Dr. Teele Tõnismann

Governments and stakeholders in Europe's doctoral eco-system are increasingly prioritizing the enhancement of post-PhD intersectoral mobility, with a particular focus on facilitating transitions to non-academic sectors. However, many current studies on doctoral intersectoral mobility do not capture the nuanced patterns in career planning specific to different fields and overlook the importance of prior career experiences. This study introduces ongoing research aimed at enhancing understanding of post-PhD career planning practices. The study utilizes analytical concepts, particularly 'career scripts,' as proposed by Laudel et al. (2019) for analyzing researchers' careers to investigate doctorate career planning practices. Drawing upon their framework, the study examines doctoral candidates in sociology-related laboratories in the Paris region, treating doctoral studies as a distinct career stage. It delves into how 'career scripts'—shared interpretive frameworks representing typical career sequences—are influenced by institutional support structures within research organizations. Instead of solely relying on institutional support mechanisms, the study underscores the importance of individual circumstances, personal trajectories, and networks in shaping career planning practices for PhD researchers. Finally, the study makes an attempt to articulate research on the governance of research, sociology of science, and doctorate careers, which are typically not articulated together.

References:
Laudel, G., Bielick, J., & Gläser, J. (2019). 'Ultimately the question always is: "What do I have to do to do it right?"' Scripts as explanatory factors of career decisions. Human Relations, 72(5), 932-961.

Teele Tõnismann holds a dual Ph.D. degree in Political Sciences and Public Administration from universities in France and Estonia. Her research interests include doctoral policies, careers, and government strategies related to science, with a comparative perspective. She is particularly interested in exploring the transformations of public policies in post-communist spaces and in France, as well as researching doctoral careers and intersectoral mobility within the framework of science policy reforms in European countries. Currently, Teele's focus is on examining the development of national and international doctoral policies and their impact on organizational practices, with specific attention to field-specific effects.