I am a Postdoc
This is a message from the National Postdoctoral Association, to encourage your participation in National Postdoc Appreciation Week 2021 (#NPAW2021), which will be recognized September 20-24.
Who is a postdoc? What can you do after postdoc training?
The National Postdoctoral Association needs your help to put some faces on an often overlooked group – postdocs. We are looking for current and former postdocs to submit short, 1 min or less, videos to be used as part of National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW; Sept 20-24) and beyond to emphasize the diversity of postdocs in the US and the many careers they pursue post-postdoc.
I am a postdoc. And I am ___________.
Postdocs do so much more than scholarly work or research, they are complex human beings with unique backgrounds, interests, and aspirations. If you are a current postdoctoral scholar, we would love for you to consider submitting a short, 1 min or less, video about who you are, in all its complexity and nuance. We want these videos to reflect the diversity of the postdoctoral population in the United States which we know consists of scholars from across the world and individuals from various backgrounds and life experiences. Let your voice be heard!
Use this form to express your interest in submitting a video.
We’ll be in touch with more details on how to create and submit your short video.
Career paths post-postdoc
Are you a former postdoc interested in sharing what you do now? Help us educate the NPA community and beyond on the many career paths available post-postdoc. Feel free to share how your time and training as a postdoc helped you in your current career area.
In addition, we plan to hold a virtual networking event during NPAW and look forward to some postdoc alumni joining us at that event, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, September 21, 2-3 PM Eastern.
Use this form to express your interest in submitting a video & interest in participating in our virtual networking event.
We’ll be in touch with more details on how to create and submit your short video.
The NPAW 2021 Planning Team
Aurora by Beyond the Professoriate
Michigan State University is pleased to announce the decision to provide graduate students with access to Aurora by Beyond the Professoriate. Aurora is an eLearning Platform with on-demand, self-paced learning modules that allow PhDs and Postdocs to discover career options and methods to apply the skills acquired through their education.
By completing two programs of study, postdocs explore career options and learn job search strategies to pursue employment beyond the professoriate.
Aurora benefits postdocs by:
- supporting career exploration.
- providing accessible, well-curated resources for busy scholars.
- promoting engaged learning through reflective activities that encourage trainees to apply what they’ve learned.
- complementing existing on-campus career support.
- offering recorded seminars, reflective prompts, and assessments that guide the postdoc experience and foster user engagement.
Postdocs can access Aurora beginning 2/10/2021.
Michigan State University recognizes the need to support PhD career skill enhancement. We consider postdoc experience a key priority. Aurora by Beyond the Professoriate enriches Michigan State’s commitment to postdocs.
Pathways to Scientific Teaching
The seminar meets two hours weekly on Tuesdays, 12:00 – 2 pm ET, beginning on January 12 and continuing weekly until March 9, 2021.
What is scientific teaching?
Scientific teaching integrates the research model into learner-centered teaching approach. You will learn to develop and implement state-of-the-art learner-centered instructional materials and teaching strategies for both large and small enrollment undergraduate STEM courses. During this seminar, we will use scientific teaching to actively engage us in evidence-based instructional methods shown to be effective in helping students learn core biology disciplinary ideas by using science practices — so it is not only what students learn, but how they use that knowledge. Importantly, the pathway to scientific teaching integrates the biological research model into a teaching approach by using science practices desired for all students, such as analyzing and interpreting data, developing and using models, using mathematics and computational thinking, constructing arguments, and working cooperatively.
What will you gain from the seminar?
The overall goal of the seminar is to help you launch and/or build the teaching component of your career in the life sciences.
- You will gain cutting-edge knowledge and experience about how to develop a learner-centered course vs. a traditional lecture course.
- You will develop a course framework, an instructional lesson/unit, and gain experience with implementing evidence-based pedagogy for teaching. This is intended to contribute to your preparation as a future faculty member and to prepare for interviews for positions that include teaching.
- You will become part of a learning community that will mentor and support your teaching.
Who should enroll?
Postdoctoral scholars who are interested in how to become an effective instructor. I encourage you to consider enrolling with another person from your lab group. This is not required, but just as in science, effective collaborative teams are productive and enjoyable.
How do I enroll?
Please send an email to Diane Ebert-May. Enrollment is limited.
ebertmay@msu.edu
