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Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW-2014)

Institutionally Marked and Celebrated
Across the U.S., Canada, SAARC and Asia-
Oceania.
The Postdoc Appreciation Week was launched in order to increase awareness of postdoctoral
scholars, and to recognize the tremendous contributions, they make to the U.S. scientific
enterprises of research and discovery. In 2010, National Postdoc Appreciation Week was
officially recognized by the U.S. House of Representatives, culminated with the passage of
H.RES. 1545.
Washington, DC, September 24, 2014 /PressReleasePing/ -- Academic Correspondent//
Featured News/

The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) celebrated the fifth annual National Postdoc
Appreciation Week (NPAW).

The week-long celebrations were marked and celebrated under diverse themes of different
disciplines, across the U.S. and other parts of the world.

NPAW evolved out of National Postdoc Appreciation Day, has now become the nation's
largest celebration of postdoctoral scholars. The Postdoc Appreciation Week was launched in
order to increase awareness of postdoctoral scholars, and to recognize the tremendous
contributions, they make to the U.S. scientific enterprises of research and discovery.

A postdoctoral scholar postdoc is an individual who has completed his or her doctorate in a
specific area of research and becomes engaged for a certain period of time in mentored
research and/or scholarly training under the direct supervision of a principal investigator (PI)
for the purpose of acquiring the academic proficiency, needed to pursue a scholarly track of
his or her choosing.

In 2010, National Postdoc Appreciation Week was officially recognized by the U.S. House of
Representatives, culminated with the passage of H.RES. 1545.

During the week-long celebrations, institutions are encouraged to plan activities that increase
awareness of postdocs. Celebration activities included the formal institutional events ranging
from postdoc orientations, webinars, research symposiums, technical descriptions and
scientific expositions, panel discussions and informal social junctures including open house
events, networking socials, coffee & ice-cream gather-ups, social walks and other communal
podia.

Since 2009 participation for the event has grown. This year, nearly 300 events were hosted at
over 117 institutions in 36 states. The NPAW events were held throughout the week across
U.S., Canada, the SAARC countries region in an institutional conjunction with Asia and
Oceania.

NPAW-2014 was coordinated by the NPA Outreach Committee, which works to promote the
mission, values, goals, and business objectives of the NPA.Dr. Majda Haznadar, Ph.D., and
Dr. Barbara Natalizio, Ph.D., served as co-chair of the committee.

Amongst the noted events taken place during the NPAW-2014, include:

A postdoc webinar entitled "Increasing Your Visibility and Participation in SOT as an Early
Career Toxicologist" was hosted by Kathryn Page. This session included a diverse panel of
speakers covering several different areas surrounding the value of SOT membership to
professional advancement. Panelists include: Dr. William Slikker Jr., Ph.D., ATS, Director of
US FDA-NCTR; Lauren M. Aleksunes, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Rutgers University; Dr.
Mary Beth Genter, Ph.D., DABT, ATS, Associate Professor at University of Cincinnati; Dr.
Betina J. Lew, Ph.D., Senior Toxicologist at Church & Dwight.

Dr. Patrick Allard, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at UCLA, with Transitioning into an Academic
Position: The Entropy of an Exciting Period of your Career; Dr. Chris Banks, Ph.D., Associate
Toxicologist at California EPA in the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, with
Transitioning into Government: From Academia to a Stable Government Position; and Dr.
Katie Paul, Ph.D., Scientific Advisor in the Regulatory Toxicology Group at Bayer
CropScience with Transitioning into Industry: Steps to Take to Work in Regulatory
Toxicology.

The Robert Wood Johnson/Rutgers PDA held symposium, during NPAW, highlighting the
work done by postdoctoral researchers at institutions in New Jersey, New York City,
Philadelphia, and surrounding areas. This year, they expressed and conveyed the feelings of
being extremely honored for their keynote speaker Dr. Shirley Tilghman, Ph.D., a prominent
researcher, educator, advocate for biomedical research training and the 19th president of
Princeton University. They also featured an invited thematic talk by Dr. Linda Stomato, co-
director of the Center for Negotiation & Conflict Resolution at Rutgers University.

