Top Pick Outside the United States: The University of Alberta

The University of Alberta's pre-eminence in The Scientist's postdoc survey came as little surprise to many of the institution's researchers. These scientists cited as particularly important the April 2003 opening of a campus postdoc office, which provides a wide range of training and support services. The new office has encouraged postdocs to attend sessions on teaching, communication, and leadership, with which science graduates all too often lack experience, says postdoc Sheryl Gares.

Carlos Flores-Mir, a postdoctoral fellow in the university's orthodontic program, has attended some of these sessions. "I have all the support I need or could have imagined," he says. However, departments receive varying levels of support, he adds, because at this point, the office is still registering postdocs around campus.

Members of his department already have enrolled in the office's Postdoctoral Fellows (PDF) development program, launched in September 2003. The program offers training in communication, career development, and ...