Academic Pathways Research Articles

Leak or link? the overrepresentation of women in non-tenure-track academic positions in STEM.

This paper examines gender variation in departures from the tenure-track science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) academic career pathway to non-tenure-track academic careers. We integrate multiple data sources including the Survey of Earned Doctorates and the Survey of Doctorate Recipients to examine longitudinal career outcomes of STEM doctorate women. We consider three types of careers after receipt of a PhD: academic, academic non-tenure-track, and non-academic positions. We find that STEM women are more likely to hold academic non-tenure-track positions, which are associated with lower job satisfaction and lower salaries among men and women. Explanations including differences in field of study, preparation in graduate school, and family structure only explain 35 percent of the gender gap in non-tenure-track academic positions.

Academic Pathways for Formerly Incarcerated Students: “If I could do 12 years in prison, why can’t I do 12 years in college.”

This qualitative study examined the experiences of formerly incarcerated students in community colleges. In this study, participants described how they made meaning of their postsecondary education experience through their decision to start college, the college preparation, and faculty interactions that collectively influenced their academic pathways. The students of this study were formerly incarcerated Latino men enrolled in California community colleges located in northern, central, and southern regions. This study specifically sought to challenge the stigma that revolves around the experiences of the carceral system leading to a deficit perspective on this student population. The findings from this study aligns with the academic support services for this student population in higher education.

Future clinical academic midwife

Clinical academic career pathways for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals are a strategic priority for NHS England, and there has been significant investment in the National Institute of Health Research integrated clinical academic programme for non-medical healthcare professionals. Nurses, midwives and allied health professionals face numerous barriers to successfully building a clinical academic career. For those outside the integrated clinical academic programme, clinical academic career approaches are varied and often driven by individual practitioners rather than robust organisational processes or strategy. The vision of ‘future midwife’ is that midwives maximise opportunities in research and scholarship. However, there is little clarity about how these academic aspirations may be supported. This reflective lived experience discussion paper explores key issues around clinical academic midwifery careers, including how space for clinical academic midwives can be assured and the steps midwives can take to start to develop this rewarding and important career.

Strengthening academic leadership from above: the ‘Renewal’ of Russian university leaders

ABSTRACT In recent years, university sectors worldwide have undergone intense reforms under the influence of the global ideas of ‘new public management’ and ‘new managerialism’. National policies have widely adopted global scripts with advocacy for strengthening academic leadership as the essential ingredient of successful university transformation. However, how direct is the link between the policy reforms and the changes in the composition of academic leaders? To provide insight into this question, we examined national policy changes in the formal procedure of rector selection from the election to the appointment and the consequences of these changes. We tested the specific hypothesis that the policy reform on the selection procedure has catalysed significant changes in rector leadership towards increasing (1) rector replacement in universities with weak performance, (2) external recruitment, (3) recruitment from the natural and life sciences and diminishing (4) academic credentials. The hypotheses were tested using data on the 136 rector replacements that have occurred in Russian public universities. The data show that, in general, strong support does not emerge from the top-management level to claim that a ‘traditional’ academic career pathway has been reduced in favour of a new type of leader more suited to strong leadership. We concluded that the national policy tends to adopt those elements of global ideas that provide local benefits. The leadership change not only enables the state to symbolically exhibit proper behaviour but also to strengthen control over public universities.

PhD students as boundary spanning agents: an exploration of student values, goals, and agency in the era of cross-sector permeation

PurposeMarket forces and other external pressures have significantly transformed higher education over the past four decades. Research on the influence of cross-sector permeation on doctoral education has primarily focused on preparing and socializing students for academic careers that involve entrepreneurial activity. Conversely, PhD student agency involving cross-sector engagement and the pursuit of individual values and goals in ways that span the boundaries of academia have been overlooked. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively explore how a sample of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students in Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering (STEM) programs recognized, made sense of and navigated cross-sector permeation relevant to their individual passions and commitments to climate change alleviation.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted an embedded case study that qualitatively explored how 16 STEM PhD students recognized, made sense of and navigated cross-sector permeation relevant to their individual values and goals and commitments to climate change alleviation. Data were collected through individual interviews that probed the participants’ engagement and agency in cross-sector permeation.FindingsThe authors identified three themes that frame the role of PhD students as boundary spanning agents. The themes involve students placing their values and goals over specific positions and career paths, aligning their values and goals with cross-sector conditions and creating opportunities through cross-sector engagement.Practical implicationsRecommendations are provided for fostering and enhancing the agency PhD students have over the pursuit of their individual values and goals and their engagement in boundary spanning activities and strategies.Originality/valueCross-sector permeation is framed relevant to PhD student agency and boundary spanning. The findings introduce the role of PhD students as boundary spanning agents who intentionally pursue their individual values and goals in ways that extend beyond traditional academic career pathways.

