Published: Sept. 8, 2020

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) is excited to recognize the invaluable contributions of CU Boulder postdocs during National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW) from September 21-25.

Each year, NPAW celebrates the research and teaching activities of postdocs. Officially recognized by Congress in 2010, this year's week long celebration will feature a variety of virtual sessions covering topics specific to the postdoc community. Online offerings from CU Boulder and other universities are listed below, as well as a keynote address from the National Postdoc Association to start the week.

The Research & Innovation Office (RIO) and OPA are once again sponsoring Outstanding Postdoc and Outstanding Mentor Awards. Acknowledging the significant contributions of both postdocs and postdoc mentors, these awards will be announced during NPAW.

Monday, September 21, 2020

Dr. Sharon Milgram, Director of the Office of Intramural Training and Education at the National Institutes of Health will deliver a keynote address on building resilience and well-being practices for trainees in an era of COVID-19 with an emphasis on how the pandemic has redefined our training environments and the job market for PhDs and postdocs. *Registration page allows registration for multiple events offered by the Univ. of Kentucky. All events are open to virtual audiences

10:00 - 11:00am

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Mentoring Matters: Christine Pfund, Ph.D. will discuss the science of mentorship, the need for improved mentorship of postdocs and what institutions and organizations can do to advance mentorship. John Beacom, Ph.D. will discuss his experience in mentorship through real life practice. The webinar will conclude with a facilitated Q&A.

11:00 - 12:00pm

Register

Do you find health insurance terminology confusing? You are not alone. In this webinar, Steve Johnson will help demystify unfamiliar concepts and terms commonly seen when looking at health insurance benefit summaries or speaking with healthcare professionals to help us be more better equipped to make informed decisions.

1:00 - 2:30pm

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Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Connect virtually with your fellow postdocs from across the globe. You’ll have multiple opportunities to meet and chat with peers in your discipline.

10:00 - 11:30am

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Jeffery Bieber, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation, University of Kentucky; Rebeccah Dutch, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky; Morris Grubbs, Ph.D. Assistant Dean for Professional Enhancement, Graduate School, University of Kentucky; Paul Rottmann, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky.

10:00 - 11:00am

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Stephanie Davis, Ph.D. AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the NIA Office of Small Business Research; Chip Meyer, Ph.D. Senior Medical Science Liaison in Neuroscience at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies (U.S.); Erin Oakley, Ph.D. Cancer Education Coordinator, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky; Eric Sokol, Ph.D. Staff Scientist in Quantitative Ecology at NEON.

10:00 - 11:00am

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Joyce Fernandes, PhD; Professor, Department of Biology; Director of Undergraduate Research; Miami University

11:00 - 12:00pm

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Juan Pablo Ruiz is a creator of the Mentoring Up curriculum, which empowers postdocs to manage their relationships with their mentors. Juan Pablo will share the themes of Mentoring Up, his own mentoring experiences, and thoughts about the effects of the current climate on training and mentorship.

12:00 - 1:00pm

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As part of National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW), this workshop will focus on best practices for writing a quality grant proposal for potential funders. Jim Mazzouccolo, Proposal Editor & Writing Coach for the Research & Innovation Office (RIO), will discuss key steps, including reviewing funder guidelines and requirements, planning the project, writing, editing and proofreading. Jim will also share details about how to navigate the university process for submitting grants, which is overseen by the Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG).

12:00 - 1:00pm

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Join this webinar presented by U.S. immigration lawyer Brian Getson, to learn more about the Administration’s June 2020 Immigration Order and what that could mean for you as a postdoc or scientific researcher.

1:00 - 2:00pm

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Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Postdocs are invited to give short talks! Short talks will be in depth, 10min, research presentations that will be judged by a faculty panel.

10:00 - 11:00am

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Hosted by Cincinnati Children's Hospital and University of Cincinnati, Evan Brooks will offer insights for maximizing social media to your academic benefit.

11:00am - 12:00pm

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The mission of the NRMN is "to provide researchers across all career stages in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences with the evidence-based mentorship and professional development programming that emphasizes the benefits and challenges of diversity, inclusivity and culture". Learn more about the resources available and how to use them through this virtual tour of the National Research Mentoring Network.

1:00 - 2:00pm

Register

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Are you interested in a career in drug development? Do you have questions about how to make the transition or the types of positions available? If so, please bring your lunch and join us virtually on September 24 to kickoff our monthly Brown Bag Lunch series, where you learn about Careers in Drug Development and ask questions of professionals in this field. Organized by the NIEHS Trainees' Assembly Steering Committee, the Brown Bag Lunch highlights a different set of PhD-level careers each month to provide fellows the opportunity to meet with individuals that have firsthand experience.

10:00 - 11:00am

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Learn from Dr. Sharma on his transition from science to finance and learn best practices for financial planning and money management.

12:00 - 1:30pm

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In this 90-minute interactive workshop, participants will develop individualized strategies for flourishing during job searches, including for traditional faculty positions as well as diverse careers in and beyond the academy. The workshop will cover how to develop and hold effective boundaries around intellectual and emotional job search labor, strategic management of the job search process, and how to balance a job search with research and teaching, personal and family commitments, and self-care. Participants will leave the workshop with a personalized plan for combating job search-related stress and uncertainty, a map of their job search support network, and strategies for navigating the job market during a global health pandemic and the resulting economic downturn.

1:30 - 3:00pm

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Learn and share resources in themed breakout rooms with your postdoc peers. Connect over shared successes and challenges in your personal and professional life - parenting, job searching, cooking, and more.

2:00 - 3:30pm

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Access to a Vimeo link that can be used once over a 3-day window. Sign up for a flexible, single-viewing of "Picture a Scientist", streamed via Vimeo.

5:00 - 7:00pm

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Friday, September 25, 2020

Hosted by Cincinnati Children's Hospital and University of Cincinnati, Joanne Kamens, PhD, Executive Director of AddGene will offer her perspectives of how to ensure your career is rewarding.

10:00 - 11:00am

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Postdocs are invited to participate in the lightning talk competition for a chance to win cash prizes! Lightning talks are fast paced, single slide, 1 min (i.e. 60 sec) presentations intended to wow the audience. Winners will be selected by audience members who will rate each talk as they present. *Registration page allows registration for multiple events offered by the Univ. of Kentucky. All events are open to virtual audiences.

10:00 - 11:00am

Register

Join the Postdoc Academy for the second session of the Fall Workshop Series. In this interactive workshop, participants will reflect on their perceptions of and experiences with leadership. Participants will apply a leadership approach to a current or future career role.

11:00am - 12:30pm

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Hosted by Cincinnati Children's Hospital and University of Cincinnati, Saugata Ray, PhD, MBA, Associate Director of Business Development at  Navigate BioPharma, a Novartis Company.

11:00am - 12:00pm

Register