Theoretical High Energy Physics Groups
Common Deadline for Postdoc Offers
An open letter to the theoretical physics community
June 1, 2007
In recent years, we have seen a growing number of early offers with
short deadlines for high energy theory postdoctoral positions.
This year, the practice has become too widespread to be ignored.
We are worried that this practice is preventing young researchers from
making a free and fair choice among their job opportunities. And,
while there may be some short term advantage for the institutions which
do this, we believe it will have serious negative effects in the long
run.
We should keep in mind that most of these positions are funded by
agencies for the purpose of promoting the training of young scholars in
theoretical physics. That is, the positions are primarily for the
benefit of the young researchers, rather than that of the institution
that hires them. From this point of view, it would be hard to
defend any policy which denied to postdoctoral candidates the maximum
possible choice among fellowships. Note also that the problem is
not with early offers per se, as long as the deadlines are reasonable.
Thus, we commit to make no postdoctoral offer for the fall of a given
year, whose deadline for acceptance is earlier than January 7th of that year. We
urge all of our colleagues at other institutions to follow the same
guidelines.
Please urge all institutions you are in contact with to join our pledge
to set deadlines no earlier than January 7.
Signed by:
Nikita Nekrasov
Simons Center for Geometry and Physics
nikita
insti.physics.sunysb.edu
Daniel Friedan
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
friedanphysics.rutgers.edu
Michael E. Peskin
SLAC Theory Group
mpeskinslac.stanford.edu
Laurent Baulieu
LPTHE, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 75005
baulieulpthe.jussieu.fr
Igor R. Klebanov
Princeton University
klebanovprinceton.edu
Edward Farhi
Center for Theoretical Physics, MIT
farhimit.edu
Luis Alvarez-Gaume
Theory Group, CERN
Luis.Alvarez-Gaumecern.ch
Yutaka Hosotani
Osaka University, High Energy Theory Group
hosotaniphys.sci.osaka-u.ac.jp
Costas Bachas
LPT of the Ecole Normale
Bachaslpt.ens.fr
Leonard Susskind
Stanford University
susskindstanford.edu
Andy Strominger
Harvard University
aestromfas.harvard.edu
Antonio Gonzalez-Arroyo
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
antonio.gonzalez-arroyouam.es
Stephen L.Adler
Institute for Advanced Study
adlerias.edu
Eliezer Rabinovici
Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University
Jerusalem 91904, Israel
ELIEZERVMS.HUJI.AC.IL
Michael Dine
University of California at Santa Cruz
dinescipp.ucsc.edu
George Sterman
C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics
Stony Brook University
george.stermanstonybrook.edu
Petr Horava
University of California, Berkeley
and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
horavaberkeley.edu
Tohru Eguchi
Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics,
Kyoto University
eguchiyukawa.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Massimo Bianchi
Dipartimento di Fisica & Sezione INFN
Universita' di Roma "Tor Vergata"
Massimo.Bianchiroma2.infn.it
Michael Gronau
Physics Department, Technion
gronauphysics.technion.ac.il
Chris Hill
Theoretical Physics Department, Fermilab
hillfnal.gov
Michael B. Green
High Energy Physics Group
DAMTP, University of Cambridge
m.b.greendamtp.cam.ac.uk
Amanda Peet
University of Toronto Physics
amanda.peetutoronto.ca
Wojtek J. Zakrzewski
MATHS-CPT, Durham University
W.J.Zakrzewskidurham.ac.uk
Alexander Sevrin
Theoretical High Energy Physics
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Alexandre.Sevrinvub.ac.be
Jan Louis
String Theory Group, Hamburg
jan.louisdesy.de
Dieter Zeppenfeld
Institut fuer Theoretische Physik
Universitaet Karlsruhe
dieterparticle.uni-karlsruhe.de
Marc Henneaux
Universite Libre de Bruxelles
International Solvay Institutes
henneauxulb.ac.be
Antal Jevicki
High Energy Theory Group, Brown
antalhet.brown.edu
Antoine Van Proeyen
K.U. Leuven, High-energy Physics group
Antoine.VanProeyenfys.kuleuven.be
Matthias Gaberdiel
Institute for Theoretical Physics
ETH Zuerich
mrgphys.ethz.ch
Matteo Bertolini
SISSA - Elemntary Particle Physics Sector
bertmatsissa.it
Joan Simon
School of Mathematic, University of Edinburgh
J.Simoned.ac.uk
Ivan Todorov, Emil Nissimov
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia
todorovinrne.bas.bg - nissimovinrne.bas.bg
Elias Kiritsis
CPHT, Ecole Polytechnique
kiritsisalicemail.frg
Bernard de Wit
Inst. for Theoretical Physics, Utrecht University
B.deWitphys.uu.nl
Hans Peter Nilles
Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet Bonn
nillesth.physik.uni-bonn.de
Chris Hull
Theoretical Physics Group, Imperial College London
