The PDA is seeking nominations of UCLA faculty for the 2022 Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award. This award seeks to recognize faculty who provide high-quality, empowering mentorship to postdoctoral scholars at UCLA.
Nominations are due 9/23/22. Further information about award criteria and the nomination process is provided below.
Postdoctoral Association at UCLA
2022 Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award
The Postdoctoral Association (PDA) at UCLA is a postdoc-led organization dedicated to improving the quality of the postdoctoral experience. In recognition of the importance of exceptional mentoring to the postdoc experience, the PDA is inviting nominations, due September 23rd, for the 2022 Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award to be presented at the UCLA Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Award Ceremony on November 9, 2022.
Goals of the PDA Postdoctoral Mentoring Award
Support high-quality mentors by providing public recognition of their mentoring excellence, both to raise their profile within the university community and to help them attract strong future postdocs and graduate students.
Provide a positive forum for UCLA postdoctoral scholars to discuss the impact of mentoring in their work, and to express gratitude to remarkable mentors who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in helping them develop successful careers.
Enable the university to identify and recognize faculty who are excellent mentors to their postdoctoral researchers and other trainees. Mentoring has its foundations in research, teaching, and service; therefore, exceptional mentors typically represent the highest expression of the goals of the university community.
Empower future postdoctoral scholars in selecting prospective postdoctoral mentors who have a proven track record of successful mentoring relationships with trainees.
To promote the importance of mentoring as the interactions between faculty mentors and postdoctoral scholars play a key role in the development of a postdoc.
Nominations
Nominees must be current faculty members at UCLA, and the nomination must come from a current or recent postdoctoral researcher at UCLA. The postdoc may nominate a faculty member regardless of whether that faculty member serves as their primary formal advisor. The postdoc should submit the nomination google form, as well as a nomination letter of no more than 600 words describing the impact of the nominee’s mentorship on their postdoctoral experience (more information is provided on the nomination form: https://forms.gle/YnHCzzmqH5S4cHuz6).
Submit nominations by email on 9/23/2022, to the Mentoring Award Committee Chair, Valeria Gonzalez (pdaucla@g.ucla.edu). Questions relating to nominations can be sent to the same address.
Selection criteria
Awardees will be selected by a panel of UCLA postdoctoral researchers, based on standards for postdoctoral mentoring excellence outlined by the National Postdoctoral Association, such as whether the mentor:
• Acts as a positive role model
• Develops a supportive lab and/or work environment
• Collaborates in research projects
• Encourages confidence and creativity
• Fosters excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Helps establish professional networks at this campus and/or others
• Actively supports the exploration of diverse career paths for postdocs
Finalists will be identified based on the first round of nominations, and further nomination materials (including reference letters from other postdocs and/or graduate students) will be requested from the primary nominator to establish the breadth of the nominee’s mentoring history.
Selection timeline
September 23, 2022 Nominations due/Initial review begins.
October 6, 2022 Finalists notified. Request additional information.
October 13, 2022 Additional information due for finalists
Week of October 24 Announcement of award winners
November 9, 2022 Award ceremony
Awards
Awards will be presented at the Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Awards ceremony on November 9, 2022 at the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) from 3 pm – 5:30 pm. The awardees will be announced and presented with a plaque, and all finalists will also be recognized at the ceremony and on the Postdoctoral Association’s website.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.
Postdoctoral Association (PDA) at UCLA
Website: http://www.pda.ucla.edu/
Email: pdaucla@ucla.edu
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