CSPC 2018

Organized by: Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars, Joseph S. Sparling, PhD

This panel aims to examine the real life impact of current postdoctoral policies in Canada and to discuss potential policy reforms that could provide solutions to many of the challenges facing Canadian postdoctoral scholars today. The panel will open with two presentations by current/former postdocs affiliated with CAPS/ACSP. The first of those presentations will review the major challenges facing Canadian postdocs based on survey data and front-line stories from postdocs across the country, including issues related to employment status, compensation and benefits, immigration, career development, and personal support. The second presentation will focus on identifying the policies that contribute to those challenges and discussing potential policy-based solutions for improving the status quo for postdocs in Canada. Following the presentations a representative from the Tri-Agency and a postdoctoral administrator from a large Canadian research university will be asked to weigh in on the proposed policy reforms, identify potential barriers to those proposed changes in the current Canadian research landscape, and discuss possible ways to overcome those barriers. The panel will close following questions from the audience and a brief summary statement from the moderator.