The Silent Crisis in Academia: A Reflection on Personal Identity and Career Uncertainty

Academia, a realm of relentless pursuit and groundbreaking discoveries, is hiding a silent crisis - one of personal identity and career uncertainty, affecting many researchers worldwide.

Dr Sarah Smith*, a postdoctoral researcher at a top university, delivered an engaging presentation on groundbreaking research at an international conference. That night, she sat on the floor of her hotel room, alone and crying.

How did she end up here?

Initially, Sarah didn't notice anything was wrong. She felt fortunate to have secured a position at a prestigious lab and worked tirelessly to produce new research. Gradually, she stopped making time for her hobbies or seeing friends to focus more on work. One day, after another exhausting day bent over a microscope, an intrusive thought struck her: "Why am I even doing this?". From that moment, her unhappiness and frustration grew, leading her to question every decision that led her to pursue a PhD and then a postdoc. Although she loved research, she wanted out.

But it wasn't as simple as that.

For someone who had built her entire identity around her career as a scientist, this thought sent Sarah into a downward mental spiral. Who was she if not a researcher? Had she wasted years working for nothing? Would she have had more friends and a happier home life if she hadn't spent all those nights at the lab?

Sarah is among the 75% of postdocs worldwide battling mental health issues caused by academia like work-life imbalance, job demands, supervisor leadership styles, and, most of all, career uncertainty.

At the heart of this stress lies career enmeshment, where the boundaries between individual identity and job roles blur. In their quest for success, many researchers become so engrossed in 'playing the game' that they overlook their excessive dependence on their careers. The relentless pursuit of scientific excellence fuses their self-worth with their academic achievements. However, as the demands and pressures of academia grow, this fusion turns from a source of motivation to a significant liability, leading to a profound identity crisis.

The Achievement Bender

Fueled by a relentless quest for knowledge and accolades, aspiring academics like Sarah find themselves in a high-stakes game to survive. This quest takes the form of an "achievement bender," a term I came across in Sarah Cooley's blog. The 'achievement bender' embodies the persistent pursuit of academic accomplishments and recognition to the exclusion of all else, where each research breakthrough and subsequent publication delivers a potent emotional high. Although it serves to secure research funding, this pursuit is also somewhat reminiscent of a drug addict in constant search of their next fix.

However, as academia becomes increasingly overcrowded, this unending drive for achievement turns from a motivator into a liability. The cutthroat competition and all-consuming culture of academia often limit the exploration of alternative paths, leaving researchers lost in the emotional and personal costs of their unwavering commitment. The moment of reckoning arrives when reality sets in, and researchers like Sarah must grapple with the core of their identity. The relentless pursuit of scientific excellence has fused their self-worth and personal value with their academic success in an extremely narrow field of study.

The achievement bender that once fueled their passion suddenly becomes a liability. But leaving academia is an emotionally charged decision. It's not merely the difficult leap of a career change; it's a transformative shift in your self-perception. The academic world, which once defined who you were, is no longer a safe space. As you embark on new journeys outside academia, you face uncertainty, self-doubt (hello again, imposter syndrome), and also a profound sense of loss.

The Postdoc Predicament

In South Africa, 41% of full-time PhD students will go on to do a postdoctoral fellowship, as shown by a 2022 tracer study from Stellenbosch. The postdoctoral phase in the scientific world is akin to a rite of passage. It's a time when researchers deepen their expertise and contribute significantly to their respective, specialised fields of study - achievement bender prime-time. However, it's also a time when the unsettling reality of academia hits aspiring academics in the face. The traditional postdoc appointment lasts two or three years and, though chock-full of learning, lacks the stability and financial benefits needed for long-term career planning. Postdocs are paid 'stipends', and although they often do the work of professional academic staff, are not considered staff and thus don't get medical, retirement or other employee benefits. As the academic job market tightens, many researchers are forced to "postdoc-hop" from one role to another; at least 19% of South African postdocs hold four or more consecutive postdoctoral positions due to a lack of employment opportunities in the academic sector. Keep in mind that the average age of a postdoctoral fellow in South Africa is 34, with a common age cutoff for postdoc positions at age 40.

Obviously, this cycle is not sustainable and the looming, ominous specter of alternative career paths outside academia becomes increasingly real. With an unemployment rate of 32.6%, having a PhD in South Africa also does not guarantee you a job outside of academia. In fact, PhD graduates are often excluded from the industry recruitment space because they are seen as overqualified by human resource personnel. For those lucky enough to find a job, one in five South African PhD graduates don't find employment related to their field of expertise. Absurdly, the South African government wants 6000 PhD graduates per annum by 2025. Where should they all be employed when academic positions are scarce, and most universities leave doctoral graduates woefully unprepared for industry careers?

A Way Forward?

So, what lies beyond the borders of academia for those brave enough to leave? It's a journey fraught with challenges but one that can lead to rediscovery and personal growth. Researchers must learn to untangle their identities from the academic awards that once defined them. Building a more sustainable approach to career goals and self-worth is crucial. Finding new passions, engaging in activities unrelated to your field, and nurturing meaningful relationships outside academia can be a life-saver. Reconnecting with personal values can offer guidance on the path ahead. As researchers redefine their roles and purposes, they discover that their skills and expertise go beyond academic boundaries.

Universities and the scientific community must also recognise the importance of nurturing diverse career paths and supporting those who venture beyond academia. Doctoral candidates urgently require specialised workshops that focus on crafting effective cover letters and CVs, translating their academic skills into industry-relevant qualifications. Researchers could also explore online resources to this effect, but be careful of sites like Cheeky Scientist. Although these types of sites may have some useful resources, don't fall for their promises to help STEM graduates transition to industry jobs by offering mentorship packages for thousands of dollars, leaving many desperate academics drowning in debt.

Supervisors should encourage and support PhDs and postdocs to attend diverse up-skilling workshops unrelated to their narrow scientific field (a science storytelling and filmmaking course sparked my interest in communication and ultimately led to my departure from academia). At the same time, our government should prioritise creating job opportunities rather than inflating the number of PhD graduates as a façade of success. It's a collective responsibility to create a more sustainable scientific ecosystem.

In the end, the intersection of identity and academia is a complex web, and there are no simple solutions to solving the crisis young academics currently face. All I know is that the turning point, when researchers bid farewell to the familiar confines of academia, is a moment of profound transformation and can be deeply unsettling. We should all be talking about it more openly. But here's a reminder – as scientists, our identities are not solely defined by our careers but by our capacity to adapt, grow, and discover new facets of ourselves.

To researchers facing this crisis – know that you are not alone. Be kind to yourself and give yourself the time to indulge in a pastime or passion simply for your enjoyment. Even such a small step could guide you towards discovering a life beyond the lab.

I'll leave you with this quote:

"I heard the longer you entertain what's not for you, the longer you postpone what is." – Kayla Simone

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*Sarah Smith is a fictional character used in this article to illustrate the challenges faced by many postdoctoral researchers.