c.hullimperial.ac.uk
Csaba Csaki
Newman Laboratory, Cornell University
csakimail.lepp.cornell.edu
Niels A. Obers
Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology Group
Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen
obersnbi.dk
Csaba Balazs
School of Physics, Monash University
Melbourne VIC 3800, Australia
Csaba.Balazssci.Monash.edu.au
Eric Laenen
Nikhef Amsterdam Theory Group
Eric.Laenennikhef.nl
Manuel Drees
Bonn University
dreesth.physik.uni-bonn.de
Herbi Dreiner
Theoretische Physik
Physikalisches Institut University of Bonn
dreinerth.physik.uni-bonn.de
Mark Van Raamsdonk
University of British Columbia
mavphysics.ubc.ca
Hermann Nicolai
Potsdam, Max Planck Institute
Hermann.Nicolaiaei.mpg.de
Robert Myers
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
rmyersperimeterinstitute.ca
Bengt EW Nilsson
Dept of Fundamental Physics
Chalmers University of Technology
tfebnfy.chalmers.se
Tom DeGrand
University of Colorado
degrandaurinko.colorado.edu
Shahin Sheikh-Jabbari
School of Physics, IPM, Tehran
jabbaritheory.ipm.ac.ir
Bill Spence
Centre for Research in String Theory
Queen Mary, University of London
w.j.spenceqmul.ac.uk
Jan Plefka
Quantum Field Theory Group
Humboldt-University Berlin
plefkaphysik.hu-berlin.de
Joseph Polchinski
UC at Santa Barbara/Kavli Institute
joepkitp.ucsb.edu
Laurence Yaffe
University of Washington
yaffephys.washington.edu
Graham Shore
Theoretical Physics, Swansea University
g.m.shoreswansea.ac.uk
Jean-Marc Gerard
Ctr. for Particle Physics/Phenomenology, UCL, Louvain
gerardfyma.ucl.ac.be
Martin Schmaltz
Boston University Particle Theory Group
schmaltzbu.edu
John Terning
UC Davis
terningphysics.ucdavis.edu
Jim Cline
McGill University
jclinhep.physics.mcgill.ca
Elizabeth H. Simmons
High-Energy Theory Group
Michigan State University
esimmonsmsu.edu
Finn Larsen
University of Michigan
larsenfumich.edu
Francesco Sannino
University of Southern Denmark
sanninoifk.sdu.dk
Charlotte Elster
INPP, Ohio University
elsterohiou.edu
Ofer Aharony
Weizmann Institute of Science
Ofer.Aharonyweizmann.ac.il
Mirjam Cvetic/Burt Ovrut
Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania
cveticcvetic.hep.upenn.edu
ovrutelcapitan.hep.upenn.edu
Alexey A Petrov
Wayne State University
apetrovwayne.edu
Ulf Lindström
Uppsala University
ulf.lindstromfysast.uu.se
Xerxes Tata
Theory Group, University of Hawaii
tataphys.hawaii.edu
Graham Kribs
University of Oregon
kribsuoregon.edu
Zvi Bern
Department of Physics and Astronomy
UCLA
bernphysics.ucla.edu
Michael Krämer
Institute for Theoretical Physics
RWTH Aachen University
mkraemerphysik.rwth-aachen.de
Alfonso V. Ramallo
String Theory Group
University of Santiago de Compostela
Spain
alfonsofpaxp1.usc.es
Gary Shiu
University of Wisconsin, Madison
shiuphysics.wisc.edu
Doug Toussaint
University of Arizona High Energy Theory Group
dougphysics.arizona.edu
R. Sekhar Chivukula
Michigan State University High Energy Theory Group
sekhapa.msu.edu
Simon Catterall
Syracuse University Theoretical Particle Physics Group
smcphysics.syr.edu
Pavel Nadolsky
Southern Methodist University
nadolskysmu.edu
John Donoghue
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
donoghuephysics.umass.edu
Paul H. Frampton
Department of Physics and Astronomy,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
framptonphysics.unc.edu
Manfred Lindner
Director, Max Planck Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
lindnermpi-hd.mpg.de
Patrick Huber
Physics Department, Virginia Tech
pahubervt.edu
Matthew Headrick
Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University
headrickbrandeis.edu
Subir Sarkar
Particle Theory Group, Oxford University
s.sarkarphysics.ox.ac.uk
Christopher D. Carone
Physics Department, College of William & Mary
cdcarowm.edu
Markus Diehl
Theory Group, DESY, Hamburg Site
markus.diehldesy.de
Cobi Sonnenschein
Tel Aviv University
cobi post.tau.ac.il
Michael Klasen
Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Münster
michael.klasen uni-muenster.de
Joseph Bramante
Queen's University
joseph.bramantequeensu.ca
Pasquale Di Bari and Steve King
BSM, Neutrino and Cosmology group, University of Southampton
P.Di-Barisoton.ac.uk
John Joseph M. Carrasco
Northwestern University
carrasconorthwestern.edu
Vincent Vennin
LPENS (Laboratoire de Physique de l'Ecole Normale Superieure), Paris, France
vincent.venninens.fr
Frequently asked
questions
1. Who should sign this letter?
2. How can we sign?
3. Why choose January 7, and not some other date?
4. What if our job starts before September?
What if our job covers several fields, not just
theoretical physics, and we have to compete with earlier deadlines in
other fields? What if external
considerations (say a funding agency deadline) force us to set an
earlier deadline?
