Mentor in lab

A strong mentoring relationship leads to success for both the postdoc and his or her faculty mentor. For the postdoc, a supportive mentor provides the training, guidance, and opportunities that are critical for independent career advancement. For faculty mentors, a motivated postdoc publishes research, represents the group and department at a national level, and trains junior group members.

The OPA was created, in part, to support faculty members who mentor postdocs. To that end, this site contains information on best practices in postdoctoral mentoring, Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and performance reviews for postdocs, and additional mentoring resources.