Re: [ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position - career options
Biogeochemistry and geochemistry are pretty popular topics. I have seen several faculty positions on these topics over the past several months (dunno how many there are currently) at Science Careers, in the back of Science Magazine, on Chemical Engineering News, on the American Chemical Society's jobs/careers list, etc. (URLs below). There may be chemistry, biochemistry, organic or inorganic chemistry broadly defined positions in which you could also pursue your biogeochemistry research: General statement for anyone looking for a postdoc position: Why not go for a faculty position? Don't worry, you're qualified - don't be afraid to apply! ALSO don't forget that there is funding out there that we (postdocs, or other non-professor scientists) can apply for and we should all be applying, especially if you haven't landed that holy grail faculty position! I am applying for some. If you get your own funding, that is good either way - either it helps you land a more stable independent research position (like faculty, etc.) or generally gives you more independence (start your own lab, company, or affiliate with an institution for lab space as a staff scientist or some other affiliation, or affiliate with one of these biotech/research incubators that many universities have)! http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/ http://chemistryjobs.acs.org/jobs Aaron T. Dossey, Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology On 4/14/2011 6:44 AM, Baojing Gu wrote: To whom it may concern, I am a PhD candidate from Zhejiang University, China, and will get the doctoral degree this June. During my PhD studies, I mainly focus on human and nature coupled biogeochemistry (including nitrogen and carbon cycling on a large scale), and urban ecology (mainly testing the role of human in urban ecosystem). Our new paper about coupled human and nature nitrogen cycling in urbanized region published in Environ. Res. Lett. (Gu et al., 2011) has been download over 500 times in 41 days after online, which lists top 3% of all paper published in IOP journals. I also interest in the connection between nitrogen cycling and human health, and further how this connection changes global climate and environment on the basis on socioeconomic development. My Short CV: EDUCATION 2006-present. PhD Candidate - Institute of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Department of Biological Science, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. Research filed: “Urban Ecology Biogeochemistry”. 2007-2008. Visiting PhD student – Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, and Global Environment and Climate Change Center (GEC3), McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Research filed: “Environmental Science Ecological Modelling”. 2002-2006. B.A. - Honors Program of Science, Chu Ko Chen Honors College and Biological Science, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Gu, B., Liu, D., Wu, X., Ge, Y., Min, Y., Chang, J. Utilization of waste nitrogen for biofuel production in China. Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev., 2011, (Accepted). Li, S., Wu, X., Xue, H., Gu, B., Cheng, H., Zeng, J., Peng, C., Ge, Y., Chang, J. Quantifying carbon storage for tea plantations in China. Agric. Ecosys. Environ., 2011, (Accepted). Gu, B., Zhu, Y., Chang, J., Peng, C., Liu, D., Min, Y., Luo, W., Howarth, R.W., Ge, Y. The role of technology and policy in mitigating regional nitrogen pollution. Environ. Res. Lett., 2011, 6, 014011. Insight: including humans in urban biogeochemistry research (http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/45414) Wang, Y., Xu, H., Wu, X., Zhu, Y., Gu, B., Niu, X., Liu, A., Peng, C., Ge, Y., Chang, J. Quantification of net carbon flux from plastic greenhouse vegetable cultivation: a full carbon cycle analysis. Environ. Pollut., 2011, 159, 1427-1434. Min, Y., Gong, W., Jin, X., Chang, J., Gu, B., Han, Z., Ge, Y. NCNA: Integrated platform for constructing, visualizing, analyzing and sharing human-mediated nitrogen biogeochemical networks. Environ. Modell. Softw., 2011, 26, 678-679. Gu, B., Ge, Y., Zhu, G., Xu, H., Chang, J., Xu, Q. Terrestrial nitrogen discharges to the ocean derived from human activities in the Greater Hangzhou Area, China. Acta. Sci. Circum., 2010, 30(10), 2078-2087. (In Chinese with English abstract) Gu, B., Chang, J., Ge, Y, Ge, H., Yuan, C., Peng, C., Jiang, H. Anthropogenic modification of the nitrogen cycling within the Greater Hangzhou Area system, China. Ecol. Appl., 2009, 19(4), 974-988. CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS Gu, B., Ge, Y., Chang, S.X., Peng, C., Chang, J. Ecological consequences of rapid urban development in Edmonton, Alberta. Frontiers of Soil Science, Canadian Society of Soil Science 2008 annual meeting. Prince George, British Columbia, July 6 - 10, 2008. (Oral presentation) Gu, B., Ge, Y., Chang, J., Chang, S.X. Ecological and socioeconomic consequences of rapid urban development in Edmonton, Alberta. Abstracts of the 45th
