The first-ever Postdoc Appreciation Week NL takes its cue from similar initiatives in countries such as the United States and Germany. The programme includes networking opportunities, a personal branding workshop and "inspiring" talks on career paths.
When the announcement of the initiative was discussed at a University Council committee meeting before the summer, it was met with some scepticism. According to one academic staff representative, “There is a sense of disappointment among postdocs”; many feared the week would be largely symbolic, leaving the real issues unaddressed – constant career uncertainty and a feeling of never truly belonging. “PhD candidates receive a lot of attention, professors are often in the spotlight, but postdocs are overlooked.”
But a few days before the kick-off of the appreciation week, conversations with postdocs on Universiteitssingel revealed less disappointment than expected. Several said they feel like full and valued members of their research teams.
“There have been lots of positive reactions”, confirms Linsey Peters, policy adviser at the Research Office of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML), who helped organise both the national week and UM’s programme. “But postdocs often add that they hope the effort to improve their situation won’t end with this week.”
Bittersweet
As Peters explains, postdocs face real challenges. She regularly speaks with postdoctoral researchers at FHML – the faculty with by far the highest number of postdocs at UM, with about two hundred of the university’s total of roughly three hundred. “It’s a very diverse group in terms of age, for example, so they face a diverse range of issues. But one recurring theme is the insecurity of fixed-term contracts.”
This is echoed by Ilse van Lier, a postdoc at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN). Refilling her water bottle in a faculty kitchenette, she says, “There comes a point when you just want stability, especially at this stage of life – to buy a house, for example. I’m lucky to have managed that already, which makes things a bit easier.” Her current contract runs out at the end of next year. While she wouldn’t call this a heavy burden, “it’s always there at the back of your mind.”
Over at FHML, Canadian postdoc Heather Petrick describes it as “a complicated situation. On the one hand, I really enjoy it here as a postdoc – you invest so much in your research. But at the same time, you always have to be ready to leave it all behind. If a good opportunity comes along elsewhere, you take it when you can.” That’s why she recently accepted a permanent position at Wageningen University & Research, starting in a few months. “I’m thrilled, of course, but it’s also bittersweet – I would have loved to fully finish my postdoc research here too.”
Adjustments
A few corridors away, Froukje Vanweert is still searching for ways to continue her current research. “So much depends on securing grants, which is tough – the odds are low, and applications take a lot of time. And that’s on top of all the teaching, supervising PhD students and actually working on your current research.”
It’s a stressful situation, she says, and there are a few adjustments that could be made to ease the pressure, such as making teaching duties for postdocs more flexible. “Flexible teaching duties are easier to combine with other responsibilities. Now, we’re scheduled to teach at specific times.”
According to Peters, these issues will receive more attention. “Beyond this appreciation week, the FHML Research Office will continue talking to postdocs about what they need and what they think could be improved. The bigger issues, like fixed-term contracts, will have to be addressed at a national level. But in the meantime, we want to find ways to support postdocs more effectively here and now.”