During the course of Postdoc Appreciation Week Celebrations by the SAARC Region Post-
doc Network, the SAIRI Research Initiative presented a special annotation-note annexed to a
post-doc cloistered marginal-note on The United Nations MDGs and Post 2015 Extension-
scenarios, that entails the multifarious academic aspects of the Millennium Development
Goals, and the thematic marginal segments of MDGs in post 2015. The first postdoc
annotation-note on UN-MDGs was prepared by Qadhi Prof. Aurangzeb Al Hafi, D. Litt., a
multidisciplinary arch-researcher of 'Disability Prevention' and the principal investigator at
SAIRI and UNESCO Chair at University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's (DFCI) Postdoc and Graduate Student Affairs Office
(PGSAO), together with DFCI's Postdoc and Graduate Student Association (PGA) hosted
events and provided an opportunity for postdocs and graduate students to meet with the
President Edward Benz, M.D., in a relaxed setting to enjoy lunch and ask questions.

The University of NotreDame planned for 2014 NPAW, a Demonstration comprising a

repository for academic and professional information.

The Post-Doc Network Asia-Oceania (PDNA-O) marked the NPAW celebrations. The
mentored sessions at PDNA-O were presided by Justice(R) S.S. Paru Dehlvi, L.L.D., who
also holds at present the PDNA-O chief patron-ship, Dr. Mahateer from Malaysia, Dr. Dass U
from India, and Dr. Wickrema Weerasooria, former Sri Lankas Ombudsperson and High
Commissioner in Australia, co-chaired the NPAW sessions. Justice Paru (L.L.D.) presented a
thorough analysis with a tri-fold synthesis of the prevalent situation of social injustice that is
gradually becoming predominant in the customary frameworks of nearly every sector,
segment and section of human life.

The University of California (UC), Berkeley hosted a luncheon reception at the Bancroft Hotel,
The Vice Chancellor for Research, who has governance over postdocs, presided the event.

SciPhD co-founders, Dr. Randall Ribardo and Larry Petcovic, led a half day training workshop
entitled Preparing for Careers in Industry.

Dr. Robert Tanguay at Oregon State University (OSU) gave post-doc orientations as the
keynote speaker on "Starting a career in academia as an independent investigator".

Noted institutional participations for 2014 NPAW events, emanated from: The University of
California (UC), Berkeley, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Saban Research
Institute at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, UT Health Science Center San Antonio
(UTHSCSA), UT San Antonio (UTSA), Texas Biomedical Research Institute, U.S. Army
Institute of Surgical Research, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
(UTHSCSA), San Antonio Postdoctoral Research Forum,Cedars-Sinai Medical Center,
University of Southern California, Stanford University, University of Colorado, National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), UNESCO Chair at University of Punjab-
CIMR, Lahore, NextGen Association for Postdocs, University of Florida, University of Miami,
Moffitt Cancer Center Postdoctoral Association(MPDA), The Offices of Academic Affairs and
Mentoring Programs at Rush University, University of Iowa (UI), Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute's (DFCI) Postdoc and Graduate Student Affairs Office (PGSAO), UNESCO- SAARC
Hydro-toxicology Observatory at Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, The Brigham &
Women's Hospital (BWH) Office for Research Careers (ORC), University of Rochester,
Society of Toxicology (SOT), SAIRI Research Initiative Pakistan, Virginia Tech Carilion
Research Institute, Penn State Hershey Postdoctoral Society, University of North Carolinaat
Chapel Hill, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), UT Health Science Center San
Antonio,University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Graduate School of Biomedical
Sciences and University of Pennsylvania.

Noted PIs, research panelists, thematic mentors and keynote postdoc speakers include: Dr.
Frances Coln, Acting Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State from the
U.S. Department of State; Prof. Jack Szostak, Professor of Genetics and Chemistry, Harvard
University; Dr. Helen Piwnica-Worms, Ph.D., Vice Provost, University of Texas; Justice (R) Dr.
S.S. Paru Dehlvi, L.L.D., Professor Victor Nizet; Dr. Patrick Allard, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
at UCLA, Dr. Chris Banks, Ph.D., Associate Toxicologist at California EPA in the Office of
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment; Prof. Qadhi Aurangzeb Al Hafi, Ph.D., Principal
Investigator SAIRI, SAARC sectors PI for Iatro Teratology & Hydro-toxicological
Assessments; Dr. Katie Paul, Ph.D., Scientific Advisor in the Regulatory Toxicology Group at
Bayer Crop-Science; and Dr. Jennifer Stedron, Ph.D., of Stedron Consulting, Inc.

