Developing a 21st Century Neuroscience Workforce Workshop Summary (2015) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction and Overview
1 Introduction and Overview
Pages 1-14
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This raises important questions about how to develop and train the next generation of neuroscientists to ensure innovation in research and technology in the neurosciences. In addition, the advent of new types of data and the growing importance of large datasets raise additional questions about how to train students in approaches to data analysis and sharing.
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In addition, current and new components of training programs were discussed to identify methods for enhancing data handling and analysis capabilities, increasing scientific accuracy, and improving research practices. Lastly, the roles of mentors, mentees, training program administrators, and funders in the development and execution of revised training programs for new and current researchers were considered.
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to meet the needs outlined above. THE CURRENT AND FUTURE DIVERSITY OF NEUROSCIENCE There are two key considerations in developing a neuroscience workforce for the 21st century: the intellectual and scientific progress in the field is shaping the need for new training, and challenges related to funding and advancement opportunities make it increasingly important to prepare trainees for a range of careers.
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. Landis referred to this disparity as the "training valley of death." Even when trainees do transition into research faculty positions, data show that career trajectories start later with each passing year.
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H SOURC CE: Story Landdis presentation, NINDS, Octobber 28, 2014. FIGUR RE 1-2 Averag ge age of princcipal investigattors with M.D..-Ph.D., M.D., or a the time of first R01 equivalent award from the Natioonal Institutes of Ph.D.
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Science and Technology Policy Fellowship • Presidential Management Fellowship • Hellman Fellowship in Science and Technology Fellowship • Office of Science and Technology Policy Student Volunteer Program • Society for Neuroscience Early Career Policy Fellows Program • National Academies Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program • The Optical Society and International Society for Optics and Pho tonics Arthur H Guenther Congressional Fellowship Science Communication • AAAS Mass Media Fellowship • Master's-level programs in Science Writing at the University of Cali fornia, Santa Cruz; New York University; Johns Hopkins University • NeuWrite program at Columbia University • Director of Communication for Neuroscience Institutes/Programs/ Universities (Public Relations)
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• Postdoctoral fellowships are offered by biotechnology companies such as Amgen, Biogen IDEC, Chiron, GE Healthcare, Genen tech, Genzyme, Gilead, Millennium, Serono, and Siemens and pharmaceutical companies such as Abbott, AstraZeneca, Aventis, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and Wyeth. Government • Program Officer at the National Institutes of Health or National Science Foundation Business and Consulting • Consultant (e.g., McKinsey & Company)
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The program takes four primary approaches to formalizing training in career diversity: • Institutional Buy-In Obtaining approval for career diversity training from the highest levels of the school sent a message to students, especially those experiencing anxiety and despair over their career prospects, that there is no stigma associated with non-academic careers. Im portant positions such as journal editors, policy makers, and sci
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A few participants added that from their perspective, the new generation of digital natives often lack the oral and written skills that were seen in earlier generations. Darcy Kelley, professor of biological sciences at Columbia University, agreed, stating that at her institution second-year neuroscience graduate students complete a qualifying exam, which is their thesis proposal.
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Workshop co-chairs Huda Akil, professor of neurosciences at the University of Michigan, and Stevin Zorn, executive vice president of neuroscience research at Lundbeck Research USA, challenged participants to think deeply about the nature of the field of neuroscience. Akil asked workshop participants to consider how neuroscientists might define themselves in terms that are not so rigid that the spirit of being a neuroscientist is lost.
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Participants discussed the importance of making trainees aware of the need to create a balance among basic, clini cal, and translational research using an interdisciplinary approach. • Experimental Rigor and Quantitative Skills Many participants discussed the need for improved training in experimental design and rigor, and noted that without these criti cal elements, studies are difficult to replicate, which undermines the entire scientific process.
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Along with those opportunities come challenges in the three main aspects of data handling: data literacy, data management, and data sharing. Several workshop participants discussed specific challenges in these areas, which include developing common data standards and standardized platforms; learning the etiquette regarding the sharing of data; determining which data should be shared; as signing credit to data sharers; and determining efficient methods to annotate data with all of the metadata needed to understand the experimental context.
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• Bridging the Gap Between Basic and Clinical Science Although basic neuroscience has long relied on clinical science to validate and deploy treatments based on fundamental discov eries of the nervous system, a few participants noted that there is a surprising disconnect and lack of cross-training between the two fields. A workshop participant stated that the consequences of the lack of cross-training include inefficient attempts to trans late basic findings into treatments and missed opportunities to leverage the clinical setting for important basic research.
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Can there be separate tracks for students who are set on careers in academic research and for students who want to develop expert knowledge about fundamental basic neuroscience versus tra ditional neuroscience? Are separate programs needed for the train ing of neuroscientists and for training in neuroscience?
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