Postdoctoral scholar is now a formal position at CWRU, and an Office of Postdoctoral Affairs is being developed to enhance the "postdoc" experience on campus.

Postdocs are scholars who already have earned a doctorate or similar graduate degree, like a medical degree, but choose to pursue additional mentored training that will increase their ability to acquire permanent positions in their fields.

Their official classification was one of several recommendations in a recent report issued in August 2001 by the University's Committee on Postdoctoral Researchers Issues, commissioned earlier that year and chaired by John H. Nilson, pharmacology professor and chair.

"The committee, which had representatives from across campus and from the Postdoctoral Researchers Association, put together a set of guidelines that ensures postdoctoral scholars will be well trained, benefit from quality mentorship and receive recognition from the University for their valuable work which is essential for a research-intensive institution," Nilson said.

The committee's recommendations address all of the goals for postdoctoral training outlined in a joint report by the National Academy of Science, National Academy of Engineering and Institute of Medicine, according to Nilson. These "action points" include awarding institutional recognition and status to postdocs, developing distinct policies and standards for their appointments and training and improving their transition to independent career positions.

"We hope the committee's guidelines will help to solidify the identity of postdoctoral scholars within the institution and underscore their importance to the institution," Nilson said.

In addition to designating postdoctoral scholars as a formal position, the committee also recommended that the University establish an office devoted solely to the postdoc experience in order to ensure uniform training experiences across schools and programs.

The new Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, to be housed in the School of Graduate Studies, will provide postdocs with career counseling, networking and training programs among other support services. The office also is developing a postdoctoral handbook that describes the rights and responsibilities of mentors and scholars and the features of the CWRU postdoc program.

"The University is grateful to the leadership of John Nilson and the Committee on Postdoctoral Researchers Issues for making the recommendations that have resulted in these great advancements," said Lynn Singer, deputy provost and vice president for academic programs.

Prior to this official classification, postdoctoral scholars held different kinds of employment status, job titles and funding sources. Some may have been research associates, who are considered staff members. Others were postdoctoral fellows, who hold their own grants under a faculty member's supervision and thus are not considered CWRU employees.

The new postdoctoral scholar classification extends the mentored training experience begun during graduate school and should enhance the transition to independent status be it as a junior faculty member or in positions within the private sector. The duration of the appointment can be up to five years.