) Strains to find a community; (3) Pressure to publish and secure funding; and (4) Inadequate career counseling. The identified themes could be particularly instructive to Ph.D. advisors outside the US whose students may pursue postdoctoral positions in the US, Ph.D. recipients, US postdoctoral advisors, and US college and university international offices.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education
Subtitle of host publication	Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings
Editors	Ger Reilly, Mike Murphy, Balazs Vince Nagy, Hannu-Matti Jarvinen
Pages	955-963
Number of pages	9
ISBN (Electronic)	9782873520267
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.21427/N8XH-V956
State	Published - 2023
Event	51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education, SEFI 2023 - Dublin, Ireland Duration: Sep 11 2023 → Sep 14 2023

Publication series

Name	SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings

Conference

Conference	51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education, SEFI 2023
Country/Territory	Ireland
City	Dublin
Period	9/11/23 → 9/14/23

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings. All Rights Reserved.

Funding

This research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP; award #1821008). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations belong solely to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.

Funders	Funder number
National Science Foundation Arctic Social Science Program	1821008

Keywords

case study
employment challenges
international engineering postdocs

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Engineering
Education

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.21427/N8XH-V956

Cite this

Mendez, S. L., Watson, K., & Tygret, J. A. (2023). THE CHALLENGE OF POSTDOC'ING IN THE US: PERSPECTIVES FROM INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS. In G. Reilly, M. Murphy, B. V. Nagy, & H.-M. Jarvinen (Eds.), SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings (pp. 955-963). (SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings). https://doi.org/10.21427/N8XH-V956

Mendez, S. L. ; Watson, K. ; Tygret, J. A. / THE CHALLENGE OF POSTDOC'ING IN THE US : PERSPECTIVES FROM INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS. SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings. editor / Ger Reilly ; Mike Murphy ; Balazs Vince Nagy ; Hannu-Matti Jarvinen. 2023. pp. 955-963 (SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings).

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abstract = "An intrinsic case study explores the challenges shared by international engineering postdoctoral scholars about working in the United States (US). Little research has been devoted to their experiences despite their stark increase in the postdoctoral labor force over the last decade. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight engineering postdoctoral scholars hailing from Canada, China, Colombia, Iran, Italy, and Thailand. Participant interviews were analyzed inductively and resulted in four themes: (1) Immigration concerns; (2) Strains to find a community; (3) Pressure to publish and secure funding; and (4) Inadequate career counseling. The identified themes could be particularly instructive to Ph.D. advisors outside the US whose students may pursue postdoctoral positions in the US, Ph.D. recipients, US postdoctoral advisors, and US college and university international offices.",

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Mendez, SL, Watson, K & Tygret, JA 2023, THE CHALLENGE OF POSTDOC'ING IN THE US: PERSPECTIVES FROM INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS. in G Reilly, M Murphy, BV Nagy & H-M Jarvinen (eds), SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings. SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings, pp. 955-963, 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education, SEFI 2023, Dublin, Ireland, 9/11/23. https://doi.org/10.21427/N8XH-V956

THE CHALLENGE OF POSTDOC'ING IN THE US: PERSPECTIVES FROM INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS. / Mendez, S. L.; Watson, K.; Tygret, J. A.
SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings. ed. / Ger Reilly; Mike Murphy; Balazs Vince Nagy; Hannu-Matti Jarvinen. 2023. p. 955-963 (SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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Mendez SL, Watson K, Tygret JA. THE CHALLENGE OF POSTDOC'ING IN THE US: PERSPECTIVES FROM INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS. In Reilly G, Murphy M, Nagy BV, Jarvinen HM, editors, SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings. 2023. p. 955-963. (SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings). doi: 10.21427/N8XH-V956

THE CHALLENGE OF POSTDOC'ING IN THE US: PERSPECTIVES FROM INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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