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STUDENT AND EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONAL UPDATE
From Doc to Postdoc:
Taking the Next Academic Step

Sarah W.M. George, University of Arizona; Kristina Butler, from one to three years, and there are three application deadlines
University of Texas at Austin; Emily E. Mixon, University of per year.
Wisconsin–Madison National Labs often host postdocs. Each lab hosts a website with
open positions.
Postdocs can be an exciting time for an academic. Postdoctoral
research allows an academic to branch out from their Ph.D. work, Other state and federal agencies and private foundations also
develop new collaborations, and focus on research, without many offer postdoc positions. Check websites and ask around!
of the obligations of a faculty position. The path to a postdoc, Advertised positions are great if you can find a principal investi-
however, is often nebulous. Many postdocs are found via word of gator (PI) looking to hire someone with your skillsets. Check out
mouth, so start talking to researchers in your discipline at confer- job boards (GSA, the American Geophysical Union [AGU], Earth
ences several years before you plan to defend. A rough timeline Science Women’s Network), and join discipline-specific listservs
might look like the graphic below. to hear about these positions.

Here is a brief list of some of the types of postdoc positions. Postdocs abroad: In addition to advertised positions abroad, there
Keep in mind that some of these positions are limited to U.S. citi- are several international fellowship programs. The Marie Curie
Fellowship Program provides one to two years of research in
zens and residents, and others are only for those who just finished
a Ph.D. This list has been modified from a longer blog post at Europe. The Humboldt Research Fellowship provides six
months to two years of funding for research in Germany. Finally,
www.futureROCKdoc.com, which includes advice from >20
current and recent postdocs. the Fulbright Postdoctoral and Early Career Awards are an
option for researchers working abroad.
Departmental Fellowships are a great way to get postdoc fund- Opportunities outside academia: Interested in testing the waters
ing. Typically, these fellowships require a short proposal and come in science policy or communication? Professional societies, non-
with research funds. A few places with departmental fellowships profits, and policy groups are often looking for scientific exper-
include Arizona State University, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, tise! If you want to explore this kind of avenue, check out the
University of Chicago, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Caltech, Brown, GSA-USGS Congressional Science Fellowship or the GSA Science
University of Texas, Scripps, Carnegie, Smithsonian, Lamont- Policy Fellowship. AGU, the American Geosciences Institute, and
Doherty, and Rice University. the Union of Concerned Scientists also have similar programs.
National Science Foundation EAR Postdoctoral Fellowships Starting to think about your next academic step? See the full arti-
provide two years of salary and research funds. These are usually cle at www.futureROCKdoc.com—a website with career and
due in October and involve writing an eight-page proposal. They wellness resources for geoscience students created by grad stu-
require a host institution, collaborator letters, and a well-thought- dents and early career geoscientists.
out research plan, so start early.
NOAA Global Change Fellowships fund researchers interested in
climate studies. Applications are due in January and require letters
of intent and mentorship plans from the host institution.
USGS Mendenhall Research Fellowships require a proposal in
response to a specific solicitation. These positions can lead to full-
time employment at the U.S. Geological Survey.
NASA Postdoctoral Programs are a good option for geoscientists
with interests in planetary science. These postdocs can extend

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24 GSA TODAY | August 2022