Chief Executive update - pondering on career choices
Throughout the latter half of 2020, we have shared with you the Society's initiatives regarding early career researchers (ECRs) – a discussion paper in August from our ECR Forum, and then a focus in Professor Wendy Larner’s Presidential address in October on the issues around the existence of an academic precariat – a group of ECRs in prolonged temporary employment.
On 30 November, we undertook a further initiative, using the Society's convening power to bring together representatives of wide-ranging stakeholders in the research community to a workshop. We presented evidence that shows there is a significant mismatch between the fields of study and the career aspirations of those completing doctorates with their likely employment opportunities. Relatively few New Zealanders study in fields with the highest potential to contribute to economic development so the precariat is concentrated in natural sciences, health, society and culture; fields in which women, Māori and Pacific researchers are most strongly represented. The challenge in the workshop was to identify causes, and more importantly, suggest how improvements can be made.
At about the same time, three other events that to me are significant occurred:
- Some researchers with close affiliation to us published an analysis of PBRF data which showed that the actual career progression of Māori and Pacific academics lags behind their achievements – a great concern!
- The Productivity Commission released preliminary findings on the performance of frontier firms in this country, and why this country was lagging behind other small advanced economies in building new world-class economic activity. Pleasingly, Māori companies do reasonably well. However, their findings match plausibly with our finding that this country graduates modest numbers of domestic doctorates in the fields that are most likely to develop new economic activity.
- Peter Beck of Rocket Lab spoke to our Rutherford Discovery Fellows – what an impressive example of a Kiwi who saw no barrier to being world-class as too hard. He sees risks as challenges to overcome, not reasons not to take on the world. Rocket Lab is a shining example of a pioneer firm at the cutting edge.
Since then I have been reflecting on the question of balance between what I simplistically call the “earning” and “spending” economies. Both are vital – the former creating our ability to purchase the services we desire, and the latter delivering our physical and soft infrastructure, healthcare, social support and so on. We need both to be highly efficient and effective. So the question I am left to ponder over the summer is whether we have the balance right? When our young people make individual choices following their interests, are enough attitudinally bold enough to take on the world?
So please enjoy your summer break after this very strange year. If you have a chance, please encourage those budding pioneering innovators within your family and community to be ambitious – I think this country sorely needs that ambition!