Number 287 (Story #2), September 20, 1996 by Phillip F. Schewe and Ben Stein DO MANY PHYSICS POSTDOCS CONSIDER THEMSELVES "UNDEREMPLOYED"? No, unless their appointments extend beyond three years, according to a new report from the AIP Education and Employment Statistics Division. Within 6 months of graduation, 63 percent of all U.S. physics PhDs in 1994 held postdoctoral appointments, which are temporary positions that provide continued education and training in research. Approximately 30 percent of fourth-year postdocs classified themselves as "underemployed"; the figure is less than 5 percent for first-year postdocs. (The 213 postdocs who responded to the AIP survey were left to define the term "underemployment" for themselves). But postdocs at all stages responded that their physics education is being put to good use: over 95 percent of first year postdocs and 80 percent of the fourth-year postdocs responded that they consider their current jobs "professionally challenging." (For more information, and a free copy of the report, contact Raymond Chu of AIP, rchu@aip.acp.org, 301-209-3069.)