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position - career options
Hello Aaron, Could you direct me to funding opportunities for post-docs or other non-tenure tract researchers. It looks like most opportunities are either geared toward getting a post-doc scholarship or are in open competition with more experienced researchers. -Burak -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Aaron T. Dossey Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 9:59 AM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position - career options Biogeochemistry and geochemistry are pretty popular topics. I have seen several faculty positions on these topics over the past several months (dunno how many there are currently) at Science Careers, in the back of Science Magazine, on Chemical Engineering News, on the American Chemical Society's jobs/careers list, etc. (URLs below). There may be chemistry, biochemistry, organic or inorganic chemistry broadly defined positions in which you could also pursue your biogeochemistry research: General statement for anyone looking for a postdoc position: Why not go for a faculty position? Don't worry, you're qualified - don't be afraid to apply! ALSO don't forget that there is funding out there that we (postdocs, or other non-professor scientists) can apply for and we should all be applying, especially if you haven't landed that holy grail faculty position! I am applying for some. If you get your own funding, that is good either way - either it helps you land a more stable independent research position (like faculty, etc.) or generally gives you more independence (start your own lab, company, or affiliate with an institution for lab space as a staff scientist or some other affiliation, or affiliate with one of these biotech/research incubators that many universities have)! http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/ http://chemistryjobs.acs.org/jobs Aaron T. Dossey, Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology On 4/14/2011 6:44 AM, Baojing Gu wrote: To whom it may concern, I am a PhD candidate from Zhejiang University, China, and will get the doctoral degree this June. During my PhD studies, I mainly focus on human and nature coupled biogeochemistry (including nitrogen and carbon cycling on a large scale), and urban ecology (mainly testing the role of human in urban ecosystem). Our new paper about coupled human and nature nitrogen cycling in urbanized region published in Environ. Res. Lett. (Gu et al., 2011) has been download over 500 times in 41 days after online, which lists top 3% of all paper published in IOP journals. I also interest in the connection between nitrogen cycling and human health, and further how this connection changes global climate and environment on the basis on socioeconomic development. My Short CV: EDUCATION 2006-present. PhD Candidate - Institute of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Department of Biological Science, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. Research filed: Urban Ecology Biogeochemistry. 2007-2008. Visiting PhD student - Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, and Global Environment and Climate Change Center (GEC3), McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Research filed: Environmental Science Ecological Modelling. 2002-2006. B.A. - Honors Program of Science, Chu Ko Chen Honors College and Biological Science, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Gu, B., Liu, D., Wu, X., Ge, Y., Min, Y., Chang, J. Utilization of waste nitrogen for biofuel production in China. Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev., 2011, (Accepted). Li, S., Wu, X., Xue, H., Gu, B., Cheng, H., Zeng, J., Peng, C., Ge, Y., Chang, J. Quantifying carbon storage for tea plantations in China. Agric. Ecosys. Environ., 2011, (Accepted). Gu, B., Zhu, Y., Chang, J., Peng, C., Liu, D., Min, Y., Luo, W., Howarth, R.W., Ge, Y. The role of technology and policy in mitigating regional nitrogen pollution. Environ. Res. Lett., 2011, 6, 014011. Insight: including humans in urban biogeochemistry research (http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/45414) Wang, Y., Xu, H., Wu, X., Zhu, Y., Gu, B., Niu, X., Liu, A., Peng, C., Ge, Y., Chang, J. Quantification of net carbon flux from plastic greenhouse vegetable cultivation: a full carbon cycle analysis. Environ. Pollut., 2011, 159, 1427-1434. Min, Y., Gong, W., Jin, X., Chang, J., Gu, B., Han, Z., Ge, Y. NCNA: Integrated platform for constructing, visualizing, analyzing and sharing human-mediated nitrogen biogeochemical networks. Environ. Modell. Softw., 2011, 26, 678-679. Gu, B., Ge, Y., Zhu, G., Xu, H., Chang, J., Xu, Q. Terrestrial nitrogen discharges to the ocean derived from human activities in the Greater Hangzhou Area, China. Acta. Sci. Circum., 2010, 30(10), 2078-2087. (In Chinese with English abstract) Gu, B
