Survey of Postdoc Experiences

Q1 SURVEY OF POSTDOC EXPERIENCES BU's Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs seeks your feedback about your postdoc experiences here at BU. Your responses are anonymous—no names or identifiers will be linked to your responses in order to encourage candid responses. Our office is YOUR office, and we want to be sure that we understand your goals and interests as we expand our programming and services. Your feedback is also essential to ensure that we represent your needs as we inform future BU policies, and you will see us reference this survey data as new BU policies develop.To show our appreciation for your time and feedback, we are giving all respondents a chance to win one of several prizes, which include: ten one-on-one career services, ten BU water bottles, or five Fitbit Flexes. There will be an option for you to enter to win at the end of this survey, but your contact details will NOT be connected to your responses in any way.This surveyshould take approximately 8-10 minutes to complete.

Q2 How many years have you been a postdoc at BU?

Less than 1 year (1)

1 year (2)

2 years (3)

3 years (4)

4 years (5)

5 years (6)

6 years (7)

7 years (8)

8 years+ (9)

Q3 What were the TWO most important factors in choosing your postdoc at BU?

Salary (1)

Benefits (2)

Duration of position (3)

Location of position (4)

Reputation / quality of the PI / Advisor (5)

Reputation / quality of the department / school (6)

Reputation / quality of the institution (7)

Opportunity to collaborate with researchers other than the PI in same field (8)

Opportunity to collaborate with researchers other than the PI in other fields (9)

Opportunity to work independently (10)

Opportunity to receive close supervision (11)

Opportunity to receive formal training (12)

Facilities / equipment / laboratory (13)

Prospect of US citizenship / residency (14)

Prospect of making contacts in industry (15)

Opportunity to continue work in my field (16)

Opportunity to change fields (17)

Couldn't get the type of job I wanted (18)

Other (specify): (19) ______

Q4 What was the quality of the professional career development advisingyoureceived during your PhD graduate studies?

Excellent (1)

Good (2)

Fair (3)

Poor (4)

Q5 At the START of your postdoc appointment at BU, what career goals were you considering? Identifyyour FIRST choice, SECOND choice, and THIRD choice by dragging and dropping ONE item into each box below.

First Choice / Second Choice / Third Choice
______PI in a research-intensive institution (1) / ______PI in a research-intensive institution (1) / ______PI in a research-intensive institution (1)
______Researcher in industry (2) / ______Researcher in industry (2) / ______Researcher in industry (2)
______Research staff in a research-intensive institution (3) / ______Research staff in a research-intensive institution (3) / ______Research staff in a research-intensive institution (3)
______Combined research and teaching position (4) / ______Combined research and teaching position (4) / ______Combined research and teaching position (4)
______Teaching-intensive faculty position (5) / ______Teaching-intensive faculty position (5) / ______Teaching-intensive faculty position (5)
______Science education (K-12) (6) / ______Science education (K-12) (6) / ______Science education (K-12) (6)
______Science education for non-scientists (7) / ______Science education for non-scientists (7) / ______Science education for non-scientists (7)
______Clinical practice (8) / ______Clinical practice (8) / ______Clinical practice (8)
______Public health related careers (9) / ______Public health related careers (9) / ______Public health related careers (9)
______Scientific/medical testing (10) / ______Scientific/medical testing (10) / ______Scientific/medical testing (10)
______Science writing (11) / ______Science writing (11) / ______Science writing (11)
______Research administration (12) / ______Research administration (12) / ______Research administration (12)
______Science policy (13) / ______Science policy (13) / ______Science policy (13)
______Intellectual property (14) / ______Intellectual property (14) / ______Intellectual property (14)
______Business of science (15) / ______Business of science (15) / ______Business of science (15)
______Entrepreneurship (16) / ______Entrepreneurship (16) / ______Entrepreneurship (16)
______Sales and/or marketing of science-related products (17) / ______Sales and/or marketing of science-related products (17) / ______Sales and/or marketing of science-related products (17)
______Technical support of science-related products (18) / ______Technical support of science-related products (18) / ______Technical support of science-related products (18)
______Drug/device approval and production (19) / ______Drug/device approval and production (19) / ______Drug/device approval and production (19)
______Clinical research management (20) / ______Clinical research management (20) / ______Clinical research management (20)
______Career not related to science (21) / ______Career not related to science (21) / ______Career not related to science (21)
______Other (specify): (22) / ______Other (specify): (22) / ______Other (specify): (22)

