Brain Canada sought objective evidence of the long-term career outcomes associated with its investments in students and trainees to do research. Alumni Analyzer was engaged to examine the career trajectories of Brain Canada-supported trainees and to assess the extent to which these investments contribute to developing research talent and leadership capacity in Canada.
Alumni Analyzer’s analysis found that Brain Canada-supported students and trainees are highly likely to pursue careers in research-intensive environments and leadership roles. Compared with a control group of similar PhD graduates and postdoctoral researchers, Brain Canada-supported trainees were employed in academia at nearly twice the rate and were substantially more likely to secure academic positions early in their careers.
The findings demonstrate how investments through the Canada Brain Research Fund contribute to developing Canada’s next generation of research leaders in academia, health care, and other research-intensive sectors.