Reforming Doctoral Education through the Lens of Professional Socialization to Train the Next Generation of Chemists

Abstract

Several national organizations in the United States have questioned the effectiveness of doctoral education in chemistry in preparing and training doctoral students for their desired professional pathways outside of academia. This study investigates the knowledge and skills that chemists with a doctorate across academic and nonacademic job sectors perceive to be necessary for their careers and the ways that these chemists require and/or value certain skillsets over others depending on their job sector. Based on a prior qualitative study, a survey was distributed to gather knowledge and skills needed by chemists with a doctorate in different job sectors. Findings based on 412 responses provide evidence that many 21st century skills beyond technical chemistry knowledge affect success in many types of workplaces. Further, academic and nonacademic job sectors were found to require different skills. The findings question the learning goals of graduate education programs that exclusively target technical skills and knowledge mastery versus those programs that incorporate concepts from professional socialization theory to broaden their scope. The results of this empirical investigation can be used to illuminate those learning targets that currently are less emphasized, to provide all doctoral students with the greatest opportunities for career success.