The Changing Profile of Tenure-Track Faculty in Archaeology

ABSTRACTThe goal for many PhD students in archaeology is tenure-track employment. Students primarily receive their training by tenure-track or tenured professors, and they are often tacitly expected—or explicitly encouraged—to follow in the footsteps of their advisor. However, the career trajectories that current and recent PhD students follow may hold little resemblance to the ones experienced by their advisors. To understand these different paths and to provide information for current PhD students considering pursuing a career in academia, we surveyed 438 archaeologists holding tenured or tenure-track positions in the United States. The survey, recorded in 2019, posed a variety of questions regarding the personal experiences of individual professors. The results are binned by the decade in which the respondent graduated. Evident patterns are discussed in terms of change over time. The resulting portraits of academic pathways through the past five decades indicate that although broad commonalities exist in the qualifications of early career academics, there is no singular pathway to obtaining tenure-track employment. We highlight the commonalities revealed in our survey to provide a set of general qualifications that might provide a baseline set of skills and experiences for an archaeologist seeking a tenure-track job in the United States.

An Insight into Students’ Transition to Tertiary or Academic Pathways Programs

ABSTRACT There is a lot of research on pathways students’ transition to universities, however, little is known about those students’ initial transition to the Academic Pathway Program (APP). This study investigated students’ transition to an Academic Pathway Program (APP) offered at a College affiliated to a metropolitan university in Sydney, Australia. Data collected from a sample of students using the Transition, Wellbeing, Help-seeking, and Adjustments Survey (TWHAS) were analysed both descriptively and inferentially. Most students reported positive moods, emotional coping, and were able to seek help without many barriers. Also, most students reported adjusting positively to the College, despite facing a few personal and social challenges such as finding time to exercise, balance study with family commitments and socialise with friends outside the College. Further, a possible association between students’ adjustments and their initial feelings when beginning the College, proficiency in written and spoken English, and help-seeking was noted. Additionally, differences in the students’ transitional challenges, wellbeing, help-seeking behaviors, adjustments across gender, age, and type of enrollment were evident. The implications of these findings for supporting students’ transition to the Academic Pathway Programs and recommendations for future research addressing the limited sample size are discussed.

Men of Color: First-Year Students Attending a Predominantly White Two-Year Institution

The retention and degree attainment rate of men of color (MOC) remain pressing issues, particularly for those attending predominantly White community colleges in the United States. Though 62% of MOC begin their academic journey at a two-year institution, only 25% graduate with a degree or certificate within three years (Hilton et al., 2012; Huerta et al., 2021; Mangan, 2014). The first year of college can be challenging, especially for those students belonging to an underrepresented, underserved, low-income, or first-generation population. Unfortunately, MOC encounter confounding issues that serve as barriers to their overall academic and social success. Aside from having to navigate those challenges typically associated with the first year transition, MOC face additional issues related to race, gender, and masculinity (Huerta, et. al, 2021; Williams et al., 2014). Some of these issues prevent MOC from being seen as total human beings, but as generic persons reduced to labels and stereotypes (O’Neil, 2015). There exists a need for further research that explores the first year experience of MOC. Comprehending this critical juncture of their academic pathway could lead to constructing multilayered interventions at the student and institution level.

Expanding the Understanding of High School Non-Graduates Through a Comparison of High School Dropouts and Persisters

Although persisters now represent the largest group of non-graduating high school students, they have received little attention in the research literature, leaving unanswered the question of how persisters differ from dropouts in terms of demographic characteristics, academic preparation, and key life outcomes. Using statewide linked-administrative education and labor market data, we applied multilevel modeling to examine the differences in demographic and academic characteristics between persisters and late (Year 4) dropouts. We identified several student- (i.e., race, special education participation, previous dropout, standardized test scores, on-track status, and attendance) and school- (i.e., school type, school size) level characteristics that related to the odds of persisting and dropping out in students’ fourth year of high school. Additionally, we used a descriptive approach and data visualization to illustrate the near-term academic, postsecondary enrollment, and labor market pathways of 4-year non-graduates. Our findings highlight the unique characteristics and outcomes of persisting non-graduates and underscore an enhanced understanding of non-graduation through examining both persisting students and dropouts.