5. Can we give a suggested response date in
advance of January 7?
6. What should I (a candidate) do if I am given
an earlier hard deadline?
7. Why not use a centralized matching system?
Answers:
1. Who should
sign this letter?
Researchers in theoretical physics who hire postdocs. This
agreement was originally proposed by theoretical particle physicists,
but we are happy to have others join as well.
Of course, the proposal could be of interest beyond these fields.
However, to keep the discussion and signature list to a manageable
size, and because some of the details (such as the date) might be
different in different fields, we would ask others to start independent
agreements.
It is only necessary to have one person sign per group, meaning either
a typical size department in a university, or a group with a coherent
hiring policy within a larger department, lab or other
institution. Of course, that person should be authorized by the
group, and willing to take responsibility for the agreement.
2. How can we
sign?
Send an e-mail to
postdoc-agreementinsti.physics.sunysb.edu
stating the necessary information, including contact information.
Of course, you can also ask to be removed from the agreement.
3. Why choose
January 7, and not some other date?
First, we would like to maximize the time available for candidates to
publish their work and submit their applications. This rules out
deadlines in December and earlier. The holiday break also
provides a natural interval in which candidates can consider offers,
get information, and in some cases make decisions.
On the other hand, all other factors being equal, an earlier date would
be preferable, to speed up the process.
One argument for a somewhat later deadline is the following. Once
some candidates have accepted offers, they will turn down others,
freeing some groups to make early second offers. This will enable
other candidates to switch to these offers, freeing up more
institutions to make early second offers. This procedure can
iterate and we do not want candidates to be forced to accept jobs as it
is taking place. Thus, for the process to be fair, we must allow
some time for this process to converge, before enforcing a hard
deadline on the first round offers.
The holiday break ends on different days, depending on the institution
and the vicissitudes of the calendar. CERN, for example, is
closed the first week of January, and so might not re-open until the
8th. Even for those with more flexibility, if January 1 falls on
a Thursday, it could easily be January 5 before a group could hold a
meeting to make second offers.
Then, allowing several days for the early second offers to complete,
brings us somewhere between January 7 and January 15. We have
fixed on the earliest date in this range.
4. What if
our job starts before September? What if our job covers several fields, not
just theoretical physics, and we have to compete with earlier deadlines
in other fields? What if
external considerations (say a funding agency deadline) force us to set
an earlier deadline?
Although we believe that every effort should be made to follow this
agreement, there are a variety of special situations which are
legitimate reasons for a nonstandard deadline.
To avoid confusion, we are providing a public "opt-out" list, in which
groups can register the fact that a particular position has a
nonstandard deadline, and state the reasons. This can be done by
sending e-mail to
postdoc-agreementinsti.physics.sunysb.edu
(the same address as above), we would hope at the time the position is
first
announced.
5. Can we
give a suggested response date in advance of January 7?
Yes. This agreement applies to hard deadlines, beyond which an
offer is withdrawn, and perhaps offered to another candidate. An
earlier response date can be requested, for any reason. But if
the candidate asks for an extension until January 7, this must be
honored.
6. What
should I (a candidate) do if I am given an earlier hard deadline?
Ask politely for an extension until January 7.
If this is refused, let us (any of the signatories) know.
7. Why not
use a centralized matching system?
In some comparable situations, candidates are assigned to institutions
using a centralized matching system. The example that we know
about is the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) for medical
residencies, described at
http://www.nrmp.org/
In rough outline, candidates and institutions provide rank ordered
lists to the service, which then makes binding assignments attempting
to maximize the preferences of all involved, essentially simultaneously
(over one week).
Candidates and institutions are allowed to informally communicate their
general preferences to each other in advance, so the system allows for
some degree of human contact and maneuver at that stage.
It seems likely to us that, because of the many differences between the
professions and institutions in the two cases, adapting this system to
our situation would require a great deal of work.
And as is evident from their website, the system requires a great deal
of administration to run, and to enforce the agreements on the parties
involved. But this may be an interesting direction to consider
for the future.
No exceptional deadlines listed.
(This page was last edited Dec. 22, 2017. Send comments to postdoc-agreementinsti.physics.sunysb.edu.)