Just seven months after a small group of Postdoctoral Association (PDA) leaders decided that 'something must be done,' we have formed the National Postdoctoral Association. We created the NPA from scratch, selecting an exploratory committee that successfully applied for an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant in December. The NPA aims to advocate effectively and efficiently for postdoctoral scientists in the United States, and to complement and assist local PDAs.
It is widely acknowledged that postdoctoral scientists are especially vulnerable, with neither student nor faculty status and few standard or even extant institutional policies regarding compensation, grievance procedures, or training standards. While some institutions and organizations recognize the need for change in the postdoc situation and are actively seeking data and solutions, no other organization exists with the primary aim of advocating for postdocs and addressing their concerns nationally.
The goals of the NPA include: building consensus regarding best-practice policies for ...