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position - career options
I wouldn't say that all tenured or tenure-track faculty or other professors are necessarily more experienced than all postdocs - especially these days with the shortcomings in career opportunities in science, postdocs are racking up quite impressive CV's. My CV itself would out-do some current profs. I have seen if there were truly a competitive system in science. You should look in general outside the NSF/NIH. These are rigid systems controlled by the establishment (current profs and permanent science employees) and of course they don't want to be competing with postdocs (and want to keep the competition pool small in general). Most Universities I know, for example, won't allow postdocs to be principle investigators on grants they write. So my recommendation is, don't write any grant you can't be PI of. HOWEVER, societies like National Geographic Society, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and others accept grant proposals on their merits, not based on the titles of the applicants. I think other philanthropic foundations work the same way. Also, for things advertised as fellowship or even Grant that are targeted toward postdocs, don't be afraid to ask does this REQUIRE that I select a faculty boss?. I have found some that say no outright, or we encourage it, but it's not required. That could also be a foot in the door - write it anyhow and get letters of support from department chairs and the institutions I mentioned before (tech startup incubators, etc.) willing to HOST your researchers - basically give you some kind of appointment should you bring home the bacon (get one or more grants funded). If you show them the money, some more forward-thinking places/departments will show you the labspace (and appointment)! Aaron T. Dossey, Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology On 4/14/2011 10:58 AM, Pekin, Burak K wrote: Hello Aaron, Could you direct me to funding opportunities for post-docs or other non-tenure tract researchers. It looks like most opportunities are either geared toward getting a post-doc scholarship or are in open competition with more experienced researchers. -Burak -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Aaron T. Dossey Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 9:59 AM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position - career options Biogeochemistry and geochemistry are pretty popular topics. I have seen several faculty positions on these topics over the past several months (dunno how many there are currently) at Science Careers, in the back of Science Magazine, on Chemical Engineering News, on the American Chemical Society's jobs/careers list, etc. (URLs below). There may be chemistry, biochemistry, organic or inorganic chemistry broadly defined positions in which you could also pursue your biogeochemistry research: General statement for anyone looking for a postdoc position: Why not go for a faculty position? Don't worry, you're qualified - don't be afraid to apply! ALSO don't forget that there is funding out there that we (postdocs, or other non-professor scientists) can apply for and we should all be applying, especially if you haven't landed that holy grail faculty position! I am applying for some. If you get your own funding, that is good either way - either it helps you land a more stable independent research position (like faculty, etc.) or generally gives you more independence (start your own lab, company, or affiliate with an institution for lab space as a staff scientist or some other affiliation, or affiliate with one of these biotech/research incubators that many universities have)! http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/ http://chemistryjobs.acs.org/jobs Aaron T. Dossey, Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology On 4/14/2011 6:44 AM, Baojing Gu wrote: To whom it may concern, I am a PhD candidate from Zhejiang University, China, and will get the doctoral degree this June. During my PhD studies, I mainly focus on human and nature coupled biogeochemistry (including nitrogen and carbon cycling on a large scale), and urban ecology (mainly testing the role of human in urban ecosystem). Our new paper about coupled human and nature nitrogen cycling in urbanized region published in Environ. Res. Lett. (Gu et al., 2011) has been download over 500 times in 41 days after online, which lists top 3% of all paper published in IOP journals. I also interest in the connection between nitrogen cycling and human health, and further how this connection changes global climate and environment on the basis on socioeconomic development. My Short CV: EDUCATION 2006-present. PhD Candidate - Institute of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Department of Biological Science, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. Research filed: Urban Ecology Biogeochemistry. 2007-2008. Visiting PhD
