The federal government provides a significant amount of support for graduate education in science, and responsible stewardship of this investment should help to assure that scientists are able to make use of their graduate training in their careers. Constrained federal budgets, the end of the cold war and global economic changes are altering employment patterns and work environments for many professions, including Ph.D. scientists. Much current information on Ph.D. careers is in the form of broad, national statistics or anecdotal information. Combining new research with present data, this in-depth study of the careers and work activities of recent physical science Ph.D. graduates will use qualitative and quantitative techniques to provide information that is needed to evaluate and `reshape` graduate education and to help graduates prepare for a range of possible careers. In order to assure its relevance to the scientific community, a broad-based and expert advisory committee will oversee and advise throughout the project. The study will focus on two issues: the relationship between graduate education and work activities, and career transitions. Better information on scientific careers is needed to evaluate the prevalence of `alternative` careers, to determine what skills, experience, and knowledge graduates should take away from their training, and to develop strategies to facilitate a successful transition to a non-academic job. In order to focus on current conditions, the study cohort will be scientists about 4-8 years after receipt of their Ph.D. - the point at which they are seeking, or have found, more permanent employment. The project will use a combination of ethnographic and survey techniques. Ethnographic interviews will be used to develop and frame the questions for the subsequent survey. Analysis of the interviews will allow difficult issues such as temporary positions and work activities to be accurately translated into specific questions. The project will examine the careers of the study cohort at a level of detail that is not possible in nationwide studies. The cohort will include the entire graduating class, for the specified years, of physical scientists from 6-7 research universities. The target universities will be representative of both the large institutions that produce most Ph.D. scientists and the medium institutions whose programs and graduates may differ from those at the large institutions. A complete sample of recent graduates will be surveyed to obtain a quantitative picture of their careers and work activities. A substantial effort will be made to obtain a high response rate, particularly for graduates with non-traditional career paths. The project will finish with a second level of ethnographic inquiry, to explore questions raised in the previous stages of the project. Results will be reported at appropriate meetings and in both the academic literature and general-interest scientific publications. Techniques will be documented in order to assist departments in evaluating their graduate programs. This activity is partially supported by the MPS Office of Multidisciplinary Activities.
