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RADAR

Repository for Administrative Data and Reports

Postdocs at UW-Madison

Last Updated
03/28/2024
Description

This data visualization provides information on the background characteristics of postdocs at UW-Madison, their average time spent in postdoctoral training, and their employment outcomes after leaving their postdoc appointment at UW-Madison. It was developed as part of the Coalition for Next Generation Life Science initiative (CNGLS). UW-Madison is a founding member of the Coalition for Next Generation Life Science, which includes 55 national research universities and schools of medicine. The Coalition seeks to improve transparency related to career prospects and opportunities for life sciences trainees, including both graduate students and postdocs.

Report URL
https://viz.wisc.edu/#/views/PostdocsatUW-Madison/PostdocProfile
Data Cookbook URL (requires authorization)
https://uwmadison.datacookbook.com/institution/reports/28759/versions/70304
Data Domain(s)
Employee Record
Access Restrictions
Publicly Available
Data Source Information
HRS/EPM
Data View Information
UW_HR_ALLJOB_VW, UW_HR_PERSON_VW, UW_HR_VSACZN_VW
Update Schedule
Annually, typically in late July
Responsible Office
Graduate School Office of Academic Analysis, Planning, & Assessment
Important Notes

All displayed years are fiscal years. All displayed counts are distinct headcounts within fiscal year and specified filter conditions.

Postdoc demographic and department profile figures are based on a census of all individuals with postdoctoral appointments during a given fiscal year, and may therefore not match other campus reports using frozen payroll records. Individuals with postdoctoral appointments spanning more than one fiscal year are counted separately for each year they held an appointment. Individuals holding more than one postdoctoral appointment within a fiscal year are counted once for their primary appointment as determined by the following order of priority based on their appointment type: postdoctoral fellowship, postdoctoral traineeship, research associate.

Time in postdoctoral training figures are based on a census of individuals who ended their postdoctoral training at UW-Madison during each fiscal year. Individuals with postdoctoral appointments spanning more than one fiscal year are counted only once during the year when they ended their training. Individuals holding more than one postdoctoral appointment during the fiscal year they ended their postdoctoral training are counted once for their primary appointment as determined by the following order of priority based on their appointment type: postdoctoral fellowship, postdoctoral traineeship, research associate.

Postdoc employment data (1, 2, & 3 years post-appointment) were collected using online searches of public websites (e.g. LinkedIn, university websites, etc.). Employment data were collected in December, 2020 for postdocs who completed their appointments at UW-Madison in fiscal years 2017, 2018, or 2019. Employment data were then collected in December, 2021 for postdocs who completed their appointments at UW-Madison in fiscal years 2018, 2019, or 2020, and again in December, 2022 for postdocs who completed their appointment in fiscal years 2019, 2020, or 2021. 

Reported data represents a combination of these three data collection periods. Postdocs who completed their appointments in 2018-2020 are therefore reported more than once in the data, though in separate years post-appointment categories (e.g. 2020 leavers are reported in both the 1 yr. and 2 yr. post-appointment categories).  Employment information could not be found for 24% of this combined leavers group, and is therefore reported as ‘Unknown’ in the data visualization.

Employment sector and employment type categories are based on the NIH BEST (Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training) consortium's PhD career taxonomy. More information on the taxonomy can be found on the 'Data Collection and Technology Resources' page at www.nihbest.org.

Definitions

Name Functional Definition Data Domains
Department (UDDS)

A two-character numeric designation for each department (academic or budgetary) within a Division (UDDS). Department is the fourth and fifth characters of a UDDS.

University of Wisconsin - Madison
Disciplinary Division

The four divisions established on the basis of related subjects of teaching and research and are independent of colleges, schools, and departments, and include: Biological Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences.

Academic Planning, Employee Record
Division (UDDS)

A two-character numeric designation for each school/college or non-academic division within a Unit (UDDS). Division is the second and third characters of a UDDS.

University of Wisconsin - Madison
Fiscal Year

A period that an organization uses for accounting purposes and preparing financial statements. For the university, the fiscal year is from July 1 - June 30 (i.e., FY2016 = July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016). Summer is the first term in the university fiscal year.

Finance
International Postdoc (CNGLS)

A postdoc who is not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. This definition applies to reporting for the Coalition for Next Generation Life Science (CNGLS).

Employee Record, Research Administration
Postdoc

An individual continuing training after receipt of the doctorate who is not a matriculated student. There are three types of postdoctoral appointments at UW-Madison: Research Associates, Postdoctoral Fellows, and Postdoctoral Trainees.

Employee Record, Research Administration
Postdoctoral Fellow

A postdoctoral appointment usually funded from a postdoctoral fellowship, which is an award made by an outside organization or agency to the individual in question. A person eligible for a postdoctoral fellowship is usually within five years of having received the doctorate, and most fellowship awards are for two-year terms. Fellows are paid a stipend as opposed to wages.

Employee Record, Research Administration
Postdoctoral Trainee

A postdoctoral appointment usually funded from from a postdoctoral traineeship, which is an award made by an outside organization or agency to the institution for the purpose of postdoctoral training. A person eligible for a postdoctoral traineeship is usually within five years of having received the doctorate, and most trainee awards are for two-year terms. Trainees are paid a stipend as opposed to wages.

Employee Record, Research Administration
Principal Investigator (PI)

The individual responsible for a sponsored research project. This responsibility includes both leadership of the scientific/technical aspects of the project and compliance with the financial and administrative aspects of the award.

Employee Record, Research Administration, Space
Research Associate

A postdoctoral appointment usually funded from a principal investigator's grant funds or other sources. A research associateship is normally for a two- or three-year term, up to a maximum of five years, and is normally given to an individual who is within five years of having received the doctorate. Research associates are paid wages as opposed to earning a stipend.

Employee Record, Research Administration
School or College

Those faculty units headed by a dean. The dean is the chief executive officer of the school or college, and is appointed by the chancellor under search and screen procedures as set forth in 6.49. The dean must hold a tenured faculty rank as set forth in Chapter 7 of these rules. Other subunits of the university that include the term "school" in their titles are not considered schools for purposes of this chapter; they may be designated by the chancellor, in consultation with the University Committee, as equivalent to departments for any or all of the purposes described in Chapter 5. A school or college shall be created or discontinued, or the name of an existing school or college changed, by the chancellor after consultation with the University Committee, subject to the approval of the Board of Regents. Creation of a school or college with academic programs at the post-baccalaureate graduate or professional level is also subject to the approval of the legislature. Recommendations concerning these matters shall be reported to the faculties of the schools or colleges directly affected and to the senate for discussion.

Academic Planning, Employee Record, Research Administration, Student Record
UDDS

A UW System-wide, seven-character organizational code used to identify the Unit, Division, Department, Sub-department associated with a particular personnel, research, financial, or other activity or transaction.

University of Wisconsin - Madison
Underrepresented Minority (CNGLS)

Also referred to as URM. A US citizen or permanent resident who identifies as African American/Black; American Indian/Alaskan Native; Hispanic; Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander; or more than one race when at least one of the preceding URM categories has been indicated. This definition applies to reporting for the Coalition for Next Generation Life Science (CNGLS).

Employee Record