A new forum will enable postdoctoral trainees to share their research with peers, network and begin to form career-lasting collaborations here at UAB. The first of four “Post-Docs at Work” events will be held 4-6 p.m. Nov. 13 in the Edge of Chaos.The events, sponsored by the UAB Postdoc Association, will enable participants to practice their presentation and critiquing skills, which are an essential part of post-doc training, said Lisa Schwiebert, Ph.D., associate dean for Postdoctoral Education. UAB has nearly 250 postdocs training in a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to engineering, medicine, natural sciences and mathematics, public health and optometry.
The mid-November kick-off was selected to help postdocs practice before presenting at one of a number of upcoming conferences. “This will enable them to present their research, and by extension, UAB, in the most effective manner possible and strengthen UAB’s reputation as a high-quality research institution,” said Stefanie Robel, Ph.D., a postdoc in neurobiology and member of UAB’s Postdoc Association executive board.
During each forum, two post-docs will present a 15-minute talk on their research and answer questions for 10 minutes; five minutes are allotted for post docs in the audience to complete an evaluation form to help the speakers improve their presentation skills. The first presenters will be Michael Nelson, Ph.D., in molecular and cellular pathology, and Venkata Yeramilli, Ph.D., in microbiology.
Afterward, a networking reception will allow postdocs to mingle among themselves in a low-pressure, fun environment.
“We plan to hold four “Post-Docs at Work” events each year to allow the maximum number of postdocs to present,” said Samantha Giordano, Ph.D., a postdoc in UAB’s hypertension program who also serves on the Postdoc Association executive board. “If these become more popular, we plan to increase the number of presenters at each event.”
"To be competitive in today’s job market, postdocs need more than academic knowledge,” Schwiebert said. “They also must develop the professional skills to communicate effectively, to advance and defend their conclusions and work collaboratively to accept and provide feedback.”
Presenters are selected based on abstracts or brief project summaries of their work. To submit an abstract, email sgiordan@uab.edu.