Answer If How many years have you been a postdoc at Boston University? Less than 1 year Is Not Selected And How many years have you been a postdoc at Boston University? 1 year Is Not Selected

Q6 Have your initial career goals changed during your postdoc?

Yes (1)

No (2)

Answer If At this point in your postdoctoral appointment at BU, have your career goals now changed? Yes Is Selected

Q7 What career goals are you considering now?Identifyyour FIRST choice, SECOND choice, and THIRD choice by dragging and dropping ONE item into each box below.

Answer If At this point in your postdoctoral appointment at BU, have your career goals now changed?  Yes Is Selected

Q8 Are you comfortable discussing these changes in your career goals with your PI / Advisor?

Yes (1)

No (2)

Q9 Whom do you routinely seek outto have open, candid discussions about your professional career planninggoals and decisions? SelectALL that apply.

My PI / Advisor (1)

BU faculty member in my department (2)

BU faculty member NOT in my department (3)

Faculty member at another institution (4)

Other postdocs at BU (5)

Other postdocs NOT at BU (6)

Family member (7)

Professional peer/colleague (8)

Friend (non-professional peer/colleague) (9)

Other (specify): (10) ______

Q10 At theSTART of your postdoc at BU could you do the following?

Yes, Without Any Assistance (1) / Yes, With a Little Assistance (2) / Yes, With a Lot Assistance (3) / Not At All (4)
Describe what you want in a career and what you don't want (1) /  /  /  / 
List 3 career options you might consider for yourself (2) /  /  /  / 
Describe the skill set required for a desired career option and how to acquire such skills (3) /  /  /  / 
Conduct an effective search for potential employers, skills required and job trends for your career options (4) /  /  /  / 
Write a 5-year plan of your career goals and monitor progress (5) /  /  /  / 
Reach out to individuals already in positions in which you are interested so as to support your career development? (6) /  /  /  / 
Conduct an effective job search (7) /  /  /  / 
Prepare a competitive CV that is well-targeted to a position (8) /  /  /  / 
Prepare for conducting an effective job interview (9) /  /  /  / 
Outline steps to change career plans if you don’t get or don’t like your first choice (10) /  /  /  / 

Q11 How satisfied are you with the quality of professional career development advising you have received from your PI/ Advisor since starting as a postdoc at BU?

Very Satisfied (1)

Satisfied (2)

Neutral (3)

Dissatisfied (4)

Very Dissatisfied (5)

Q12 How often does your current PI/Advisor . . .

Very Often (1) / Often (2) / Sometimes (3) / Almost Never (4) / Never (5) / Not Applicable (6)
. . . talk with you to understand your thoughts about career options you are considering and explore the required skills? (1) /  /  /  /  /  / 
. . . convey support when you try to talk to him/her about your interest in a career that is not traditional academics? (2) /  /  /  /  /  / 
. . . talk with you about how to effectively prepare for a job search and interview? (3) /  /  /  /  /  / 
. . . review your Individual Development Plan with you? (4) /  /  /  /  /  / 
. . . give you materials, announcements, web links, contacts, etc. regarding interesting career pathways opportunities? (5) /  /  /  /  /  / 
. . . encourage you to participate in BU career development seminars, workshops and/or shadowing experiences? (6) /  /  /  /  /  / 
. . . encourage you to participate in career development seminars, workshops and/or shadowing experiences offered outside of BU? (7) /  /  /  /  /  / 
. . . connect you with his/her community of collaborators so that you can interact with them in ways to support your career development? (8) /  /  /  /  /  / 
. . . connect you to individuals already in positions in which you are interested so as to support your career development? (9) /  /  /  /  /  / 
. . . convey confidence in your ability to succeed? (10) /  /  /  /  /  / 
. . . help you feel better and less stressed when you are concerned or worried about your career planning decisions? (11) /  /  /  /  /  / 
. . . check-in with you to see how you are doing regarding work-life balance? (12) /  /  /  /  /  / 

