"Welcome" Mini-Orientation Sessions for New Postdoctoral Scholars on Campus
Honors, Scholars & Fellows House, Room 3008, noon (12 pm) on Monday, January 26, 2026
REGISTRATION opening soon
All new postdoctoral scholars on campus are invited to the next upcoming new postdoctoral scholar "Welcome." The "Welcome" format of orientation serves to give new postdocs the basics of the full required orientation program in the spans of an hour over the lunch period. It is designed for scholars that initiate their training during the year rather than in synchrony with the start of the school year in August. You can converse with Human Resources representatives about initiating your employee benefits within the 60-day onboarding window, learn about support for global engagements, join the leadership team of our postdoctoral association (PDA), and hear about opportunities for fellowships, travel awards, and professional development activities.
Debi, Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Agenda:
General PD Opportunities, Expectations, and Professional Development (Fadool)
International Engagements (Schaad/Lawson)
Program in Instructional Excellence (Kelly)
Human Resources - Health Insurance and Retirement Benefits (McLaughlin/Atkins)
Join the PDA!! (Rivers Key)
HOLD THE DATES!
Three-Parts Grant WorkshoP
The OPDA is partnering with OGFA and the Office of Research to host three interconnected workshops to assist postdoctoral scholars and graduate trainees with the preparation of extramural applications for grants. Not familiar with how to prepare a competitive fellowship or grant application packet with your mentor to support your independent research? This workshop is for you!
Scholars and trainees that participate in all three sessions and submit their proposal to an extramural agency are eligible to receive an intramural grant award that is used to support training-related expenses of their research project ($1000 graduate trainees, $1,500 postdoctoral scholars). These scholarships are generously provided by the Office of Research lead my new VP for Research, Dr. Stacy Patterson. Trainees must attend all 3 workshop components and submit the extramural application to be eligible.
Part I - Introduction to Extramural Grant Mechanisms and Grantsmanship = February 25-26th, 2026
Abstracts Due - April 15, 2026
Part II - Specitic Aims in Peer Writing Groups = May 13-14th, 2026 and June 3-4th, 2026
Full Proposal Due - August 10, 2026
Part III - Mock Study Sections = Sept 17-18th, 2026 and October 1-2nd, 2026
Applications will be reviewed, critiqued and scored by reviewers in a simulated mock study section. You will prearrange a 5-member faculty panel that are experts in your research area to serve as grant reviewers of your full application or research plan. Your research mentor will chair this session and you will record their profession critiques to modify your application internally before you submit it externally to the funding agency.
Spring Event
May 8, 2026