Today marks the beginning of the ninth annual celebration of National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW): September 17-21, 2018. You can find out more about events taking place for NPAW at the National Postdoc Association’s website here and you can follow #NPAW2018 to find out more about postdocs online.

 

Future of Research members are taking part in events for #NPAW2018 across the country on Monday and Tuesday – we hope to see some of you in person or online! We will be sharing our resources for postdocs, and discussing the state of the postdoc position, throughout the week:

 

Dr. Adriana Bankston is at the University of Southern California:

“Monday, September 17

Components of a Successful Postdoc with Dr. Adriana Bankston (Future of Research)

9:00 a.m. -10:20 a.m.

UPC Waite Phillips Hall (WPH) room 207 (2nd floor)

Baked goods and coffee will be provided. Postdoctoral researchers are critical to the future of science. Fair pay, opportunities for meaningful leadership positions, and access to positive mentoring are critical factors of a successful postdoc experience. These factors are also likely to influence the decisions of postdocs on which institutions they will choose for conducting independent research, as well as whether to remain in academe or pursue other career paths. Read more.

 

Dr. Gary McDowell is at Washington University in St. Louis:

“Monday, September 17

Advocacy Workshop with Future of Research and the WashU Postdoc Society Executive Council

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Medical Campus

What are the issues and barriers postdocs face at WashU? How can individual postdocs fix problems? What role does the WashU Postdoc Society have in affecting change? Gary McDowell, Ph.D., executive director of The Future of Research, will lead this workshop for postdocs on how to effectively advocate for change and gain visibility at the institutional and national level.

Monday, September 17

“What Next, for the Next Generation of Researchers?”

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Medical Campus

A seminar with Gary McDowell, Ph.D., executive director of The Future of Research and member of The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Next Generation Researchers Initiative committee. Postdocs, faculty, staff, and students are all welcome to attend.”

 

Dr. Jessica Polka is at the National Institutes of Health:

“The National Institute of General Medical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Associate Training (PRAT) Program is sponsoring a live videocast as part of NPAW.

Tuesday, September 18

11:00 a.m.

Live Videocast

Natcher Conference Center/Building 45, Balcony B

Videocast, The Future of Research & Peer Review – Making Your Mark as an Early Career Researcher, with speaker, Jessica Polka, Ph.D.,  executive director, ASAPbio. This event is recommended for summer interns, postbacs, graduate students, postdocs/fellows, NIH staff scientist/staff clinician.

Early career researchers (ECRs) are disproportionately impacted by changing landscape of biomedical research – with evolving models of academic hiring, funding, publishing and evaluation – but aren’t often at the table when major decisions are made. Jessica Polka, Ph.D., a founder of the Future of Research and member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s Next Generation Researchers Initiative will talk about national efforts to improve the training and career prospects of junior scientists, and how ECRs can be involved. Polka will also discuss ASAPbio, a scientist-driven initiative to accelerate science and publication in biology, and how ECRs can participate in and influence the future of scientific communication.”