Professional Development

Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI) Events

Events, Professional Development

On October 18th 2023, we welcome Dr. Guofang Li to discuss her research in the Faculty of Education, including her work on linguistic diversity. This will include a Q&A with Dr. Li on thriving as a postdoc.

On November 29th 2023, we welcome Dr. Maria Hubinette to discuss a framework for thinking about EDI in different aspects of research, as well as systemic and organizational barriers and biases for early career researchers.

Both events will take place in LSI 4301, from 12:00PM-1:30PM.

We hope to see you at both events! Lunch will be provided.

Register for one or both events here:
https://qualtricsxmrnv72wb33.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1LZG085hIxyldpY

3-Minute Postdoc Slam!

3MPS, Events, Professional Development

Do you want to strengthen your skills in science communication? Do you want to share your research in a brief 3 minute presentation? Do you want to hear about the amazing research other UBC postdocs are doing? Then join us for the PDA 3-Minute Postdoc Slam (3MPS)!

When: Monday September 18th, 4-6pm (evening reception from 6-8pm)
Where: Life Sciences Institute, room 1003
Who: All UBC Vancouver postdocs are welcome.

Register and submit an abstract now (deadline September 1st):
https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0x0H6O0EtpO1Az4

 

Postdoc Research Day 2022!

Events, Professional Development, Research Day, Seminar Series, Seminars

Hey UBC Postdocs! :loudspeaker: Join us for Postdoc Research Day on Dec 6th, 2022! 

Do you want to share your research? Do you want to connect with your peers? Are you excited to learn about successful interdisciplinary collaboration and implementing equity, diversity, and inclusion in your research? Do you want to win awesome prizes? If so, then submit an abstract and register for Postdoc Research Day!

When: December 6, 2022 (Tuesday); 9:00 am-6:00 pm; Evening Reception from 6:00-8:00 pm

Where: Life Sciences Institute (2350 Health Sciences Mall), UBC Vancouver

Who can attend: All UBC postdocs, graduate students, and RAs (Registration required)

Who can present: All UBC postdocs

Register here: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6m0SGIf0OBE333E
Submit an abstract (250 words max) using the link above.
Deadline for abstract submission: November 18, 2022, 11:59 pm PT

 

Virtual Career Networking Night

Events, Professional Development

Unsure about your career options? Got a Ph.D.?

Join us for the first virtual Postdoc Career Networking Night, jointly organized by the Postdoctoral Associations of UBC Vancouver, UBC Okanagan and SFU as well as the BC Cancer Agency Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Society.

Connect and network with professionals in academia, industry and companies in an informal setting.

When:  March 1st, 2022, 4pm – 7pm
Where: Virtual (Zoom)

Register here*!
*Limited spots available

This event features panel discussions on academic and non-academic careers, and networking opportunities with representatives from companies.

Panelists include:
– Dr. Anna Blakney, Assistant Professor, Michael Smith Laboratories, UBC
– Dr. David Anekwe, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
– Dr. Carolina Tropini, Assistant Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering & Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, UBC
– Dr. Mike Kennefick, Business Development Specialist at Mitacs
– Dr. Rouh Shafaei, Project Manager- Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, Future Grid & Modernization, Integrated Planning at BC Hydro

Representatives will be joining from:
– Aspects Biosystems
– Bayer 
– STEMCELL
– EarthDaily Analytics
– D-Wave
– 1QBit 
– Good Chemistry
– Microsoft

Schedule:
16:00 – 16:15 Welcome
16:15 – 16:30 Introduction of participating companies (Main room) (Bayer, Ocean wise, 1QBit, Fortinet, Earthdaily Analytics)
16:30 – 17:30 Panel Discussion (Careers in Academia) (Main room)
16:30 – 17:30 Networking with company representatives (Breakout rooms) (Bayer, Ocean wise, 1QBit, Fortinet, Earthdaily Analytics)
17:30 – 17:45 Introduction of participating companies (Breakout rooms) (D-Wave Systems, STEMCELL, Microsoft)
17:45 – 18:45 Panel Discussion (Careers in Industry) (Main room)
17:45 – 18:45 Networking with company representatives (Breakout rooms)(D-Wave Systems, STEMCELL, Microsoft)
18:45 – 19:00 Closing remark

Please email ubc.postdoc@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns!

Register here*!
*Limited spots available

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Postdoc Research Day

Professional Development, Research Day, Seminar Series, Seminars

Our annual all-day Postdoc Research Day returns on December 6th, 2021!

Please find the full program here: RD2021 – Program Book

Join us for Postdoc Research Day, an all-day event featuring:

  • Research talks by UBC Vancouver Postdocs and Research Associates across diverse disciplines
  • An amazing Keynote Speaker: Dr. Steven Barnes (UBC Associate Professor of Teaching and Director Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience) talking about mental health and wellbeing for Postdocs.
  • Postdoc Town Hall, where the PDA would love to hear about your experience as a postdoc.
  • Reception and Award ceremony with bites and drinks.

Registration has closed. Come back later for a link to the event recording!

More information below the flyer

The UBC Postdoctoral Association Research Day is back in person (and online) this year!

