Sigma Xi Postdoc Survey

Results by Gender, All Institutions

Survey results by gender for all institutions aggregated together. Excludes respondents who indicated that they were not in fact a postdoc (question RE25 in "Your Postdoc")

You are viewing a detailed form of the survey results. See fewer details

Page 6: Your Postdoc

"Your Postdoc" covers the characteristics of the current appointment, the postdoc's field(s) of research, how the postdoc found the position, and the postdoc's goals when taking the position.

RE01. Which of the following characteristics describes your current position? [Fewer details]
Check all that apply.
  Men Women
4 = You are expected to publish the result of your research 77.0% (3023 / 3927) 78.7% (2303 / 2927)
1 = Your position is temporary (i.e., there is a time limit associated with your position; there may be a renewal process.) 76.3% (2998 / 3927) 73.2% (2142 / 2927)
3 = Your postition involves substantially full-time research or scholarship 67.7% (2660 / 3927) 67.7% (1982 / 2927)
2 = Your position is primarily for the purpose of training in research or scholarship. 42.9% (1686 / 3927) 52.8% (1545 / 2927)
5 = You work under the supervision of a senior scholar or department 30.9% (1213 / 3927) 34.8% (1019 / 2927)
6 = You are a clinical fellow 3.2% (124 / 3927) 5.8% (169 / 2927)
7 = Don't know ≤1.0% (≤40 / 3927) ≤1.0% (≤30 / 2927)
8 = Prefer not to answer ≤1.0% (≤40 / 3927) ≤1.0% (≤30 / 2927)
 
Item nonresponse [?] 9.8 % (428 / 4355) 8.0 % (255 / 3182)
     Logical skip 0.0% (0 / 4355) 0.0% (0 / 3182)
     Sampling skip 0.0% (0 / 4355) 0.0% (0 / 3182)
     Quit 9.5% (412 / 4355) 7.6% (243 / 3182)
     Not answered 0.4% (16 / 4355) 0.4% (12 / 3182)
 
RE02. What is the highest academic degree that you hold? [Fewer details]
(If you have earned more than one TYPE of doctorate-level/terminal degree, check more than one degree)
  Men Women
1 = Ph.D. 82.0% (3225 / 3933) 82.1% (2408 / 2932)
3 = M.D. 13.5% (530 / 3933) 12.6% (369 / 2932)
7 = Non-U.S. Ph.D. equivalent 11.4% (448 / 3933) 8.8% (258 / 2932)
12 = Please specify your highest academic degree ≤1.0% (≤40 / 3933) 1.5% (43 / 2932)
6 = D.V.M. ≤1.0% (≤40 / 3933) ≤1.0% (≤30 / 2932)
4 = D.D.S. ≤1.0% (≤40 / 3933) ≤1.0% (≤30 / 2932)
2 = Sc.D. ≤1.0% (≤40 / 3933) ≤1.0% (≤30 / 2932)
10 = Pharm.D. ≤1.0% (≤40 / 3933) ≤1.0% (≤30 / 2932)
8 = Non-doctoral terminal degree (e.g. MFA) ≤1.0% (≤40 / 3933) ≤1.0% (≤30 / 2932)
5 = D.O. ≤1.0% (≤40 / 3933) ≤1.0% (≤30 / 2932)
 
Item nonresponse [?] 9.7 % (422 / 4355) 7.9 % (250 / 3182)
     Logical skip 0.0% (0 / 4355) 0.0% (0 / 3182)
     Sampling skip 0.0% (0 / 4355) 0.0% (0 / 3182)
     Quit 9.5% (413 / 4355) 7.7% (244 / 3182)
     Not answered 0.2% (9 / 4355) 0.2% (6 / 3182)
 
RE04. In what year did you earn you highest academic degree? [Fewer details]
If you have earned more than one doctorate-level/terminal degree, please specify the year in which you received the most recent degree.
  Men Women
Mean 2000.3   2000.8  
Standard deviation 32.9   2.7  
Minimum 5   1976  
25th percentile 2000.0   2000.0  
50th percentile 2001.0   2001.0  
75th percentile 2003.0   2003.0  
Maximum 2004   2004  
 
Numerical response 96.6% (3713 / 3842) 97.6% (2798 / 2868)
Don't know 1.4% (54 / 3842) 0.7% (21 / 2868)
Refuse to answer 2.0% (75 / 3842) 1.7% (49 / 2868)
 
Item nonresponse [?] 11.8 % (513 / 4355) 9.9 % (314 / 3182)
     Logical skip 0.0% (0 / 4355) 0.0% (0 / 3182)
     Sampling skip 0.0% (0 / 4355) 0.0% (0 / 3182)
     Quit 9.6% (417 / 4355) 7.8% (248 / 3182)
     Not answered 2.2% (96 / 4355) 2.1% (66 / 3182)
 
RE05. Counting all your postdoctoral postitions together, for how many months have you been working as a postdoc? [Fewer details]
  Men Women
Mean 29.3   28.8  
Standard deviation 21.9   23.0  
Minimum 0   0  
25th percentile 12.0   12.0  
50th percentile 24.0   24.0  
75th percentile 40.0   40.0  
Maximum 200   360  
 
Numerical response 96.5% (3774 / 3910) 97.2% (2831 / 2914)
Don't know 1.5% (60 / 3910) 1.3% (38 / 2914)
Refuse to answer 1.9% (76 / 3910) 1.5% (45 / 2914)
 
