Position statement on short-term research contracts
The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the plight of postdoctoral researchers. Most researchers are driven by intellectual curiosity rather than the desire for financial reward, spending years on a succession of short-term contracts, which can make a career in science an unattractive option.
The microbiology workforce has played an integral role in the UK’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, from COVID-19 testing to clinical research involving patients, and not forgetting the incredible efforts of our NHS healthcare scientists working on the frontline. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense disruption to microbiology research across the various career stages and disciplines, further exacerbating the inequalities in microbiology research careers, including career insecurity and uncertainties around career progression.
SfAM contributed to the Royal Society of Biology's response to the Science and Technology Select Committee (Commons) inquiry into a new UK research funding agency.
SfAM contributed to the Royal Society of Biology's response to UKRI's Open Access Review, which sought views on its proposed open access policy for peer-reviewed research articles and academic books that result from research supported by UKRI.
SfAM has responded to an invitation from Oxford University Press (OUP) to contribute to the current review of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) ahead of the forthcoming 2024 cycle.
The Society for Applied Microbiology contributed to an evidence submission from the Campaign for Science and Engineering to the Migration Advisory Committee's consultation on the impact of international students in the UK
