Academic Career Trajectories Research Articles

Beyond grades: Factors shaping academic career trajectory in gynecologic oncology fellowship applicants

Beyond grades: Factors shaping academic career trajectory in gynecologic oncology fellowship applicants

All Hands on Deck: Coordinated approaches to Indigenous early career development

The Developing Indigenous Early Career Researchers Project is a three-year longitudinal study funded by the Australian Research Council investigating the experiences and perspectives of Indigenous early career researchers working in universities across Australia. In an earlier paper we explored self-identified needs of Indigenous early career researchers regarding the development of sound research trajectories and careers in the academy (Locke et al., 2022). This paper takes a step further in investigating, who is responsible and should be held to account for supporting the development of these Indigenous early carer researchers. Data collected from across all three stages (2020, 2021 and 2022) of this project suggests that Indigenous early career researchers consider that all university staff, including themselves have certain responsibilities towards developing their academic career trajectories. Some Indigenous ECRs also pointed out the roles that external agencies such as government and funding bodies play in guiding institutions to value and promote the diversity and wealth of knowledge that Indigenous academics bring to the academy. This paper engages an Indigenist research approach and employs relatedness theory in advocating the development of policies and programs to support the career trajectories of Indigenous Early Career Researchers, from an Indigenous epistemological standpoint. To close, this paper posits that to achieve optimum outcomes for Indigenous ECR’s there needs to be systematic and coordinated institutional approaches to developing career trajectories that ameliorate challenges and barriers to Indigenous ECR career progression.

Women’s Academic Career Trajectory to the Top: Strategies and Ways of Doing Gender

ABSTRACT In recent years, the political approach to gender balance in academia has shifted from “fixing the women” to “fixing the system”. Based on an action research (AR) project aimed at enabling more women to qualify for senior positions in the academic field and conducted at one of Norway’s largest university colleges, this study explores the expectations of the participants during the initial phase of the project regarding what measures and strategies the project should offer. Using method triangulation, I have garnered insights into the priorities of these women, the polarizations that arose, and the consequences of these polarizations—all regarding the differences between the participants in strategic preferences and ways of doing gender. More specifically, this research unpacks conflicting norms of these women concerning factors such as community, support and care versus self-protection, individual competition, and professional goal-orientedness. This study mainly draws on the discourse analysis resources and theoretical contributions of Judith Butler and Michel Foucault.

Parenthood and Academic Career Trajectories

Women continue to be underrepresented in the field of economics, especially among permanent faculty. As parenthood is an important driver of gender inequality in the labor market, we study the impact of children on the academic careers of economists. We find no evidence of delayed or reduced fertility among researchers. Event study estimates reveal that both men's and women's career trajectories are affected by parenthood and face increasing attrition from universities. Men move into the broader research sector, while women leave research completely. We also find a gender gap in the promotion to tenured faculty in the years following parenthood.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Mentoring as Support for African Women’s Academic Career Trajectories

Women in academia face many challenges. Although there have been possibilities for the advancement of women in higher education, gender discrepancies in leadership continue, with women facing structural challenges such as bias, and unequal possibilities for promotion. Balancing a career as a female academic, including parenting and family obligations adds another layer of complication, often resulting in breakdown. Women contribute distinct strengths to academia, expanding intellectual conversation and establishing varied learning environments. Mentorship, sponsorship, and inclusive policies assist in reducing barriers and encourage women to thrive as leaders, resulting in positive change in the academic setting. The article outlines the nuances of women in academia and the challenges and opportunities they face when pursuing leadership positions. It further explores the experiences and views of women in the faculty of Business at a University of Technology (UOT). A mixed methods approach was adopted to enable the researcher to give a female perspective to the academic position, experiences, and challenges within academia. The researcher used her judgment to select the sample based on the purpose of the research and a convenience sample to select best-case scenarios. Finally, the article suggests a participative model of collaboration, nurturance, compassion, and self-care to equip women with the tools they need to create career advancement opportunities and increase personal and professional change.

Supporting and Uplifting New and Diverse Scientists in HIV Research (San Diego SUN): A Research Education and Training Program to Promote the Success of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellows.

