The Role of Professional Societies in Fostering Postdoctoral Trainees’ Professional Development

Elizabeth Barksdale, PhD, Science Policy Analyst, FASEB, and Louis Justement, PhD, Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham ABSTRACT Multiple reports have highlighted the challenges faced by postdoctoral fellows in the sciences over the last two decades. Most recently, the 2014 National Academy of Science/COSEPUP report, The Postdoctoral Experience Revisited, attempted to evaluate the current state of postdoctoral training and steps that have been taken to ameliorate the training- and support-related deficiencies identified in previous reports. Along with its findings, the committee developed recommendations for stakeholders in postdoctoral training, including postdocs themselves, funding agencies, and professional societies. Recommendations for professional societies centered on collecting and disseminating information on careers and career paths, and on providing mentoring resources to postdoctoral fellows. In response to the NAS report, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), a coalition of 30 scientific societies representing 125,000 biological and biomedical researchers, undertook an analysis of the benefits and activities that its member societies offered their postdoctoral members. Through in-person meetings, telephone interviews, and other communications with societies’ education staff, the high quality and quantity of career and professional development opportunities available to postdocs offered by professional societies became clear. Unfortunately, nearly every staff member interviewed identified a common problem: despite outreach via emails, newsletters, websites, and word of mouth at annual meetings, many postdocs were unaware of their societies’ efforts. Subsequent to the initial interviews, FASEB initiated quarterly informal meetings at which professional development and training staff from member societies could share their experiences, challenges, and new programs or activities they were planning. While discussing how best to engage postdoc/trainee members, the possibility of FASEB hosting a clearinghouse of societies’ activities on its website was explored. That idea was brought to fruition in the form of an interactive spreadsheet, shown and explained further in this poster. FASEB and society staff are in the midst of an outreach campaign to promote the use of this resource. Additionally, efforts are underway to evaluate the resources allocated to these efforts and to develop improved methods for communication across societies in order to disseminate “best practices” that will foster the career and professional development of postdoctoral fellows. Based on this effort, it is clear that professional scientific societies do indeed play an important role in fostering the career development of postdoctoral fellows as was called for in the NAS report.

AAA AAI APS AMP ASBMB ASBMR ASHG ASIP ASN ASPET ENDO GSAAwards/FellowshipsTravel Awards € € € € € € € € € € € €Service/Achievement Awards € € € € € € € € €Poster or Presentation Awards € € € € € € € € €Academic/Research Fellowships € € € €Policy Fellowship € € € € € €Grants €other € € € € €

Professional Development ResourcesSessions at annual meeting € € € € € € € € € € € €Online - webinars € € € € € € €Online - resource compilation € € € € € € € € € €In-person (NOT at annual meeting) € € € €Professional Development/Trainee Committee € € € € € € € € € € €

Mentoring and Networking ResourcesOnline mentoring program € € € €Mentoring activities at annual meeting € € € € € € € € € €Networking at annual meeting - peer-to-peer € € € € € € € € € €Networking at annual meeting - w/ professionals from variety of careers € € € € € € € € € € €

Membership BenefitsPostdoc membership € € € € € € € € € € €Service on Board/Committee(s) € € € € € € € € € € €

Development of Interactive Career Development Resource for Professional Societies and Trainees. FASEB, through face-to face meetings and other communications with member societies has developed an interactive resource that links to ongoing activities and resources for trainee career development. This resource includes a diverse range of opportunities for trainees and also allows various society staff to access ideas and best practices for career development.

SUMMARY Ongoing discussions with the 30 member societies, which comprise FASEB, have demonstrated that, in general, professional societies invest significant resources in terms of personnel and capital into the professional development of trainees. The activities sponsored by societies are diverse, consisting of awards/fellowships, professional development resources at meetings and via websites, mentoring and networking opportunities, and membership benefits. More recently, societies have begun to provide increasing leadership roles for trainees on committees and during meetings with respect to organizing sessions. These activities are mutually beneficial for the societies and the trainees. Societies benefit because increased attention to trainees and their needs increases the retention of trainee members, who go on to become full members in the society. Trainees benefit because they have the opportunity to receive valuable career planning information and mentoring, as well as to gain practical experience as an active member of a society.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS 1) Continue promoting the interaction between

FASEB member societies and their staff to collect and update career planning information/resources and to share best practices.

2) Develop effective strategies to increase trainee awareness of opportunities and resources provided by professional societies.

3) Increase trainee participation in the development and implementation of career planning resources and activities through professional societies.

4) Prepare a white paper on the role of professional societies in career planning for trainees that details the ongoing resources committed to these activities, the range of activities and opportunities available to trainees and to discuss limitations and problems that need to be overcome to increase the effectiveness of society efforts to promote career planning and professional development.