I'm sorry but this year it should be called "Lobby Universities, Funders and Governments To Actually Give a Damn About Postdocs Week" here's why...

While we all went into lockdown in our nice homes, or paused our studies to go back to families - who stayed on going into the labs for 14 hr days to develop vaccines, ventilators, diagnostics, epidemic models? *POSTDOCS*

When the universities scrambled to put money and effort into communicating change to staff, altering assessments for students and moving deadlines and funding for grad schools - who did they mostly forget? *POSTDOCS*

When government funders and research charities looked at their 2020 budget crisis and decided to first cut fellowship programs - who does this directly impact? *POSTDOCS*

When universities declare hiring freezes due to "uncertain times" - who does this screw over the most? *POSTDOCS*

When the economy shrinks who are the researchers trying to get on the housing ladder and start families who get screwed by not having enough money and no job security, despite being the smartest talent in the country? *POSTDOCS*

Are there more things I should add?? Far too many people involved in academia & science who are a step or two away from being in research groups completely take postdocs for granted, and in many cases totally forget about them. This is normally bad but this year is UNFORGIVABLE.

Funders and universities should be ashamed of their lack of support for postdocs this year. I certainly know @imperialcollege could have and should have done a LOT LOT better.

Universities seem very happy to push out lots of great PR on all the amazing COVID19-related work that is mostly being done by their postdocs, but are they rewarding these postdocs with pay rises, secure contracts, help with rents and housing, etc? LOL - of course not.

Lets use postdoc appreciation week this year to amplify this conversation higher and higher so that everyone recognises the unfairness of this situation. POSTDOCS DESERVE MORE THAN JUST 'APPRECIATION'.

/end

If you agree with this, please Retweet it. Loud voices on twitter CAN help drive change #postdocappreciationweek #paw #paw2020