We implemented a mentored research education and training program for underrepresented minorities (URMs) and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows called San Diego SUN (SD SUN): Supporting and Uplifting New and Diverse Scientists in HIV Research. The SD SUN program aimed to prepare fellows for an academic career trajectory in HIV science focused on ameliorating HIV-related disparities in communities of color. The program leveraged a strong interinstitutional collaboration between San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego, that share commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion and an established history of training programs for URM/BIPOC investigators. During a 9-month training period, launched in February 2022, fellows supported by a mentoring team completed ten 3-hour training sessions (core curriculum) and a mentored research project. The curriculum included seminars on building skills for a productive academic research career and reflective discussions around issues uniquely faced by URM/BIPOC investigators. Standardized measures developed for Center for AIDS Research Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Pipeline Initiative (eg, around benefits gained) were used to evaluate the program. Six fellows participated in the SD SUN program. The results demonstrated a successful first year. Fellows were highly engaged and reported positive experiences, satisfaction with their mentor(s), various benefits gained from the program, and gains in numerous skillsets. Challenges were faced during implementation (eg, teaching grant writing to fellows at different skill levels). Time constraints were reported by some faculty mentors with limited bandwidth. We describe insights and solutions to the major challenges to sustaining the successful SD SUN program.

Exploring Motives and Strategies in the Production of Knowledge in the University Context by the Example of Academic Career Trajectories

Current research has shown that the combination of implicit and explicit knowledge among various actors is particularly crucial to the production of knowledge and that the characteristics of social relationships and resulting networks impact on how proficienty is acquired, transferred, absorbed, and applied. Although investigations have suggested that the actors involved in knowledge production are active and strategic agents, who differ considerably in their abilities to incorporate and generate knowledge, they are mostly referred to in terms as nodes or black boxes. In this regard, relationship research has demonstrated that actors differ in terms of motivations and abilities to share information and knowledge. Such motives are often strategic.

Toward a Race-Conscious Entrepreneurship Education

This article advocates for race-conscious science, technology, engineering/computer science, and mathematics (STEM) innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) education. Results from a national survey of the academic plans and career trajectories of underrepresented and minoritized (URM) STEM students and alumni suggest that URM STEM students need robust opportunities to apply their scientific and engineering insights to societal problems, while empowering them to be entrepreneurs. Specifically, we find evidence of a relationship between racialized stress and racial activism for nascent URM STEM entrepreneurs among master’s and doctoral STEM students the majority of whom identify as African American/Black and/or Latinx/Hispanic/Chicano. Furthermore, entrepreneurial intent among Black STEMers is greatest among those who have experienced social suffering coupled with a desire for racial justice, and this relationship is amplified for students and alumni of minority serving institutions (MSIs). This study makes the case for advancing a critical and socio-historical scholarship of STEM I&E education to promote URM STEM entrepreneurship.

Student‐focused, career‐driven exploration in natural history museums through experiential education and mentorship: A model to intentionally increase the racial and ethnic diversity of students

AbstractBeing immersed in the processes of research can develop undergraduate students’ science identities and support their persistence in pursuing science careers. However, it can be difficult for students to find opportunities for engaging in authentic scientific research. The professional staff and scientific objects in natural history museums provide such an opportunity that can create relationships through which both undergraduate students and museums benefit. Students require authentic practical experiences to better understand their academic fields and career trajectories, and museums require assistance curating and managing collections. This can be accomplished through mentorship, training, and research experience in a formal course. At the University of Florida, I developed and taught a course titled “Introduction to Natural History” that engaged students in projects in museum collections. Discussion sessions replaced lectures by introducing topics such as the concept of research, distinction between predictions and hypotheses, understanding of the nature of science, and how to conduct literature reviews. In 2019 and 2020, students completed a pre‐ and postcourse survey to gauge their understanding of science and their anticipated career trajectory. My results demonstrate that mentorship and authentic experiential science opportunities using museum collections enable students to realize a passion, sense of purpose, and better understanding of science and careers in science.

Is it time for integrated academic pathways in SET training?