Q13 Describe ONE example of what your current PI / Advisor has done with you that has been most meaningful to your professional career development at BU. Write ‘None', if needed, instead of leaving blank.

Q14 How long do you expect to continue to be a postdoc here at BU?

Less than 1 year (1)

1 year (2)

2 years (3)

3 years (4)

4 years (5)

5 years+ (6)

Answer If How many years have you been a postdoc at Boston University? 4 years Is Selected Or How many years have you been a postdoc at Boston University? 5 years Is Selected Or How many years have you been a postdoc at Boston University? 6 years Is Selected Or How many years have you been a postdoc at Boston University? 7 years Is Selected Or How many years have you been a postdoc at Boston University? 8 or more years Is Selected

Q15 What reason(s) have most contributed to the length of time you have been a postdoc? Select ALL that apply.

Nature of my project (1)

Time to find a position I want (2)

Time for publications (3)

Time for writing grant proposals (4)

Spouse/partner/family situation (5)

Time to obtain a green card (6)

Other (specify): (7) ______

Q16 How long has it been since you submitted your FIRST job application/CV outside of applying for a postdoc position?

I have not applied for a position yet (1)

Less than 1 year (2)

1-2 years (3)

3-4 years (4)

4-5 years (5)

6 years+ (6)

Q17 Rate the quality of your interactions with the following offices while you have been a postdoc at BU . Select 'N/A'if you have no experiences with an office listed, or have not interacted enough to make a fair judgment.

Excellent (1) / Good (2) / Fair (3) / Poor (4) / N/A (5)
Office of Sponsored Programs (1) /  /  /  /  / 
International Students and Scholars Office (2) /  /  /  /  / 
Office of the Ombudsman (3) /  /  /  /  / 
Human Resources (4) /  /  /  /  / 
Data Coordinating Center at School of Public Health (5) /  /  /  /  / 
Office of Technology Development (6) /  /  /  /  / 
Office of Research Compliance (7) /  /  /  /  / 
IRB at Medical Campus (8) /  /  /  /  / 
IRB at Charles River Campus (9) /  /  /  /  / 
Other (specify) (10) /  /  /  /  / 

Q18 How connected do you feel with the following groups?

A Lot (1) / Somewhat (2) / A Little (3) / Not At All (4)
Peers in my department (1) /  /  /  / 
Peers in my discipline (2) /  /  /  / 
Peers in other departments/disciplines on my BU campus (3) /  /  /  / 
Peers in other departments/disciplines on the other BU campus (4) /  /  /  / 

Q19 What forms of social media do you use professionally? SelectALL that apply.

Facebook (1)

Twitter (2)

LinkedIn (3)

Instagram (4)

YouTube (5)

BU Profile (6)

Google+ (7)

Blog(s) (8)

Other (specify): (9) ______

Q20 What skills would you like to improve while you are a postdoc at BU? Check ALL that apply.

Lab techniques (1)

Data analysis (2)

Use of scientific cores (3)

Experimental design (4)

Writing / publishing papers (5)

Grant writing (6)

Delivering an effective scientific presentation (7)

Establishing an independent research program (8)

Understanding intellectual property issues (9)

Locating and building a network of collaborators (10)

Leadership and/or management skills (11)

Other (specify): (12) ______

Q21 Are you aware that BU has an office devoted to Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs to provide support to you?

