Canada’s Fundamental Science Review: How you can help to #SupportTheReport
Release of the Naylor Report The Advisory Panel for Canada’s Fundamental Science Review headed by Dr. David Naylor officially submitted its final report to the Government of Canada on April 10th, 2017. The report entitled INVESTING IN CANADA’S FUTURE: Strengthening the Foundations of Canadian Research (aka: the Naylor Report) provides a comprehensive list of evidence-based …
CAPS/ACSP Submission to the Advisory Panel for Canada’s Fundamental Science Review
In the fall of 2016 the CAPS/ACSP Executive Council submitted a report to the Science Secretariat in response to a request for input from the Chair of the Advisory Panel for Canada’s Fundamental Science Review, Dr. David Naylor. This was one of many reports submitted during the Advisory Panel’s consultation process, but unlike most groups, …
Changes to CAPS/ACSP Membership and Email Lists
CAPS/ACSP has revised our membership structure and email list access to accommodate: – Current postdocs (Active Members) – Former postdocs (Alumni Members) – All other interested parties (Adjunct Members) We also added Affiliation forms so groups/organizations (e.g., PDAs, PDOs, etc.) can now register as CAPS/ACSP-Affiliates for the purposes of recognition and information sharing. All current …
Alberta Postdoctoral Associations Advocate for Employee Status and Uniform Provincial Policies
In April 2016 the Presidents of the Postdoctoral Association of the University of Calgary (PDAC), the University of Alberta Postdoctoral Fellows Association (PDFA), and the University of Lethbridge Postdoctoral Fellows Association (ULPA) submitted a letter to the Alberta Government requesting a meeting with the Province to discuss much-needed improvements in postdoctoral policy on behalf of …
2016 Canadian National Postdoctoral Survey Results
CAPS-ACSP is excited to officially release the 2016 Canadian National Postdoc Survey Report and Executive Summary. The survey and report were funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. The survey covered a wide range …
A Unique Approach to the Start-Up is Ideal for Young Researchers
Over my years working with CAPS/ACSP (2011 – present), I have all-to-frequently witnessed postdocs frustrated with their employment opportunities. Both the 2013 CAPS/ACSP Postdoctoral Survey and the forthcoming 2016 survey (ask me in November) show that roughly 75% of postdocs are looking for a permanent position in the academy. Unfortunately, the reality is that there …
CRA Employment Status Rulings: Important information for all postdocs working in Canada
As a member of the Executive Board of the Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars / Association Canadienne des Stagiaires Postdoctoraux (CAPS/ACSP), I regularly respond to emails from postdocs working all over Canada, who contact our organization for assistance and advice. Far too often those emails are from postdocs who are pregnant (or their friends or colleagues), who contact us seeking information about sources of funds for support during maternity leave. I am sure that many of you know postdocs working in Canada who have faced these or similar challenges related
CAPS/ACSP 2013 Survey Results
The 2013 Canadian Postdoc Survey: Painting a Picture of Canadian Postdoctoral Scholars The Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars / l’Association canadienne des stagiaires post-doctoraux (CAPS-ACSP) is pleased to release the report from the 2013 Survey of Canadian Postdoctoral Scholars, (Executive Summary, Full Report) conducted in collaboration with Mitacs, between March and April, 2013. Postdoctoral scholars, or postdocs, are …
Improving the Experiences of Social Sciences & Humanities Postdocs in Canada
In 2013 the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada / Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada (SSHRC/CRSH) initiated a review of the training, career development needs, and administration of postdoctoral fellows (‘postdocs’) in the social sciences and humanities in Canada. Under consideration were proposals to shift SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships (S-PDF) to …
History of Postdoctoral Taxation in Canada
Between 2008 and 2010 the CAPS/ACSP Executive (along with other groups) sought to clarify the status of postdocs in Canada with respect to taxation of income, particularly for postdocs on fellowships/scholarships. This post reviews the timeline of issues and changes in taxation of postdocs during that period, the end result of which was the current …