Patients benefit from receiving care in hospitals with a strong engagement in clinical research. Some of these benefits result from institutional factors such as hospital volume and resources, but the academic competencies of surgical teams play a significant role in high quality patient care.1, 2 Surgeons with doctorate degrees are more likely to publish and obtain research grants throughout their career, and units they work in report higher rates of trainee research success and satisfaction, improved patient outcomes and greater clinical guideline adherence.3 When research is fully integrated into organizational structures, health-care performance is superior to less formal research.3 Whilst not all trainees aspire for long-term academic career trajectories, it is important for surgical training programs to address the sustainability of academic pathways. Prevalent models of surgical training do not readily support simultaneous acquisition of clinical competencies alongside more focused academic training and higher research degrees. In Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, most surgical education and training (SET) programs allow trainees to suspend training for up to 1–2 years to complete higher research degrees. Some trainees can arrange less-than-full-time (LTFT) training positions that allow them extra time for research, but these LTFT positions can be difficult to arrange, and often are not geographically located near the trainee's research centre. Engaging in part-time research is also hindered by financial concerns, as most RACS research scholarships are only available for trainees undertaking full-time research. When re-entering clinical training after prolonged research-related absence, trainees can encounter significant challenges. The stress of returning to work, combined with loss of confidence and skills, significantly impacts trainee wellbeing and performance.4 In Nash's study of paediatric surgical trainees returning to clinical work after an interval away from training, clinical confidence needed time to be re-established: ‘I don't think your hands forget how to operate, I think it's your brain that does not have the confidence to do it’.4 Clinical and technical skills may need to be redeveloped, and time-based training programs have little flexibility to allow for this. Reestablishment of professional identity and connections with peers was also important, with many returning trainees feeling doubts about their career.4, 5 Trainees returning to academia after completing a full-time training period, typically have a considerable reduction in their research output and publications. Reduced academic output during these clinical training years hinder future competitiveness for larger research grant funding, and limit their eligibility for grants targeted towards early career researchers. Experiences from international training programs provide insights into how we can address this challenge. The integrated Clinical Academic Fellowship pathways for surgical training in the United Kingdom (UK) are well established and have been demonstrated to improve both research output and clinical skill development.6, 7 Research pathways integrated into residency training in the United States resulted in participants scoring higher on national board examinations, improved research productivity and sustained academic success.8, 9 UK ENT trainees who undertook LTFT in dedicated integrated research programs achieved more publications and academic output than non-integrated trainees in both full-time and part-time clinical positions.10 Trainees benefit from the cognitive synergy of combining clinical training and academic research relevant to their areas of expertise.11, 12 Integration of research within clinical practice, rather than prolonged intervals of full-time research, is a mechanism to provide support, link clinical skill acquisition to academic competency development, and recognize progression through training pathways.13 Trainees who participate in integrated research programs report positive work-life balance, ability to develop longitudinal research interests and sustained engagement in academic surgery.6 Despite inbuilt pathways in other surgical training systems, academic trainees continue to face challenges, including accessing protected time away from clinical duties, negative attitudes from others in the workplace, and difficulties accessing academic supervision.6 In vascular surgery, we are undertaking research to explore and codesign alternative models of training, including integrated pathways for academic development in clinical training. It is important to obtain input from trainees, supervisors and healthcare employers as to how these models can be implemented in our local context in Australia and Aotearoa. We anticipate logistical, educational and cultural challenges as these pathways are developed. Ensuring trainees are able to complete higher degrees will require strong partnerships with universities, with a clear vision for a sustainable academic surgical workforce. As we move forward in this process, we aspire for training to be flexible and adaptive to the needs of our trainees, hospitals and communities. Carina Cutmore: Conceptualization; data curation; writing – original draft; writing – review and editing. Hamid Hajian: Conceptualization; data curation; writing – review and editing. Sarah Aitken: Conceptualization; data curation; resources; supervision; writing – original draft; writing – review and editing.

Power and Gender in Aegean Archaeology (and Beyond)

Power and Gender in Aegean Archaeology (and Beyond)

Gender Differences in the Research Productivity of Radiation Oncology Resident Graduates in the United States: 2015 to 2019

PurposeIt is well-documented that gender disparities exist in academic radiation oncology departments. The purpose of this study was to analyze gender differences in research productivity during residency among recent graduates of radiation oncology training programs in the United States (US). Methods and MaterialsWe used several publicly available sources to create a database of US radiation oncology residents who graduated between 2015 and 2019. We systematically collected gender information from the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System National Provider Identifier Registry and Medicare claims registry. Postresidency employment information was collected using several publicly available sources. PubMed was queried to identify first-author publications of residents. A secondary analysis of metadata including impact factor, number of citations, modified Hirsch index (h index), and type of publication was performed. A multivariable linear regression was performed to evaluate the effect of gender on research productivity during residency. ResultsThere were 910 total graduates identified during this period and who were entered into this database, of whom all had available gender information. Female trainees comprised 29.0% (n = 264) of RO residents and had fewer first-author publications and citations, had lower mean modified h index, and were published in journals with lower impact factors. On multivariable linear regression analysis, female gender was independently associated with decreased total number of publications (P = .005), mean number of citations (P < .001), and modified h index (P = .001) when controlling for residency size and advanced (PhD or master's) degrees. ConclusionsIn the US, female RO trainees had lower research productivity, which was not explained by advanced degrees or residency size. A significant gender gap in trainee research productivity persists, which has known implications in terms of academic achievement, promotions, and career trajectory. Future interventions to improve resident research productivity and mentorship are warranted.