Demographics, distribution and experiences of UK clinical academic trainees using GMC NTS Survey data.

Involvement in research plays an integral role in the delivery of high-quality patient care, benefitting doctors, patients and employers. It is important that access to clinical academic training opportunities are inclusive and equitable. To better understand the academic trainee population, distribution of academic posts and their reported experience of clinical training, we analysed 53 477 anonymous responses from General Medical Council databases and the 2019 National Training Survey. Academic trainees are more likely to be men, and the gender divide begins prior to graduation. There are very low numbers of international medical graduates and less than full-time academic trainees. A small number of UK universities produce a greater prevalence of doctors successfully appointed to academic posts; subsequent academic training also clusters around these institutions. At more senior levels, academic trainees are significantly more likely to be of white ethnicity, although among UK graduates, no ethnicity differences were seen. Foundation academic trainees report a poorer experience of some aspects of their clinical training placements, with high workloads reported by all academic trainees. Our work highlights important disparities in the demographics of the UK clinical academic trainee population and raises concerns that certain groups of doctors face barriers accessing and progressing in UK academic training pathways.

Tips to Support the Recruitment, Retention, and Progression of Clinical Academics.

Training to become a clinical academic is a long and arduous process with many obstacles. Many potential candidates fall by the wayside both during and following completion of the combined clinical and academic training pathway with negative implications for clinical and translational research and teaching. Findings from a recent national multi-funder study, alongside clinical academic experiences and current literature, have led to the creation of this 12-tip paper. The tips are targeted at supervisors and employers of clinical academics, aiming to improve recruitment, experiences, retention, and progression through the career path.

Analysis of the paddy cultivation pattern in Galle and Matara districts in the Southern province of Sri Lanka

The Journal of Agro-Technology and Rural Sciences is published by the University of Colombo Institute for Agro-Technology and Rural Sciences, Hambantota, Sri Lanka. It provides an academic pathway for professionals and researchers to contribute ground-breaking work in the field of agricultural technology and rural sciences including crop science, animal science, soil science, agricultural biology, food science and technology, postharvest technology, agricultural engineering, agricultural economics and extension.

Considerations for University Pedagogy: Distance Learning One Year After the Covid-19 Pandemic Outbreak

Due to the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the institutions of higher education had to transform their educational function from face-to-face to e-learning. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of e-learning and the consequent disruption of the traditional educational function in higher education in Greece with special reference to the views of undergraduates compared to those of their peers collected via the same method and tool one year earlier in two regional Greek Universities, the University of Patras and the Democritus University of Thrace. The present research was conducted in May 2021 in order to explore students’ views and feelings one year after the sudden and total transition to online teaching during the pandemic. The results suggest that students seem to prefer face-to-face courses, but they provide interesting aspects regarding e-teaching and learning -thus valuable guidelines for higher educational institutions in developing didactic approaches, to motivate students on their academic pathway, emphasizing the necessity of University Pedagogy.

STEM Interests and Future Career Perspectives of Junior High School Students: A Gender Study

Career choice and subject interests coincide as two significant factors for students to become driven in pursuing their academic and professional pathways. Though, literature studies revealed gender disparities in selecting educational tracks among students especially in the field of STEM. Hence, this study intended to analyze the gender differences in STEM interests and future career perspectives (FCP); and the relationships of FCP constructs, and of personal value and enjoyment. The participants were 334 junior high school students in the Philippines with 212 girls and 122 boys using non-random sampling. This study adapted the validated survey instruments from pertinent literatures to examine the variables. Based on the findings, there were no significant differences between and within the students’ STEM interests and FCP in terms of gender. Both boys and girls have moderate interests in all STEM subjects except from trigonometry where boys have low interest. Additionally, there were weak positive correlations between and within the three FCP constructs. In contrast, a strong positive correlation was found between personal value and enjoyment. It is recommended that educational programs of schools should stimulate the STEM interests of junior high school students and improve their career guidance curricula.

The role of objective and subjective health-awareness factors in students' higher educational pathways

According to the results of higher education research, students’ higher educational pathways can be diverse. In addition to standard students, some students belong to one of the risky and corrective academic pathway types and thus face a higher probability of dropping out. Our study examined objective and subjective elements of health-awareness and behaviour along pathways and countries. In our analyses, we used the PERSIST 2019 database, which included students having an active student status in the academic year of 2018/19, from one of the easternmost higher educational regions of the European Higher Education Area (N=2199). Our results show that it is worth paying attention to students belonging to non-standard types of academic pathways as they are the ones who are the most distrustful of higher educational actors and most dissatisfied with higher educational factors.

