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Two UW Postdocs Explain 'Postdoc Power'

Springtime on the University of Washington campus. The Board of Regents announced this morning that University of Utah president Michael Young will take the top post at the U.W.
University of Washington
Springtime on the University of Washington campus. The Board of Regents announced this morning that University of Utah president Michael Young will take the top post at the U.W.

Post-doctoral researchers occupy sort of a gray area on many university campuses. They're no longer students, but they aren't ready to be professors either. You see postdocs a lot in the sciences, where that extra lab time is virtually required before having a university lab of one's own.

Their unique situation is one reason why some postdocs at the University of Washington are trying to form a union.

Brian Weitzner is a postdoc in the biochemistry department and Carolyn Brotherton works in microbiology. They explain why they think a union is the best way to address their concerns.

The conversation above is one of two exploring labor issues facing post-doctoral researchers. The first conversation is a broader look at how postdocs have changed.

A Seattle native and former KNKX intern, Simone Alicea spent four years as a producer and reporter at KNKX. She earned her Bachelor's of Journalism from Northwestern University and covered breaking news for the Chicago Sun-Times. During her undergraduate career, she spent time in Cape Town, South Africa, covering metro news for the Cape Times.