Cohort study assessing the predictive value of a research year vs additional degree in dermatology.

Taking a gap year to obtain an additional degree or for research is becoming increasingly popular among medical students pursuing dermatology to bolster residency application competitiveness. The purpose of this study was to determine whether doing so influences future academic achievement and career trajectory. A list of dermatologists who achieved board certification in 2010 was obtained from the American Board of Dermatology. Information regarding additional post-graduate degrees, research years, fellowship specialization, practice setting, publication number, and H-index were obtained using publicly available data. Additional degrees were associated with higher research productivity, higher H-index, and practicing at teaching hospitals while taking a research year was only associated with a higher H-index. This data can be used to further inform medical students wishing to achieve high levels of research productivity and careers at teaching institutions and residency programs wishing to recruit such applicants.

Building and strengthening Indigenous early career researcher trajectories

ABSTRACT Due to their Indigeneity, Indigenous early career researchers are positioned differently and therefore experience the higher education sector differently to their non-Indigenous peers. Such positioning significantly impacts the development and progression of Indigenous academic research career trajectories. This article reports from the first stage of a three-year longitudinal study to examine the self-identified support needs of Indigenous early career researchers. The findings offer six factors that are crucial in supporting Indigenous early career researchers to develop and establish sound research careers within the academy. This article engages Indigenous standpoints related to the cultural interface and Indigenist research, with a view to shaping institutional responses to supporting Indigenous research career trajectories and further to recognise Indigenous Knowledges as integral to building global academies of teaching, learning and research.

Seek for Success: A Visualization Approach for Understanding the Dynamics of Academic Careers.

How to achieve academic career success has been a long-standing research question in social science research. With the growing availability of large-scale well-documented academic profiles and career trajectories, scholarly interest in career success has been reinvigorated, which has emerged to be an active research domain called the Science of Science (i.e., SciSci). In this study, we adopt an innovative dynamic perspective to examine how individual and social factors will influence career success over time. We propose ACSeeker, an interactive visual analytics approach to explore the potential factors of success and how the influence of multiple factors changes at different stages of academic careers. We first applied a Multi-factor Impact Analysis framework to estimate the effect of different factors on academic career success over time. We then developed a visual analytics system to understand the dynamic effects interactively. A novel timeline is designed to reveal and compare the factor impacts based on the whole population. A customized career line showing the individual career development is provided to allow a detailed inspection. To validate the effectiveness and usability of ACSeeker, we report two case studies and interviews with a social scientist and general researchers.

Visibilities and invisibilities in academic work and career building

ABSTRACT In the current turbulent higher education environment, academic work and career building are in a state of flux. The implementation of the principles of New Public Management have intensified managerial control over academic work. Growing dependence on external funding and metrics-based performance assessments have made career building increasingly competitive, selective, and risky. Disciplinary and organisational boundaries have been dissolving as interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral ways of collaboration have become policy priorities. These trends have challenged visible boundaries between disciplines, organisations, sectors, work tasks and academic roles. However, at the same time, new visible and invisible boundaries are being established. In spite of declaring to bring visibility, openness and transparency to academic work and career trajectories, the managerial university invokes new invisibilities which can reproduce some deeply-rooted visible hierarchies. This Special Issue explores the complex interplay between visibilities and invisibilities in academic work and career building. The six articles tackle this question from the perspective of interdisciplinary research, new notions of an ideal academic, resistance to managerial demands, doctoral education, the emergence of invisible researchers, and scholarly profession in different sectors.

Strategizing public-facing work within an academic career.

