Neuroscience Training: Developing a Nimble and Versatile Workforce

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Recent events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the collective awakening around issues related to racial justice, diversity, and inclusion, have underscored the challenges facing neuroscience and neuroscience training. To address these challenges, the Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a series of virtual workshops on neuroscience training with the goal of reconsidering how we think about neuroscience training in a rapidly changing world. On February 22, 2021, the fifth and final workshop in this series, titled Evolving the Culture of Science and Training in Neuroscience to Meet a Changing World, brought together stakeholders from across the neuroscience ecosystem to discuss how the culture of science and scientific training can become more inclusive, balanced, and adaptive to changing times. This final workshop expanded on many issues raised in previous workshops, including the importance of mental health and well-being in academic research; how to resist the legacy of white supremacy and support diversity in academia; and how to redefine what success means for neuroscientists in both academic and non-academic settings. This publication summarizes the discussions that occurred at the workshop.

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9 pages · 8.5 x 11 ·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-49807-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26176

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Evolving the Culture of Science and Training in Neuroscience to Meet a Changing World: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Originally viewed as a few years of apprenticeship and an opportunity to prepare for an independent research career, postdoctoral training has progressed to a state of limbo for some researchers, with longer training durations; uncertain career prospects; and variability in the training, mentoring, and professional status across the neuroscience ecosystem. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a high level of uncertainty and stress for many postdoctoral researchers.

To highlight these challenges and explore opportunities for modernizing postdoctoral training, the Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a virtual workshop on February 16, 2021, titled Re-envisioning Postdoctoral Training in Neuroscience. This was the fourth workshop in a series, originating from the Forum's Action Collaborative on Neuroscience Training: Developing a Nimble and Versatile Workforce, designed to illuminate critical issues and catalyze a reconsideration of how neuroscience training could be designed to meet current and future workforce needs across multiple sectors. This Proceedings of a Workshop-in Brief summarizes the discussions that occurred at the workshop.

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10 pages · 8.5 x 11 ·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-49161-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26169

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Re-envisioning Postdoctoral Training in Neuroscience: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Fostering a diverse neuroscience workforce, as well as an environment that is inclusive for all, is critical to the advancement of science and the future of the field. On January 25, 2021, the Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a virtual workshop, convening a diverse range of stakeholders from across the neuroscience community and at different career stages.

Participants tackled the broad topic of inclusion and diversity in neuroscience training to include discussions on racial equity (expanding on themes from the first workshop in the series), supporting a global workforce, institutional and geographic diversity, unique challenges for women in science, understanding how the goals of inclusion intersect with the goals around changing the culture of science. Discussions also considered the changes needed to move the field forward in this space. This workshop was the third in a series originating from the Action Collaborative on Neuroscience Training: Developing a Nimble and Versatile Workforce, an initiative of the Forum. The workshop series aims to illuminate critical issues and catalyze a reconsideration of how neuroscience training could be designed to meet current and future workforce needs across multiple sectors. This Proceedings of a Workshop-in Brief summarizes the discussions that occurred at the workshop.

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8 pages · 8.5 x 11 ·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-46272-X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26135

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Neuroscience Training: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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The global COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in laboratory closings, class disruptions, and hiring freezes. Combined with challenges experienced by the entire population, these situations have brought to light systemic institutional challenges faced by neuroscience trainees. At the same time, there has been a collective awakening around issues related to race, diversity, and inclusion. To explore these issues in more depth, consider changes needed across the ecosystem, and spark continuing discussion, a virtual workshop held on January 19, 2021. This workshop was the second in a series originating from the Action Collaborative on Neuroscience Training: Developing a Nimble and Versatile Workforce, an initiative of the Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The workshop series aims to illuminate critical issues and catalyze a reconsideration of how neuroscience training could be designed to meet current and future workforce needs across multiple sectors. This publication highlights the presentations of the workshop.

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Interactive Overview

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8 pages · 8.5 x 11 ·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-44783-6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26120

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Neuroscience Training in Challenging Times: An Opportunity to Address Long-Standing Problems and Move Forward: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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The Action Collaborative on Neuroscience Training: Developing a Nimble and Versatile Workforce (Action Collaborative) is an ad hoc activity convened under the auspices of the Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders (Neuroscience Forum) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Originated from and informed by the work of the Action Collaborative, the Neuroscience Forum launched a virtual workshop series in order to explore the rapidly evolving neuroscience career landscape and how neuroscience training programs can help trainees to develop the knowledge and skillset needed to advance their careers and biomedical science. The first of these workshops, held on August 20, 2020, tackled complex issues related to racial justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Panel presentations of the workshop were envisioned as a starting point for an ongoing discussion around the ways scientists can stand against racism and support diversity, equity, and inclusion in neuroscience and academia, both in their local communities and in the broader world. This publication highlights the presentations and discussion of the workshop.

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8 pages · 8.5 x 11 ·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-68437-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/25966

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Racial Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Neuroscience Training: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Neuroscience Training: Developing a Nimble and Versatile Workforce – A Virtual Workshop Series

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