Academic trajectories analysis with a life-course approach: A case study in medical students

Graduation rates and students’ academic trajectories can be used to determine universities’ performance and their response to curricular change. Longitudinal follow-up of students’ academic performance offers “natural experiments” to explore the impact of modified curricula. The goal of this study was to propose a method for analyzing students’ academic trajectories and identify changes associated with a curricular reform. We analyzed students’ trajectories throughout the program in two curricula (1994 and 2010), at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Faculty of Medicine. Advancement of each student was calculated using the accumulated credits in a defined time period, and the percentage of students that completed the credits for each stage of the curriculum. The theoretical framework was the “life course” approach, applying concepts of trajectory, transition and state. R software and TraMineR algorithm were used for data analysis. Five student cohorts of the older curriculum were studied (1994, 1995, 1996, 2004 and 2005 classes), and two cohorts of the new curriculum (2011, 2012), a total population of 6829 students. Students in the newer curriculum had a faster, more timely and efficient advancement in academic pathways, than cohorts in the older one. There was a higher percentage of students with “regular” trajectory (without failed courses) in the newer curriculum. Regularity is a straightforward metric that allows identification of curricular associated changes. This method allows the identification of inflection points throughout students’ academic trajectories, and contrasts pre-post curricular change data.

“Nach te an rud an Ghaeilge?/Isn’t Irish a warm thing?” Learning Irish language and song: an autoethnographic self-reflection

ABSTRACT As ever more languages fall silent because transmission to children ceases, language revitalization has emerged as a worldwide issue today. A relative dearth of documentation exists about how, at an individual level, revitalization leads to the cultural formation of regular new speakers. Using autoethnographic approaches, this paper provides such a personal language biography. It relates significant and critical incidents from my memories of the academic, personal and professional pathways followed in learning Irish as a second language and gaining access to and appreciation of, the unaccompanied style of singing called sean-nós. Self-observation, self-exploration, self-reflection, autobiography and memorization guided the research and writing of the article. Autoethnographic theory provided the means for a greater critical understanding of social and cultural contexts tied to institutions, places and people. Documentation came in the form of photographs, video and audio recordings, personal letters and my own autobiographic writing.

A dichotomy of domestic and academic pathways: challenges of motherhood in an international doctoral program on land science

ABSTRACT Dichotomies emerge among early-career land scientists when balancing their career goals with family obligations, exhibiting differences in gender and regions. Through on-line surveys, we examined the interconnection between family obligations and doctoral performance through a gender lens on an international sample of doctoral students. The analysis of the findings indicated that more women than men in the doctoral program were responsible for family obligations, with mothers experiencing a prolonged duration of completing their doctorates and a lower publication rate. Majority of the respondents, primarily women from the Global North, decided not to be parents due to anticipated challenges with maintaining a work-life balance exacerbated by traditional gender roles, limited financial support for childcare, and high demands of academia. The constraints of early-career land scientists, particularly mothers from the Global South living apart from relatives, need to be addressed for institutes to strengthen international gender equality in land science.

Academic research in Cambodia: Progress, challenges, and ways forward

Research plays a critical role in advancing knowledge, stimulating innovation, and driving socioeconomic development. In the context of a knowledge-based economy, the role of research in supporting knowledge production, dissemination, and utilization is indispensable. Drawing on secondary sources, this article examines the development of academic research in Cambodia. It focuses on three aspects: recent progress, challenges, and ways forward. The article first shows that there is hope for the development of a research culture in Cambodia. However, there remain many challenges, including limited state and institutional funding for research, low academic salaries, heavy teaching loads, limited research knowledge, unclear research policies, inadequate research infrastructure, and lack of well-defined academic career pathways. The article then discusses ways forward that focus on the role of key stakeholders, including the Cambodian government, the private sector, higher education institutions, and academic staff, in supporting research development. It is argued that active stakeholder involvement and collaboration are key to promoting academic research in Cambodia.

Effects of "Newly modified Panchagavya" on Growth, Yield and Pest Incidence of Capsicum annuum in Open Field Cultivation

The Journal of Agro-Technology and Rural Sciences is published by the University of Colombo Institute for Agro-Technology and Rural Sciences, Hambantota, Sri Lanka. It provides an academic pathway for professionals and researchers to contribute ground-breaking work in the field of agricultural technology and rural sciences including crop science, animal science, soil science, agricultural biology, food science and technology, postharvest technology, agricultural engineering, agricultural economics and extension.