University Times

Pitt ranked 17th in the 2012 “Best Places to Work in Academia” survey, published this month by The Scientist magazine.

Institutions ranked in the survey included universities, research institutes and hospitals.

Pitt was the second-highest ranked U.S. university; only the University of Michigan, at 16th, ranked higher.

The top-ranked institution was J. David Gladstone Institutes, a San Francisco-based nonprofit biomedical research organization.

The rankings were determined through a web-based survey, conducted during the last four months of 2011, in which life scientists were asked to highlight the aspects of the work they value most — such as support, access to great research, and collaborations — as well as areas they wish their institutions would improve. Researchers around the world said they valued the personal satisfaction their workplace offers above all else.

For the survey, email invitations were sent to readers of The Scientist and registrants on The Scientist web site who identified themselves as full-time life scientists working in academia or noncommercial research institutions. The survey also was publicized on The Scientist web site and through news stories.

The survey results and methodology are detailed in the article “Best Places to Work in Academia, 2012,” appearing online at www.the-scientist.com.