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position - career options
There are very good reasons to go for a PostDoc and delay the faculty route. This is mostly dependent upon your career goals. IF you desire to be at a small university where research is generally not important then a postdoc may not be so critical. In these kinds of schools, teaching experience will be most important and research is ranked a distant third to teaching (first), institutional service (second), and community service (third). Generally, such places will view visiting a third grade classroom as a bigger contribution than publishing a paper in a major journal. That wasn't meant as a slam, just that is reality. The teaching loads at such places will often range from 12-18 or more contact hours per semester. And, they will often calculate contact hours differently for labs so you are worked to death in the classroom. One school with which I am familiar that fits this category forgot to include research labs in their building expansion. Another, axed them upon discovering they could not finish the building. These kinds of places are very good for some people and very bad for others. It has little to do with right or wrong, appropriate or inappropriate. It just is! If you desire to have a substantial research career and you land in one of these kinds of schools your performance MAY lead to jealousy and spiteful behavior. Much of this is not deliberate, as the people working in both research setting and non-research settings are generally not bent on evil! (there are exceptions in both setting though!!). Its just the way things seem to work out. I am aware of one case where a research-driven individual who was also an effective teaching ended up in a small teaching school where no/little research was taking place. Student performance improved dramatically under his tutorship, which incited jealously from the faculty member (now dean) who previously taught many of his classes. Its one thing to perform well, its another to perform very well as a teacher and researcher in a climate where research is viewed as detracting from teaching, and then out-perform a Dean who believes himself to be a education guru! Their relationship was fine until the numbers began to skyrocket. I think this is generally a very unusual case, but you can't defend against it. And, black-listing by a jealous administrator is never easy to work around. Major research universities and increasingly mid-major institutions will strongly prefer postdoctoral experience in the form of a post doc. If you do not have one, you will be at a distinct disadvantage. If you have a postdoc it will not hurt your chances at the teaching schools. However, if you skip the postdoc and land in a teaching school only to discover this climate is not for you, its pretty darn hard to get your CV to a competitive level for more prestigious research institutions. In the end, I advise everyone to do at least 1 year of a traditional research postdoc and avoid jumping on the tenure track unless it is your ideal position. In many ways the best post doc is a tenure track position, however, go up and down the young to moderate aged faculty of most major universities and you will not find many without a post doc. I personally skipped the postdoc using the right rationale, but based on faulty information. Had I had good information I would have done the postdoc. I suspect that if you can compete for a tenure track coming out of your PHD, you will still be competitive one-year later. The goal of a graduating PHD should ultimately not be to get a tenure track position, but to get THE tenure track position where they can flourish. Anything else is going to be a disappointment. This post is based both on personal experience and observation and may not be completely fair in its assessment, but certainly you should consider it seriously as you make these decisions as the outcomes of your decisions will be the foundation on which you build the rest of your career. Malcolm McCallum On Thu, Apr 14, 2011 at 8:58 AM, Aaron T. Dossey bugoc...@gmail.com wrote: Biogeochemistry and geochemistry are pretty popular topics. I have seen several faculty positions on these topics over the past several months (dunno how many there are currently) at Science Careers, in the back of Science Magazine, on Chemical Engineering News, on the American Chemical Society's jobs/careers list, etc. (URLs below). There may be chemistry, biochemistry, organic or inorganic chemistry broadly defined positions in which you could also pursue your biogeochemistry research: General statement for anyone looking for a postdoc position: Why not go for a faculty position? Don't worry, you're qualified - don't be afraid to apply! ALSO don't forget that there is funding out there that we (postdocs, or other non-professor scientists) can apply for and we should all be applying, especially if you haven't landed that holy grail faculty position! I am applying for some.
