More graduate students nationwide and at UT Austin are opting for non-academic careers. Generally speaking, obtaining a postdoctoral position is a prerequisite for securing an academic career. Even though more people are obtaining PhDs than ever before, the number of PhDs entering postdoctoral posts decreased for the first time in ten years, according to the National Science Foundation’s 2024 report on PhD employment.
Fourth-year pharmacology and toxicology PhD candidate Ashvini Melkote realized early on that she wanted to work outside of academia.
I completed an industry internship at a biotech company throughout my undergraduate studies, and I had a great time, Melkote stated. I simply adored the culture in its whole. After that, I was quite certain that I wanted to work in biotech or industry. I never gave academics much thought.
Melkote continued to consider why she was never able to pursue a career in academics.
For those who are extremely passionate about the discovery side of research, I believe academia is fantastic, but there are many uncertainties, such as the pressure to publish and the pursuit of money and tenure, Melkote said. Additionally, it seems to me that the majority of the time, the research you publish in academic journals only reaches a very specific audience. I desired a profession that would allow me to influence others more directly.
A wider cultural shift among today’s STEM graduate students, who are turning away from the earlier generation of scientists, is reflected in Melkote’s perspective on academia. Nonetheless, current research mentors continue to support their students’ academic endeavors. Professor of developmental biology with tenure, Dr. John Wallingford, is a firm believer in the academic career.
I set my own hours, and it’s the best job in the world. I get to take trips. I get to devote all of my time to the pursuits that I find most fulfilling. I get to gaze down microscopes and read papers sometimes, and every day if I wanted to, Wallingford said. It’s the intellectual freedom, though, for me. It’s the notion that I can pursue my interests and earn a respectable living in any way I see fit.
However, Wallingford is aware of the criticisms leveled at academia.
According to Wallingford, academia is undoubtedly more difficult now than it was in the past. (However, there isn’t a career that allows you to work 40 hours a week with minimal stress yet position yourself for success in the next 30 years.) Does academic life cause stress? Yes. Is it labor-intensive? Yes, but that doesn’t seem all that different from other fields, in my opinion.
It is evident that academia is no longer the default path when graduate students continue to consider their professional possibilities. This change is clearly driven by practical and personal considerations like pay and work-life balance, but structural influences are also quite important. For scholars looking for long-term career prospects, academic professions are becoming less feasible due to federal cuts to NIH and NSF research funding under the Trump administration.
Academic research can still be the greatest profession in the world for people who are naturally curious, creative, and independent, but only if it is supported by steady public funding and trust.
Kate Windsor is a molecular biology PhD candidate from Austin, Texas.
