My current stipend as a PDF is just enough to cover all my necessary costs (only groceries and bills) as I was living with my family who all have full-time employment. However, after the recent situation with global inflation, I am experiencing a lot of financial stress in meeting my monthly costs, forcing me to reconsider alternative career transitions outside of academia/research; as I feel staying in research as a PDF in the near future is not financially and emotionally sustainable.
If postdoctoral funding was CAD $60,000/yr for all postdocs, how would that change your life? This increase would allow me to pursue my interest in research without worrying about my financial situation. I will also likely continue my career pursuits in academia while being able to start a family.
Additional Comments: I think leaders and professors need to consider graduate students and PDFs as future leaders in making impacts in Canada. To get there, we would need sufficient supports to help us grow and learn, and a sustainable financial stipend is definitely one of the keys that we need.
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