Hello postdoctoral community,
CAPS-ACSP is gathering information on how postdocs are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
They put together a brief survey that is available until Tuesday April 14th, 2020.
Please take less than 10-minutes to fill the survey and have your experience help policy makers:
COVID-19: A message from the UBC PDA
Dear fellow postdocs,
Considering the circumstances, the UBC PDA has made the decision not to host any in-person gathering in the near future. We have cancelled our upcoming ski trip and will not be planning any socials and events until the COVID-19 situation has resolved in an effort to help to #flattenthecurve.
We are currently making plans on how to serve and strengthen the postdoc community during this time of isolation. Please stay tuned for updates. We are looking forward to welcoming you to online get-togethers!
We are aware that a lot of you will be dealing with different problems, such as ramping down research, finding a routine while working from home, travel bans – and being worried about your own health as well as about friends and family in Canada and abroad.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you are struggling – or if you just need someone to talk to. Supporting each other in this difficult time is the least we can do. Stay safe and healthy and take care of yourself and others!
Yours sincerely,
UBC Postdoctoral Association
We would like to share the following resources with you:
Regulations at UBC:
For the latest updates please visit https://covid19.ubc.ca
For those of you working in labs, all research activities have been curtailed until April 15th. Talk to your supervisor and department head about applying for an exemption to continue critical research and to maintain critical reagents/animal husbandry – but ONLY when absolutely necessary. For those of you who still have to come to campus, there’s free parking available. Stay safe!
COVID-19 update from the Postdoctoral Fellows Office:
https://www.postdocs.ubc.ca/covid-19
General information about COVID-19:
Latest information about COVID-19 in the World and in Canada
Stay informed, but please check the mental health resources below, as it is very easy to get overwhelmed by the news about the outbreak.
Getting involved as volunteer:
Travel bans and advisories:
Funding insecurities:
Information regarding immigration:
Managing Your Mental Health During the COVID-19 Outbreak:
Amidst the current outbreak of COVID-19, you may be developing feelings of fear, stress, worry and isolation – these feelings are natural when facing threats that are beyond our control. Everyone reacts differently to these feelings and they can be overwhelming for some. It is important to understand that if you need help in coping with these feelings, there are resources available. Below are articles and resources that will guide you in managing your mental health.
Fun activities from home:
Other resources available online or on the phone to support your mental health
UBC Counselling Services Counselling Services will be offering appointments by phone during the COVID-19 outbreak: 604 822 3811
This is a joint event by us and the SFU PDA.
When? Feb 25, 11:30 am – 1 pm
Where? This webinar will be broadcast at
MSL (Michael Smith Laboratories) Room 237
(https://tinyurl.com/MSLRoom237)
Register now to secure your spot!
Light snacks will be provided!
Topics of the webinar include
The webinar is facilitated by Justine Salam. Justine is a Professional Skills Program Specialist at the University of Waterloo where she guides graduate students to assess their skills, identify their talents and interests, and succeed in their post-graduate work transition, both in academic and non-academic careers. She also coaches students one-on-one to better their resumes, CVs, cover letters and enhance their interview skills.
Justine Salam
Join us for a night out of bowling on Commercial Drive!
When?
Either the evenings of Wed Feb 19th, or Thurs Feb 20th. You decide!
Where?
Grandview Lanes on Commercial Dr.
https://www.grandviewbowling.com/home.html
Make sure your register by Friday, February 14th to reserve your spot on the lanes!
We will subsidize this event ($100 total)!
Contact ubc.postdoc@gmail.com or Ryan (rsweeney@chem.ubc.ca) if you have any questions about this event.
Make sure to register quickly to reserve your spot: bit.ly/2Uz06T8
The annual UBC PDA Whistler Weekend is an opportunity to meet some fellow UBC postdocs and enjoy a weekend in Whistler. This trip usually sees postdocs taking part in outdoor winter activities (skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing) and relaxing in Whistler village (day spas, restaurants, bars). Sign up quickly as we only have a few beds booked at the accommodation. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Dates: Friday April 3rd – Sunday April 5th, 2020
Cost: The total cost of Friday and Saturday night’s accommodation will be $120 per person, to be paid upon arrival. Additional costs will include transport, activities, and food/drinks.
Sign up and more information: https://bit.ly/37Znc9i
Join us for our Career Networking Night
This is a joint event by us and the SFU PDA.
Date: 10th March 2020, 5pm-7:30pm
SFU Segal Building, 500 Granville Street, Vancouver
This is an excellent opportunity to connect with a variety of companies and employers in an informal setting. Discover the opportunities available outside academia, and what employers are looking for!
The event will be held in the Segal Building (SFU downtown) from 5:30-7:30 pm (brief highlight presentations from our sponsors start at 5:30 pm), with light refreshments and a cash bar.
Of Note: As this is a networking & informal interview setting, we STRONGLY recommend business casual dress.
Representatives will be joining us from:
– Zymeworks
– New England Biosciences
– Amgen
– Mitacs
– 1QBit
– Fortinet
– The Government of Canada
– ABM
– Oceanwise
– 1QBit
– Aspect Biosystems
– Fortinet
– Genome BC
– SCWIST
– Special Projects and Strategic Initiative UBC
– Willow Biosciences
– more to be announced!
This event is free for all postdocs!
We will release more event details and will update this blog post closer to the date.
Hurry and register now! There are only a limited amount of spots available!
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions!
We are thankful for the support by our sponsors and exhibitors:
We are excited to announce the call for nominations for candidates to be part of the UBC Postdoctoral Association’s 2020-2021 Executive Team!
Indicate your intent to run by Sunday March 8th!
The PDA is run by Elected Volunteer Officers (the President and 6 Vice-Presidents). All 7 positions will be elected for the 2020-2021 year at our Annual General Meeting, held on Wednesday, March 11th in the Biomedical Research Centre, room 351 at 5 pm. A list of open positions and a description of their roles can be found below.
All UBC postdocs and research associates are encouraged to attend the AGM on March 11th for the elections. The event will be followed by a celebration with food and drinks!
Self-Nomination: Download the UBC PDA nomination form here. Please fill out this form and return it to ubc.postdoc@gmail.com along with a recent photo and a short Letter of Interest (100-200 words) detailing why you would like to serve and any relevant experience.
Do you want to join the PDA, but you are not committed to becoming an elected officer? No problem! We are always looking for new members for our executive team to help us organise our events and bring in their ideas! Just get in touch with us via e-mail.
Further details about the elected positions
Postdoc Research Day is coming up on December 2nd. This link will direct you to the abstract book:
For the event schedule (quick to download), please check the following link:
Sign up by Monday, December 2nd to ensure your spot at our table. We have booked a semi-private room with live music, but only with a limited number of seats. Places will be based on a first come first serve basis.
Where: East is East in Kitsilano, 3035 W Broadway
(https://www.eastiseast.ca)
When: Wednesday, December 11, at 6 pm
Cost: $50 per person (+$2 fee for music and gratuity) for all you can eat “feast” with many meat and vegetarian/vegan and gluten free options.
The UBC PDA will subsidize the event by AT LEAST $10 per person (We will try to subsidize more, pending on our budget).
Register here: http://bit.ly/2Kp9dzT
Note that the UBC PDA will only partly sponsor the cost of the food! You have to pay extra for drinks.
