Change of Heart - Career intentions and the chemistry PhD

In order to extend the evidence base for its work in Equality and Diversity, the RSC sponsored an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Collaborative Award in Science and Technology (CASE) studentship.  The studentship was awarded to Jessica Lober Newsome.  The research project, in part, involved a survey of doctoral chemistry students' career intentions. The focus of the survey was wide-ranging, generally seeking to gauge career intentions and provide an indication of future career trajectories.

The report below summarises the findings of the survey which relate specifically to the issue of female attrition from chemistry at the post-doctoral stage. In particular, the survey helps to establish whether the women lost to academia after completing a PhD tend to:

1. Leave the science pipeline altogether; or,
2. Leave research, but stay in science-based employment; or,
3. Stay in research, but move to industry.

Findings from the survey, especially relating to women's intention regarding research careers, have led to follow up work which extends the survey to biomolecular science students and to qualitative work examining the chemistry PhD experience in more detail.