A Kingpin of Academic Inclusive Fitness: The History and Contributions of Bruce Grant

Abstract

ONE of the most difficult decisions facing postdocs on the academic job market is where they should apply for jobs. They seek the advice of their supervisors, but their supervisors' world view is colored by their own decisions and experiences. Because most postdocs are at research universities, their supervisors typically overtly or subtly encourage them to apply to similar schools. The implication is that, for scientists to have an impact on their discipline, they must be able to recruit top Ph.D. students and postdocs, which cannot be done as effectively at smaller institutions such as liberal arts colleges. Accepting a job at a smaller institution is often called the “kiss of death” because new faculty members supposedly will be overwhelmed with teaching responsibilities, their research record will suffer, and a later move to a research university will be far more difficult.