Nicole S. Ngo

Using survey data collected by the American Chemical Society (ACS), this paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on doctoral students’ plans to complete their degree, stay in the field, and pursue postdoctoral study. Two research designs are used: a cross-sectional design, using data from 2022 and a trend analysis examining changes from 2013 to 2022. Almost all students were negatively impacted by the pandemic, especially regarding mental health; and issues persisted two years after the pandemic started. Students who experienced more severe personal impacts of the pandemic were significantly less likely to believe that they would finish the Ph.D. or stay in the chemical sciences. Starting in 2013 the likelihood that students would finish their degree declined significantly, but the decline was significantly greater during the pandemic. There were also significant declines in the percentage of students planning to pursue postdoctoral studies.

Maintaining a strong and diverse group of Ph.D.s is vital to the growth and productivity of the chemical sciences. Yet there are concerns this group has become relatively smaller over time as fewer Ph.D. students definitely plan to complete their degree. Using survey data gathered by the American Chemical Society (ACS), we analyze factors that may have contributed to this decline. Specifically, we address the following questions: (1) To what extent is the likelihood of chemical science Ph.D. students’ completing their degree related to socio-demographic characteristics, preferences regarding their future careers, and graduate school experiences? (2) To what extent can these variables account for declines in expressed likelihood of degree completion? Using data gathered in 2013 and 2019, we find students’ experiences in graduate school had a substantially greater influence on the likelihood of degree completion than individual characteristics or career preferences. While students who had adequate funding and more support from faculty and other staff were more likely to expect they would complete the degree, these associations declined markedly when encountering problems and interactions with advisors were controlled. Students reported encountering significantly more problems in their graduate program in 2019 than in 2013, and this difference could account for part of the decreased likelihood of degree completion in 2019. Data gathered in 2022 indicate that the decreased likelihood of degree completion became increasingly more serious over time, especially among students who were more advanced in their program.

This account examines experiences and plans of over 400 postdoctoral scholars in the chemical sciences using data gathered by the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 2019. The sample was evenly divided among U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and international scholars. The vast majority reported satisfaction with their experiences, good relationships with their mentors, and confidence in their professional knowledge and preparation. However, there was substantial variability in employment-related benefits and yearly incomes. Over a quarter indicated that their funding was not sufficient to meet the cost of living in their location. About a third indicated that working in industry or government was their first choice for a future career. Only slightly more than half indicated confidence in preparation for future careers, and a third reported experiencing some type of problem during their experience. Scholars who received less than the desired support from mentors and colleagues, whose funding was not adequate to meet the cost of living and/or who had encountered problems expressed significantly less satisfaction with their experience. There were no differences in reported satisfaction associated with gender identity, parent level of education, identification with a group historically under-represented in the field, marital or parental status, or domestic or international background. Policy implications are discussed, including standardization of salaries, recruitment, and employment arrangements; incorporating career and professional development into the postdoctoral experience; recognizing postdoctoral scholars as educators and leaders; and fostering a culture of respect and inclusion that recognizes postdoctoral scholars as valued members of the academic community.

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