Featured speakers, work-shops trainers, dialogue moderators and non-postdoc research

contributors include Linda A. Dykstra Hylander, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Psychology
(Affiliated with Neuroscience Program University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) ; Joe
Thomas, Dr. Frances Colon, Dr.Molly Hatcher,Dr. Rafael Luna, Ph.D., Dr. Dass U, Ph.D.,
Dr.Erin Dolan,Executive Director (Texas Institute for Discovery Education in Science), Dr.
Umar Farooq (SAARC Hydro-toxicology Assessor DUHS), Dr. Khalida Khan (UNESCO-
CIMR,PU), Dr. Terry Potter,Dr. Linda Harris, Ph.D, Dr. Tammy R. L. Collins, Ph.D., Dr. F.M.
Bhatti (SAIRI-SAARC), Dr. Denise Saunders, Ph.D., Dr. Deepa Singh, Dr. Jacqueline Powell,
Ph.D., Jillian Orans, Ph.D. and Dr Winston-Salem.

Stony Brook University is holding a series of events throughout the month to celebrate NPAW.

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at the University of Florida offered a new postdoc orientation
by a keynote address and workshop with Dr. Chris Hass, College of Health and Human
Performance.

Florida State University (FSU)planned a postdoctoralscholars symposium at the College of

Medicine. The keynote speaker Sir Harry Krotodelivered a post-doc talk on "How to Survive",
together with a communication workshop by Dr. Donna Decker, College of Business,
Department of Management.

University of Chicago, UIC, Rush University Medical Center, Northwetern University and
Argonne National Laboratory, hosted an annual NPAW reception, which featured a keynote
address by Chicago Innovation Exchange Executive Director, John Flavin, complemented by
a diverse career panel discussion and a networking reception.

The Postdoctoral Society of Argonne hosted an open forum with Laboratory Director, Peter
Littlewood. The event provided a chance for postdocs to have a conversation directly with the
Laboratory Director!

University of Iowa Postdoctoral Association (UIPDA) organized several events to celebrate

their postdocs. A symposium for postdoctoral scholars and fellows was organized which
comprised of several presentations on different topics by Paul Casella .

On 22
nd
, at the University of Louisville,the featured speaker of 5th annual postdoc
appreciation Dr. Harini Aiyer, Research Scientist at the Medical College of Wisconsin, is
delivering a presentation on At the Nexus of Education and Immigration: Career Options for
International Graduates and Postdocs in Life Sciences.

The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) celebrated NPAW by hosting their
annual postdoc awards luncheon where two awards were given out. The Paul W. Kincade
Outstanding Grantsmanship Award is given to the postdoc for the best grant while the Charles
T. Esmon Outstanding Publication award is given to a postdoc for the best manuscript. Every
year OMRF recognizes the hard work and dedication of their postdocs by singling out two
individuals with the best paper and grant.

SAIRI, in collaborative research-partnership with UNESCO chair at Punjab University, Lahore,

and Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, presented five thematic reports entailing
interdisciplinary focusses and on the constant perpetuation of multiple toxicological outbreaks,
that are threatening the human life on the earth, the ecological sustainability and whole of the
environment in its totality, especially the hydro-toxification of the under-ground water reserves,
that constantly, are being polluted by the unfair and disproportionate burdens of heavy toxins,
posed by the sewage systems in Asian and African countries.

An extra special event took place at the Postdoc and Graduate Student Affairs Office
(PGSAO). The morning began with a talk from Dr. Helen Piwnica-Worms, Ph.D., Vice
Provost, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Piwnica-Worms was also the
recipient of the first DFCI Distinguished Postdoc Alumnus Award.

