Academia and the World Beyond, Volume 2 - A PhD Is Not a Commitment to Academia

A common question posed to PhD students from friends and family is, “What will you do after?” But many students are too focused on the PhD itself and have not yet had a chance to sufficiently think about post-PhD life. This book is a collection of 31 interviews with those who have completed a PhD and are now in a non-academic role. Interviewees provide background into their PhD topic and discuss how they transitioned to their current position, including what additional training was necessary and how their PhD training has helped them succeed. In these interviews, two broad non-academic career paths are explored: academic-adjacent careers use research expertise through industry, policy, and publishing; and skill-transfer careers, applying transferable abilities like critical thinking. Recognising a PhD need not lead to a faculty career opens possibilities to leverage doctoral skills in impactful new contexts.