I am in the first year of my environmental related PhD and have dreamed of being a professor, but with everything going on, it seems like academia is not going to return to what it used to be. Should I change career paths to be more realistic? What should I “expect” jobs/post doc availability to look like at the end of my PhD? Scary times 🙁
Comments
I think it’s generally unlikely to get tenure. You chances might have decreased a bit (depending on the field), but they weren’t high to start with.
Well, the good news is you’re a first year, you probably have like four years left, right? Things could change a lot in that time, hopefully we have a different administration by the time you’re writing up your thesis. Just sit tight for now and finish your degree. It’s smart for any student, regardless of politics, to think about multiple options outside of academia, so keep your ears open and note what opportunities other people in your field are getting, but you don’t need to make any decisions today.
Realistically, you should always have a backup plan if your academic career didn’t work out. The chances of getting a tt position was low in the first place, with all the hiring freezes, budget cuts, things will just get worse. You’re still early in your career so you can still develop transitional skills that the industry needs.