Study sample characteristics
| Demographic variable | Value | n (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Current position | Research-focused academic | 396 (51%) |
| Teaching-focused academic | 101 (13%) | |
| Nonacademic research | 134 (17%) | |
| Science-related, nonresearch | 150 (19%) | |
| Gender | Woman | 422 (54%) |
| Man | 359 (46%) | |
| Representation status | WR | 658 (84%) |
| UR | 123 (16%) | |
| Social identity | WR man | 298 (38%) |
| WR woman | 360 (46%) | |
| UR man | 61 (8%) | |
| UR woman | 62 (8%) | |
| Do you have a disability? | No | 758 (97%) |
| Yes | 23 (3%) | |
| First person/generation to graduate from 4-year college? | No | 602 (77%) |
| Yes | 179 (23%) | |
| PhD field (recoded) | Neuroscience | 349 (45%) |
| Biological sciences | 281 (36%) | |
| Other sciences/engineering | 76 (10%) | |
| Other social sciences | 75 (10%) | |
| Age range | 20–24 | 19 (2%) |
| 25–29 | 270 (35%) | |
| 30–34 | 377 (48%) | |
| 35–39 | 77 (10%) | |
| 40–44 | 21 (3%) | |
| 45–50 | 11 (1%) | |
| 51 or older | 5 (1%) | |
| Prefer not to answer | 1 (0%) | |
| Median years since PhD | 6 | |
| Undergraduate institution in National Science Boarda top 50 research university? | No | 661 (85%) |
| Yes | 120 (15%) | |
| Master's degree in biomedical research discipline before PhD program? | No | 658 (84%) |
| Yes | 123 (16%) | |
| Doctoral institution in top 50 research university? | No | 383 (49%) |
| Yes | 398 (51%) | |
| Ever been a postdoctoral fellow? | No | 203 (26%) |
| Yes | 578 (74%) | |
| Career goal changed from research-based to outside of research? | No, still is research-based | 509 (65%) |
| No, never was research-based | 47 (6%) | |
| Yes, changed away from research | 225 (29%) | |
| Primary way respondent found current position (recoded) | Directly contacted by employer/recruiter | 32 (4%) |
| Former advisor/supervisor | 79 (10%) | |
| Job posting | 292 (37%) | |
| Previous position at same organization | 103 (13%) | |
| Professional networking (other than advisor) | 217 (28%) | |
| Other | 58 (7%) |
Basic demographic information about the sample of 781 PhD neuroscientists who responded to the survey and labeled themselves as currently “professionals in the field.” Totals may not equal to 100% due to rounding.
↵a Top 50 research university is measured by research and development expenditures (National Science Board, 2016).