Certainties and uncertainties affecting the postdoctoral phase of the scientifc career in Argentina

Authors

  • M. Fernanda Reyes Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Buenos Aires, Argentina (FAUBA). Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científcas y Técnicas (CONICET). Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA).
  • M. Victoria Piazza Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Buenos Aires, Argentina (FAUBA). Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científcas y Técnicas (CONICET). Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA). Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Dasonomía, FAUBA.
  • Marta C. Telesnicki Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Buenos Aires, Argentina (FAUBA). Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA). Departamento de Métodos Cuantitativos y Sistemas de Información, FAUBA.
  • Luciana D'Acunto Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Buenos Aires, Argentina (FAUBA). Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científcas y Técnicas (CONICET). Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA).
  • Carla E. Di Bella Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Buenos Aires, Argentina (FAUBA). Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científcas y Técnicas (CONICET). Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA). Departamento de Producción Animal. Cátedra de Forrajicultura, FAUBA.
  • Florencia Spirito Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Buenos Aires, Argentina (FAUBA). Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científcas y Técnicas (CONICET). Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA).
  • Pablo A. García-Parisi Departamento de Producción Animal. Cátedra de Forrajicultura, FAUBA. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA, CONICET-UNNOBA), Pergamino. Argentina.
  • Josefina L. De Paepe Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Buenos Aires, Argentina (FAUBA). Departamento de Ingeniería Agrícola y Uso de la Tierra. Cátedra de Fertilidad y fertilizantes, FAUBA-CONICET.
  • Romina A. Cavagnaro Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Buenos Aires, Argentina (FAUBA). Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente. Cátedra de Botánica Sistemática, FAUBA.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.18.28.3.0.734

Abstract

In the postdoctoral stage several challenges and questions defne our development and consolidation as researchers. Based on the guidance of trained researchers, we identifed various certainties and uncertainties during this phase. We also highlight several tools to achieve a good academic performance and obtain a position as researchers of the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científcas y Técnicas (CONICET). The main certainty was that publishing is a 'must': it is essential to transmit the knowledge to the community and it is the most valued aspect by the CONICET. However, a publication involves much more than writing a manuscript. Detecting the conceptual contribution and the originality of our work is fundamental. One of the uncertainties identifed was producing several high-impact publications, while performing other activities (e.g., human resources training, teaching, grant applications and stays abroad) during the seven years that fellowships usually last (fve for Ph.D. and two for postdoctoral fellowships). Other uncertainties are the constantly changing rules and the increasing requisites to meet CONICET conditions for researchers. Besides, the scarce stability of resources to research and the need to develop original ideas are particularly uncertain at this stage. Those wanting to develop a scientifc career in Argentina must outline a strategy. We propose ‘successful’ postdoctoral fellows’ profles to fnd pathways towards a permanent position at the CONICET scientifc career, with good development prospects. As a way to open a fruitful debate, your survey feedback will be highly valued. Said survey is available at (goo.gl/forms/k185nQG8ABxjL4bo2, until March 31st, 2019), addressed to doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows and researchers with permanent positions. This will allow opening the range of profles and opinions. This debate may be a guide for those young researchers willing to perform successfully as Scientists within our country.

https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.18.28.3.0.734

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Certezas e incertidumbres en la etapa posdoctoral de la carrera científca en la Argentina

Published

2018-10-29

How to Cite

Reyes, M. F., Piazza, M. V., Telesnicki, M. C., D’Acunto, L., Di Bella, C. E., Spirito, F., García-Parisi, P. A., De Paepe, J. L., & Cavagnaro, R. A. (2018). Certainties and uncertainties affecting the postdoctoral phase of the scientifc career in Argentina. Ecología Austral, 28(3), 537–542. https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.18.28.3.0.734