u/safayetahmed

Hi everyone,

I’ll be visiting Princeton University soon. I’m flying into Newark (EWR) and looking for the best way to get to campus and back.

Normally I'd look into a shuttle or the NJ Transit train, but my return flight out of EWR is at 6:30 AM.

Given that I'll need to be at the airport around 4:30 AM–5:00 AM, should I just rent a car, or are there reliable early-morning shuttle/car services that can get me there that early? If renting a car, how is the parking situation on or near campus for visitors?

Appreciate any advice or local insights! Thanks!

I’m an experimental physicist and could really use some advice. There is no further funding available for my current US postdoc, and unfortunately, the department won't let me stay on just as a facility user.

My situation:
Background: PhD and a short postdoc outside the US + current US postdoc = more than 3 years total postdoc experience. I'm a 100% hands-on experimentalist.

Goal: Industry or National Lab staff position. Zero interest in the academic tenure track.

Roadblock: My Green Card is still pending. I'm also not getting many callbacks for industry roles—it's hard to say if the pending GC is the main filter or if it's just a tough market right now.

I'm basically in survival mode. Right now, I can only find National Lab postdocs that align with my specific experience, rather than full staff positions.

My concern: I know DOE National Labs often have a strict 5-year post-PhD limit for postdocs. Since I already have 3 years of postdoc experience, my runway to prove myself and convert to staff would be pretty short (1 to 2 years).

My question: Is it wise to find/do another postdoc at a National Lab right now to ride out the Green Card wait and try to get my foot in the door for a staff role? Or is it too risky given my timeline? Has anyone here made a similar jump?