Phase 1: 2005 site visits
In-person site visits to academic and non-academic institutions. They explored how postdoc-related data are stored and maintained—as well as the role of institutions’ organizational structure in reporting postdoc-related data.
The study explored whether SRS could conduct a GSS-like survey to collect postdoc-related data from non-academic institutions. It also assessed how to align GSS’s requests for data with institutions’ recordkeeping systems.
PDP probed for details about postdoc related records, such as:
- Where the records are kept
- How the data are maintained
- Who has access to the records
- Respondents’ level of knowledge about data in the records
2007 exploratory telephone interviews with postdoc employers
Semi-structured telephone interviews with postdoc employers. The interviews were designed to:
- Identify the offices or departments in both academic and non-academic institutions that were able to provide information about postdocs
- Locate the individuals who were the most knowledgeable about postdoc-related data
- Better understand the information architecture within institutions as it relates to postdoc appointments
- Explore postdoc definitional issues
The PDP team approached each institution from a variety of offices and followed leads to one (or more) knowledgeable source of postdoc-related data. The Phase 2 site explorations were conducted between February and April, 2007.
To read the report, click here.
2007 Southeast Michigan Site Visits
A series of nine interviews with representatives from of academic and non-academic institutions. Participants included:
- graduate schools
- human resources departments
- postdoctoral associations
- PIs
- research centers
The interviews were conducted in southeast Michigan during September, 2007. They focused on three issues related to postdoc data:
- Location and distribution of postdocs at an institution
- Sources of postdoc data (how postdoc data is stored and updated)
- Availability of demographic information
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