No, I have not heard about it (1)

Yes, I know a little bit about it (2)

Yes, I know a lot about it (3)

If No, I have not heard about it Is Selected, Then Skip To What day(s) of the week / time(s) of ...

Q22 Have you visited the Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs website?

No (1)

Yes, a few times (2)

Yes, many times (3)

Answer If Have you visited the website for the Office of Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs? No Is Not Selected

Q23 What aspect(s) of the website did you find to be most useful? Select ALL that apply.

Guidebook for Postdocs (1)

BUMC Postdoc Blog (2)

Postdoc newsletters (3)

Guidelines and Best Practices (4)

Job Opportunities (5)

Recorded Professional Career Development Events (6)

Forms (e.g., orientation, exit interview) (7)

Other (specify): (8) ______

Q24 How many events organized by Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs have you attended in the last year?

Unsure (1)

None (2)

1-3 (3)

4-6 (5)

7+ (6)

Answer If How many events organized by the Office of Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs have... None Is Not Selected And How many events organized by the Office of Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs have... Unsure Is Not Selected

Q25 How useful were the events in enhancing your success in your current position at BU?

All were useful (1)

Most were useful (2)

Some were useful (3)

None were useful (4)

Answer If How many events organized by the Office of Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs have... Unsure Is Not Selected And How many events organized by the Office of Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs have... None Is Not Selected

Q26 How useful were the events in supporting your professional career development?

All were useful (1)

Most were useful (2)

Some were useful (3)

None were useful (4)

Q27 What day(s) of the week / time(s) of the day is/are most convenient for you to attend professional development events/seminars? Check all that apply.

Weekdays - morning (1)

Weekdays - lunchtime (2)

Weekdays - afternoon (3)

Weekdays - evenings (4)

Saturday morning (5)

Saturday lunchtime (6)

Saturday afternoon (7)

Other (specify): (8) ______

Q28 What THREE changes would have the most impact on the qualityof your postdoctoral experience at BU?

Increased pay (1)

Standardized benefits regardless of funding source (2)

More autonomy / independence when conducting research (3)

Better laboratory results (e.g. more publications, patents) (4)

More career advising / counseling and career exploring workshops (5)

Foster more interaction between postdocs (networking) (6)

Other (specify): (7) ______

Q29 If you had the opportunity to sit one-on-one with the Program Director ofProfessional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs, what would you want her to know about your postdoc experiences at BU?

Q30 What school are you most closely affiliated with at Boston University?

CAS (1)

CFA (2)

COM (3)

ENG (4)

MED (5)

SAR (6)

SDM (7)

SED (8)

SMG (9)

SPH (10)

SSW (11)

STH (12)

Other (specify): (13) ______

Q31 What is your primary source of compensation at Boston University?

Federal research grant/contract (1)

Federal fellowship (2)

Training grant (3)

Non-federal nationally awarded grant (4)

Department or university-based funds (5)

Foreign government / foreign-based fellowship (6)

Don’t know (7)

Other (specify): (8) ______

Q32 How do you describe yourself?

American Indian or Alaska Native (1)

Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (2)

Asian or Asian American (3)

Black or African American (4)

Hispanic or Latino (5)

Non-Hispanic White (6)

Other (specify): (7) ______

Prefer not to answer (8)

Q33 What is your gender?

Male (1)

Female (2)

Prefer not to answer (3)

Q34 What is your citizenship status?

U.S. Citizen (born in U.S.) (1)

Legal permanent resident (green card) (2)

Naturalized U.S. citizen (3)

Non-immigrant visa (J1 or H1B) (4)

Other (specify): (5) ______

Q35 Thank you for your time and feedback. If you would like to enter into the prize raffle, please click the 'submit' button below. This will take youto a separate form to submit your contact information to enter to win. Remember, your contact information WILL NOT BE CONNECTED to any of your survey responses.