Next was a panel discussion moderated by Lauren Celano, CEO of Propel Careers. Four
DFCI postdocs gave oral presentations followed by keynote speaker, Dr. Tyler Jacks, Ph.D.,
Director of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. The day ended with an awards reception where awards were presented to
individuals with the two best posters and two best oral presentations in the amount of $1,000
each. In addition, Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Barrett Rollins, M.D., Ph.D., presented an award
to the 3rd Annual Mentor-of-the-Year.

Dr. Heather Steinman, Director of the University of Pennsylvania Center for Innovation,
discussed new perspectives for success in science.

Drs. Sherri Moores and Kate Sasser, industry scientists from Johnson & Johnson, presented
Perspectives on Scientific Careers in Industry.

UTMB postdoc Dr. Ali Pohlmeier, Ph.D., while pursuing her doctorate in nutritional sciences at
Texas Tech University, studied the pathophysiology of polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS.
She became intrigued by the possible connection between diet, insulin, and the symptoms of
PCOS.

The First annual Columbia University Postdoc Research and Career Symposium was held by
Columbia University Medical Center.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) is hosting the 2nd
annual San Antonio Postdoc Research Forum with keynote speaker, Dr. Frances Colon,

The University of California, San Diego has planned for celebrating NPAW the entire month.

The Office of Postdoctoral and Visiting Scholar Affairs and Postdoctoral Assosiation have the
following scheduled for postdocs: Insights to Industry workshop--Led by Randall Ribaudo
and Larry Petcovic for SciPhD, this workshop introduces 24 business competencies valued in
industry, relating them to postdoc research experiences.

At the UC San Diego, as part of the NPAW 2014 OPVSA offered IDP workshops and
announced 2013 Best Postdoc Mentor Award recipients, Professor Victor Nizet, Prof. of
Pediatrics and Pharmacy and Professor Michael Sailor, Prof. of Chemistry & Biochemistry.

The PDA is hosting a 2

nd
annual postdoc research symposium on 26
th
, to showcase the
outstanding work of UCSD postdocs.

OPVSA is also hosting the annual postdoc appreciation luncheon and award ceremony where
it honors the amazing postdoc cohort and recognizes the outstanding mentor and postdoc of
the year.

Postdocs face a lot of challenges, which may cause stress and uncertainty. This workshop,
presented by the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program in partnership with, and co-sponsored
by Office of Postdoctoral & Visiting Scholar Affairs (OPVSA) and PDA OPVSA, shared tools
on how to manage stress and discuss the available resources at UC San Diego.

A special presentation was made on Postdoc Stress by Carol Kerr, M.Ed, LPC, LCDC, CEAP
from UTMBs Employee Assistance Program. The ways were discussed to improve the
work/life balance.

In celebration of the NPAW, the postdoctoral association (PDA) hosted the 4th annual
postdoctoral mentor/mentee breakfast. Dr. Terry Potter, acting Dean of the Graduate School,
addressed the event at the University of Colorado, followed by a general assembly of the PDA.

Dr. Varun Vyas, Ph.D. from Institute for Material Sciences presented a search-probe titled
Depth Dependent Indentation Profiles of Live Cells and Bipolymers, at the Postdoc
interdepartmental research seminar series in Connecticut.

New fellows' orientations were made by Dr. Tammy R. L. Collins, Ph.D.,Dr. Denise Saunders,
Ph.D., Dr. Deepa Singh, Dr. Jacqueline Powell, Ph.D., Jillian Orans, Ph.D. and Dr Winston-
Salem.

In marking NPAW, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Marine Biological
Laboratory, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Sea
Education Association, and the Woods Hole Research Center also made celebrations.

A UNC-PDA symposium featured the biotech-industry.

For postdocs and their PI's. there were panels of past Distinguished Mentor award winners.
PI's are nominated for this award by their postdocs and it is awarded in the spring at
thepostdoc research symposia.

http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postdoctoral_research

Note: As part ofNational Postdoc Appreciation Week, Elsevier hosted free-of-charge

webinars available for NPA members.

1200 New York Avenue NW? Suite 956? Washington, DC 20005.

Amy Wilson
National Postdoctoral Association
(202) 326 - 6428
awilson@nationalpostdoc.org
http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/
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