Item nonresponse [?] 10.2 % (445 / 4355) 8.4 % (268 / 3182)
     Logical skip 0.0% (0 / 4355) 0.0% (0 / 3182)
     Sampling skip 0.0% (0 / 4355) 0.0% (0 / 3182)
     Quit 9.6% (417 / 4355) 7.8% (249 / 3182)
     Not answered 0.6% (28 / 4355) 0.6% (19 / 3182)
 
RE25. Are you a postdoc? [Fewer details]
Note: Asked of people who did not satisfy all the criteria for the postdoc definition. People who answered No are not included in the aggregate data.
Condition: 1 not in RE01 or 2 not in RE01 or 3 not in RE01 or 4 not in RE01 or 5 not in RE01 or RE02=8 or RE02=9 or RE04<1998 [?]
  Men Women
1 = Yes 98.2% (3025 / 3082) 98.4% (2141 / 2175)
2 = No ≤1.0% (≤31 / 3082) ≤1.0% (≤22 / 2175)
3 = Don't know 1.1% (35 / 3082) 1.1% (23 / 2175)
4 = Prefer not to answer ≤1.0% (≤31 / 3082) ≤1.0% (≤22 / 2175)
 
Item nonresponse [?] 23.2 % (1011 / 4355) 24.5 % (781 / 3182)
     Logical skip 13.4% (585 / 4355) 16.5% (525 / 3182)
     Sampling skip 0.0% (0 / 4355) 0.0% (0 / 3182)
     Quit 9.6% (418 / 4355) 7.9% (251 / 3182)
     Not answered 0.2% (8 / 4355) 0.2% (5 / 3182)
 
RE07. Please select the name of the primary academic department, institute, school, research division, or directorate with which your current postdoctoral position is affiliated. [Fewer details]
Note: Choices are institution-specific
Condition: len(survey.getInstitution().getDivisions()) > 0 [?]
  Men Women
1 41.6% (1298 / 3120) 43.0% (984 / 2286)
2 15.0% (468 / 3120) 12.9% (296 / 2286)
3 8.7% (270 / 3120) 8.2% (188 / 2286)
4 9.7% (302 / 3120) 10.0% (228 / 2286)
5 4.4% (138 / 3120) 3.4% (77 / 2286)
6 4.1% (129 / 3120) 3.6% (82 / 2286)
7 2.2% (68 / 3120) 2.1% (47 / 2286)
8 3.6% (113 / 3120) 3.7% (84 / 2286)
9 2.2% (68 / 3120) 2.7% (61 / 2286)
10 2.1% (67 / 3120) 3.4% (77 / 2286)
11 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) 1.2% (27 / 2286)
12 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
13 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) 1.3% (30 / 2286)
14 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
15 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
16 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) 1.3% (29 / 2286)
17 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
18 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
19 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
20 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
21 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
22 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
23 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
24 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
27 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
29 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
30 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
32 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
39 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
43 ≤1.0% (≤32 / 3120) ≤1.0% (≤23 / 2286)
 
Item nonresponse [?] 22.3 % (969 / 4355) 21.2 % (676 / 3182)
     Logical skip 10.1% (441 / 4355) 11.0% (351 / 3182)
     Sampling skip 0.0% (0 / 4355) 0.0% (0 / 3182)
     Quit 10.0% (434 / 4355) 8.0% (253 / 3182)
     Not answered 2.2% (94 / 4355) 2.3% (72 / 3182)
 
RE08_revised. In what field of study is your current postdoctoral research? [Fewer details]
Note: The taxonomy of research fields was derived from a (pre-final) version of the National Research Council's taxonomy of graduate programs

Select the field or fields that most accurately describe your current research from the list.  Note that we are asking about your research, not the field associated with your current department or affiliation.

(Please check no more than five)


  Men Women
8 = Molecular Biology 21.8% (845 / 3872) 26.8% (772 / 2878)
2 = Cell Biology 18.2% (703 / 3872) 23.1% (666 / 2878)
1 = Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology 20.3% (785 / 3872) 15.9% (457 / 2878)
5 = Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics 12.3% (476 / 3872) 13.7% (393 / 2878)
9 = Neuroscience and Neurobiology 10.9% (422 / 3872) 12.6% (363 / 2878)
6 = Immunology and Infectious Diseases 9.7% (374 / 3872) 10.1% (290 / 2878)
81 = Chemistry 10.7% (413 / 3872) 5.1% (146 / 2878)
3 = Developmental Biology 6.4% (249 / 3872) 7.9% (228 / 2878)
7 = Microbiology 6.0% (231 / 3872) 6.7% (194 / 2878)
55 = Oncology 4.4% (170 / 3872) 4.7% (136 / 2878)
82 = Physics 6.4% (248 / 3872) 1.8% (53 / 2878)
10 = Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Environmental Health 3.8% (146 / 3872) 3.7% (107 / 2878)
11 = Physiology 3.9% (152 / 3872) 3.5% (100 / 2878)
101 = Psychology 2.0% (77 / 3872) 4.6% (131 / 2878)
50 = Neurosciences 2.9% (111 / 3872) 3.1% (88 / 2878)
4 = Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 3.0% (118 / 3872) 2.8% (80 / 2878)
95 = Materials Science and Engineering 3.0% (116 / 3872) ≤1.0% (≤29 / 2878)
12 = Plant Sciences 1.9% (75 / 3872) 1.8% (51 / 2878)
36 = Cardiology 1.7% (64 / 3872) 1.6% (47 / 2878)
98 = Biomedical Engineering 2.2% (85 / 3872) ≤1.0% (≤29 / 2878)
45 = Hematology 1.8% (69 / 3872) 1.2% (35 / 2878)