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EMBO
FellowsNet
Where are they now?
For the postdoctoral fellows in their early years after their Ph.D.
thesis, there is no difference in income between Europe and the USA.
Among the polled, European postdoctoral fellows earn Euro
2660 per month mean income (a maximum of Euro 6400 for a position at
the University of Darmstadt, Germany and a minimum of Euro 1100 at INSERM
in France). Postdoctoral fellows in the USA receive a mean income of
US$ 2580 per month (maximum of US$ 3333 at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research
Institute and minimum of US$ 1700 at the University of San Diego). But
five years after the Ph.D., things look quite different. Figure
3 shows that respondents who found a higher academic position in
the USA clearly earn more than their European counterparts. There are
numerous complaints about an increasing number of scientists leaving
academic research. "Presently I am still working in academia but
will stop in 2 months," said one respondent, explaining: "the
main reasons for leaving are the appalling prospects for gaining a permanent
position and the overall low salary."
EMBO polled how many biological scientists had given up
an academic career and moved into the private sector. Only 2.8 percent
left academia for a position in industry within the first five years
after their doctorate. The number increases slightly to a 4.5 percent
among those who did their Ph.D. thesis more than five years ago. This
trend might reflect the better job situation that came with more investments
in biological research in Europe in recent years but could also be explained
by the fact that the position of research scientist in industry often
requires postdoctoral experience.
However, the survey does not yield the number of biologists who decided
to leave academia directly after receiving their Ph.D. as it polled
only scientists who had at least one postdoctoral fellowship. Another
often-heard complaint is the brain drain of scientists from Europe to
the USA. In contrast, the EMBO reports survey found that the overwhelming
majority of former fellows found a position in their country of origin
within ten years after their Ph.D. thesis.
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