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© Phil Mynott
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The University of Cambridge climbed to first place this year among
international institutions, up from 9th last year and 25th in 2006. One reason
for the jump, says Oliver Jones, a postdoc in biochemistry and leader of the
university's postdoc society, is the university's new focus on professional
training. "If you want to learn some new skill there's usually some way of doing
it."
About five years ago, the postdoc society began lobbying for career
support services. In September, 2006, the university responded, hiring
careers adviser Anne Forde to guide the approximately 900 postdocs in the life
sciences. The program hit the ground running. In less than a year, Forde held
approximately 170 one-on-one meetings, numerous workshops to critique
resumes, and three seminars a year on topics including how to secure funding,
jobs in industry, and non-bench career options.
An emphasis on collaboration and several new facilities are also
helping expand postdocs' scientific playground. Cambridge's renowned
faculty - the university boasts 35 life-science-related Nobel Prizes - has
always attracted young researchers, but a handful of new institutes are also
raising its profile. A new stem cell research center opened in December, 2006,
and the Institute of Metabolic Sciences is expected to open this summer. Last
February, the university completed a new center for cancer research, which will
receive £20 million annually in core funding. The university also launched a
website to help researchers and postdocs seek out cross-disciplinary
collaborations. "We're not only interested in setting up institutes," says
David Sargan, director of the Graduate School of Life Sciences, "we're also
making sure they cross-fertilize with each other."
