facilities move to “soft-money” grants or contracts, others to jobs in academia or the private sector. Postdocs at some facilities, such as NIH, may be barred from applying for certain fellowships.

Because science is increasingly international, experience in a foreign country can strengthen one's network of potential collaborators and bring valued exposure to different research settings. For the citizens of many countries, postdoctoral work abroad (usually in the US or Europe) is virtually mandatory for an academic career. A smaller number of Americans are willing to seek postdoctoral positions overseas, fearing that too much time “out of sight” can reduce their chances at the best positions at home. For this reason, some overseas postdocs schedule at least one meeting a year in the US. The NSF's International Research Fellow Awards support work abroad, including time for relocating back to the US. The program director reports that few postdocs seek positions abroad, but that those who do have little difficulty finding desirable positions upon their return.

Certain special issues regarding the postdoctoral experience arose repeatedly during focus group and committee discussions: the impact of foreign postdoctoral scholars, challenges to women, and the need for information about minority postdocs. These issues are discussed in more depth below.

The postdoctoral setting is now an international one. For more than a decade, foreign postdocs (i.e., postdocs who are residents of other nations or residents in the US on permanent visas) have played a substantial role in the US postdoctoral experience. At present, slightly more than half of all postdocs in science and engineering are temporary residents (see Figure 2-5). Disciplinary societies and institutions estimate that this percentage holds true for virtually every field in science and engineering.

According to NSF data, about half of foreign postdocs remain in the US after their term's end. The proportion who stay on varies by region of origin; however, postdocs from southeast Asia are more likely to stay than are postdocs from western Europe or Japan, for example. Variations are at least partly attributable to job prospects in their home countries.

US institutions report several concerns over the experiences of foreign postdocs. Many postdocs arriving from abroad have serious difficulties adjusting to the language and customs of this country. Even though lack of language skills has been associated with poor career outcomes, ⁹ some foreign postdocs—especially those who work with others who speak the same language —do not master English, hampering their teaching and other professional abilities. In addition,

Front Matter (R1-R26)

Executive Summary (1-3)

Postdoctoral Scholars in US Institutions (4-20)

Features of the Postdoctoral Experience (21-41)

Rights, Opportunities, and Responsibilities of the Postdoc (42-56)

The Postdoc and the Adviser (57-69)

The Postdoc and the Institution (70-87)

The Postdoc and the Funding Organization (88-94)

The Postdoc and the Disciplinary Societies (95-96)

Principles, Action Points, and Recommendations for Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience (97-109)

Bibliography (110-112)

Appendix A: Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy: Member and Staff Biographical Information (113-121)

Appendix B: Analysis of Quantitative Data on Postdocs (122-137)

Appendix C: Results of Survey of Organizations with Postdoctoral Scholars (138-158)

Appendix D: Summary of Workshop on Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience (159-174)

Appendix E: Summary of Results from Institutional Focus Groups (175-184)