Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences under pressure

Senior Fellow of Advance HE Susan Gasson sheds insights to global challenge for early career researchers

- BY DISHANI SENARATNE

HUMANITIES, Arts and Social Sciences research continues to face resistance and concern, compared to Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

To further exacerbate matters, the career paths of researchers working in Humanities are often precarious and tenuous. Sadly, this seems to be a global phenomenon.

In this exclusive interview, Senior Fellow of Advance HE Susan Gasson, PhD. shares her insights from her latest edited volume Early Career Researcher Pathways, into how early career researchers navigate the challenges in the work force. Here is an excerpt from the email interview:

How would you describe being an “early career researcher” to someone who is not in academia?

A: The early career researcher I am writing to in my book is anyone enrolled in a doctoral program or within six years of graduating from one. This group of people have the potential to lead global research into the future, and is the engine room for teaching, learning and service in higher education.

What inspired you to write this book, and how did the idea first come to you?

A: As a manager and senior lecturer in the tertiary sector, I saw increasing evidence of challenges facing doctoral graduates in entering the workforce. I wanted to understand those challenges more and to enable the pursuit of careers in academia and industry. I wanted to see this important cohort realise their expectations and realise the benefits they could provide for the broader community.