Most anthropological researchers will engage with the public at some stage of their career. Some develop strong skills in public-facing work, building bridges between local and global communities and the scientific enterprise. Anthropology and archaeology are unsustainable without such community support. Yet engagement work often goes unrecognized and unrewarded within academic institutions. We focus on ways to translate the value of public-facing work within academic career trajectories. We consider some of the challenges and benefits of such work for early career researchers and for senior researchers, and we provide guidance that will be helpful across a broad range of career objectives. This study employs narratives of both early career and senior anthropologists. Both early career and senior researchers report challenges and successes in building public-facing work. Pursuing public-facing work in ways that are recognized in academic settings can be challenging both in early career and senior settings. The advice in this paper can help individuals build strategies that will lead to sustainable engagement and career progress. Attaining a balance between research and public engagement benefits both the fields of anthropology and human biology.

Building size among economists: how academic career trajectories pave the way to symbolic visibility

ABSTRACT Economists receive high social recognition in media, politics and business discourses where they often obtain a status as ‘star economists’ and ‘financial prophets’. This paper investigates the social conditions that make the formation of size in the economic sciences possible. It analyses the institutional constraints, professional networks, forms of academic knowledge and publication strategies of early career economists as part of an academic dispositif. A position of ‘size’ is achieved when academics take a privileged scientific discourse position via publications, presentations and various evaluation reports for journals, funds and other academic institutions. To understand the formation of privileged academic discourse positions, we need to investigate the entire construction processes that start already at the earlier phases of the professional biography. Based on narrative-biographical interviews with economists in UK and Germany, this paper will focus on four sorts of resources that are analysed as ‘biographical discourse capital’. Biographical resources as ‘discourse capital’ are mobilised by early career researchers to solve practical problems in their daily life. The paper shows how specific tacit and conceptual knowledge interact with access to professional networks in order to find a ‘proper topic’ that help young economists to finally publish an A+ or ‘Four* ’ paper.

Neonatal nursing led research activity in the UK: a survey of current practice

BackgroundNeonatal nurses are ideally placed in practice to undertake research enhancing the care of families. More information is required, however, around neonatal nursing led research to advance leadership in this area. The aim of this study was to determine neonatal nursing led research activity within the UK.MethodsThe study used a web-based survey design and neonatal nurses were eligible if they were working at or towards Masters or Doctoral level qualification in the UK. The survey was distributed to members of the Neonatal Nurses Association, UK Schools of Nursing and shared on social media pages of authors and professional organisations. Results were analysed using descriptive and frequency statistics and content analysis.ResultsOf the 56 respondents, 14% (n = 8) had a Doctoral level qualification and 43% (n = 24) of participants held a Masters qualification. Lack of time and funding knowledge was the largest barrier to research. Only 30% (n = 3) of participants had a research mentor and only 18% (n = 3) were from a neonatal nursing background.ConclusionsThere are limited numbers of neonatal nurses undertaking or leading nursing research in the UK. Further support is required to enhance clinical academic career trajectories to ensure research is a viable pathway for future generations of neonatal nurses.

Predictors of Academic Neurosurgical Career Trajectory among International Medical Graduates Training Within the United States.

Within the literature, there has been limited research tracking the career trajectories of international medical graduates (IMGs) following residency training. To compare the characteristics of IMG and US medical school graduate (USMG) neurosurgeons holding academic positions in the United States and also analyze factors that influence IMG career trajectories following US-based residency training. We collected data on 243 IMGs and 2506 USMGs who graduated from Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited neurosurgery residency programs. We assessed for significant differences between cohorts, and a logistic regression model was used for the outcome of academic career trajectory. Among the 2749 neurosurgeons in our study, IMGs were more likely to pursue academic neurosurgery careers relative to USMGs (59.7% vs 51.1%; P=.011) and were also more likely to complete a research fellowship before beginning residency (odds ratio [OR]=9.19; P<.0001). Among current US academic neurosurgeons, USMGs had significantly higher pre-residency h-indices relative to IMGs (1.23 vs 1.01; P<.0001) with no significant differences between cohorts when comparing h-indices during (USMG=5.02, IMG=4.80; P=.67) or after (USMG=14.05, IMG=13.90; P=.72) residency. Completion of a post-residency clinical fellowship was the only factor independently associated with an academic career trajectory among IMGs (OR=1.73, P=.046). Our study suggests that while IMGs begin their US residency training with different research backgrounds and achievements relative to USMG counterparts, they attain similar levels of academic productivity following residency. Furthermore, IMGs are more likely to pursue academic careers relative to USMGs. Our work may be useful for better understanding IMG career trajectories following US-based neurosurgery residency training.