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A sign at the entrance to the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Striking Workers Unions Reach Tentative Deal
The agreement, which is not yet ratified, would increase academic workers’ salaries, but some call for an ongoing strike as the raises are less than desired.
University of California, Striking Workers Unions Reach Tentative Deal
University of California, Striking Workers Unions Reach Tentative Deal

The agreement, which is not yet ratified, would increase academic workers’ salaries, but some call for an ongoing strike as the raises are less than desired.

The agreement, which is not yet ratified, would increase academic workers’ salaries, but some call for an ongoing strike as the raises are less than desired.

graduate students

Sather Gate on the University of California, Berkeley campus
Up to 48,000 University of California Academic Workers Go on Strike
Catherine Offord | Nov 14, 2022 | 3 min read
Union-represented workers are walking out for an indefinite period of time after negotiations over their compensation and other issues stalled.
A composite headshot of Camila Behrensen (left) and Pablo Guzmán Palma (right)
Two Allegedly Murdered Scientists Found in Apartment Fire
Amanda Heidt | Oct 5, 2022 | 2 min read
Emergency responders arrived at a structure fire in Kansas City to find the two graduate students suffering from “apparent trauma” before they were declared dead at the scene.
Activists protest. Political riot sign banners, people holding protests placards and manifestation banner. Jobs activist strike, vegetarians meeting or feminist demonstration vector illustration
Unionization Efforts Pick Up Across US Universities
Catherine Offord, Andy Carstens, and Amanda Heidt | Sep 1, 2022 | 10 min read
Members of newly certified workers’ organizations at campuses across the US speak about how they achieved official recognition and what they’re planning for the years ahead.
Building 10 on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT Graduate Students Vote to Unionize
Catherine Offord | Apr 7, 2022 | 2 min read
Plans to form a union affiliated with the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America were approved by a vote of 1,785 to 912.
The Library of Columbia University
Columbia University Student Strike Ends with Tentative Deal
Catherine Offord | Jan 10, 2022 | 2 min read
In a contract that still needs to be ratified by union members, the university has agreed to boost student pay and allow for independent arbitration in cases of alleged misconduct and discrimination.
group of people
HHMI Kickstarts $2 Billion Initiative to Boost Diversity in STEM
Chloe Tenn | Nov 23, 2021 | 7 min read
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute will invest the funds over 10 years across all stages of the STEM pipeline.
student picket line strike
Harvard Student Strike a Warning to University
Chloe Tenn | Oct 29, 2021 | 4 min read
Graduate students planned a three-day-long strike to demand fair pay, union security, and improved protections against sexual harassment and discrimination. If an agreement isn’t met, the union says they may strike longer, potentially disrupting university research.
MIT Unveils Program to Help Grad Students Find a New Adviser
Lisa Winter | Mar 9, 2021 | 2 min read
Graduate student advocacy groups were central to designing the program, which provides a semester of funding if a trainee needs time to find a new mentor.
Contributors
The Scientist | Feb 1, 2021 | 3 min read
Meet some of the people featured in the February 2021 issue of The Scientist.
Improving the Advisor/Advisee Relationship
Angela E. Boag and Nathalie Isabelle Chardon | Feb 1, 2021 | 3 min read
Academic mentors are not necessarily natural managers. Their graduate students often bear the brunt of this shortcoming.
2020 in Scientists’ Own Words
Abby Olena, PhD | Dec 23, 2020 | 5 min read
The world was rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic this year, but researchers rose to all manner of challenges.
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, pandemic, University of Michigan, testing, students, strike, student union, graduate, undergraduate, residential advisers
University of Michigan Grad Students Strike over COVID-19 Policy
Amanda Heidt | Sep 16, 2020 | 4 min read
Student workers have cited a lack of transparency and a failure to implement rapid and widespread testing among their many concerns regarding the school’s response to the pandemic.
nsf national science foundation grfp graduate research fellowship program grad student phd science stem artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and computationally intensive research
Scientists Oppose NSF’s New Graduate Fellowship Priority
Kerry Grens | Aug 7, 2020 | 2 min read
More than 3,000 researchers have signed on to a petition that expresses concern over the agency’s 2021 application for the funding program, which emphasizes three areas of computational science and might further disadvantage underrepresented groups.
Amidst Uncertainty, Flexibility Is Key in Higher Ed, Faculty Say
Abby Olena, PhD | Jul 1, 2020 | 8 min read
Life sciences professors and other staff make contingency plans for more coronavirus-related disruptions in the coming school year.
Virtual Lab Tours for Recruitment and Outreach
Andy Tay | Jun 23, 2020 | 7 min read
In the face of campus closures around the world, scientific laboratories are offering tours via video. We asked experts for their tips.
Videos: A Sampling of Virtual Lab Tours
Andy Tay | Jun 23, 2020 | 1 min read
Here’s how some researchers and educators are giving prospective students and the public a window into their labs.
When Your Supervisor Is Accused of Research Misconduct
Katarina Zimmer | Jun 1, 2020 | 10 min read
Early career researchers face unique challenges when a senior collaborator becomes embroiled in allegations of scientific malpractice.
The Pandemic’s Effects on Recruiting International STEM Trainees
Abby Olena, PhD | Apr 29, 2020 | 6 min read
The closure of visa offices, travel and immigration restrictions, and general anxiety create barriers for the international graduate students and postdocs who play a huge role in research in the United States.
Opinion: Grad Students Face Uncertainty During the Pandemic
Lila Westreich | Mar 19, 2020 | 3 min read
With mounting feelings of isolation, research projects derailed, and financial futures cast into doubt, grad students are anxious in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.
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