Featuring a full day of interdisciplinary talks, the annual Postdoc Research Day brings together postdoctoral researchers from across faculties and affiliated institutions at UBC Vancouver. This event will be held in parallel with the UBC Okanagan Postdoc Research Day with all recorded presentations available online afterwards. Full schedule to follow shortly.

When: December 6, 2021 (Monday) Research Day 9:15am-5:45pm; Evening Reception from 6pm onwards

Where: Life Sciences Institute (2350 Health Sciences Mall), UBC Vancouver campus, and on Zoom

Who can attend? (Registration for online attendance remains open until December 3rd. Unfortunately, in-person registration has closed)
Following the latest COVID-related safety guidelines*, in-person attendance is limited to UBC postdocs, research associates, and PhD students (limited spots) who will abide by these rules and to the latest occupancy limit. However, everyone is welcome to attend virtually! This full-day event will be broadcast online, and the recordings will be available for viewing later.

Why should you attend?
– Share your research with awards for the best presentations
– Connect with your postdoctoral peers over the free coffee, lunch, and light dinner
– Find new collaborators and learn about ongoing research at UBC

Want to present your research?
Our abstract deadline has passed.

Keynote Speaker
We are excited to introduce Dr. Steven Barnes as our Keynote Speaker!

Title and abstract:
An Incomplete Painting: Academia and Mental Wellness
The relationship between the academic environment and mental wellbeing is a popular topic of research—particularly in the context of undergraduate and professional programs.  However, such increased awareness has yet to be adequately translated to significant action; this is especially true for the lives of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and staff.  Having lived with a mental illness for the entirety of my academic career, I have witnessed both the progress and noticeable gaps.  This talk will reflect on mental health and mental illness in academia, by interleaving relevant research with a retrospective of my visual art and personal experiences.

About Dr. Steven Barnes: 
Steven J. Barnes (he/him/his, @sj_barnes) is a faculty member in the UBC Department of Psychology. He is well-regarded for his work related to student mental health and wellbeing, online learning technologies, and bipolar disorder (BD). Steven is one of the founding members of Kaleidoscope, a mental health peer support group at UBC’s Vancouver Campus. In addition, he is the recipient of multiple institutional awards for his teaching, including the Killam Teaching Prize. He is also the recipient of the 3M National Teaching Fellowship, the top national award given for teaching in any discipline in any postsecondary institution in Canada. Steven is an accomplished author, having published in the fields of epileptology, neurophysiology, student mental health, digital mental health, bipolar disorder, and behavioural neuroscience. Beyond being a prominent educator, researcher, and author, Steven is also an accomplished artist.

Postdoc Town Hall
The UBC PDA wants to hear from you! As the independent organization working to represent all UBC postdoctoral fellows and advocate on their behalf, the PDA would love to hear about your experience as a postdoc.  For example, how are you liking our socials? Are you satisfied with your professional development opportunities? How about that extended benefits package? Come chat with the PDA exec team and help us prepare an advocacy agenda that represents you!

Registration has closed. Come back later for a link to the event recording!

Email us if you have any questions.

We are extremely grateful to our partners and sponsors who made this event possible:
adMare Bioinnovations
BC Research
New England BioLabs
STEMCELL Technologies
Variational AI
UBC Vancouver Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
UBC Okanagan Postdoctoral Association

*COVID-related safety guidelines will be dependent on the latest provincial public health orders. These will include a requirement for proof of vaccination, a legal occupancy limit, physical distancing when possible, and indoor mask-wearing.

Useful resources:
Event Safety Plan
Code of Conduct
RD2021 – Program Schedule
RD2021 – Program Book

National Postdoc Appreciation Week!

Events, Professional Development, Socials

Sign up for our events here!

More information below the posters!

Yoga session

When: Thursday September 23rd, 2021 – noon-1pm PDT (in person)
Where: UBC Vancouver campus, 2207 Main Mall (In front of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science department (https://goo.gl/maps/A7pDfA2LCGy1STFk8). There is a big tent located on the south part of Earth, Ocean department right next to the Main Mall in front of the Beaty Biodiversity Museum.
If you can’t find us, Please email and Mina will guide you to the location.
*in case of rain, the yoga session will move indoors
Sign up here

Seminar by the Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars

Title: The Role of CAPS in Invigorating the Canadian Postdoc Community
When: Thursday September 23rd, 2021 – 2pm-3pm PDT (Zoom)
Sign up here

Happy hour

When: Thursday September 23rd, 2021 – 4pm PDT (in person)
Where: Gallery Patio & Lounge, 6133 University Blvd, 4th floor
*Free appetizers!
Sign up here

Free breakfast & Coffee

When: Friday September 24th, 2021 – 8am – 10am PDT (in person)
Where: MacInnes Field (Astroturf behind Browns Craft House UBC)
Sign up here

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Don’t forget to check out the events organized by:

– The Postdoctoral Fellows Office: https://www.postdocs.ubc.ca/professional-development-events

– Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars:

3 Minute Postdoc Slam!

3MPS, Events, Professional Development

The PDA is excited to announce that our popular 3 Minute Postdoc Slam is returning on August 12th from 2-5pm PDT. Register here!

Want to practise your elevator pitch? You’re in the right place!
Registration deadline to present: August 3rd at 4pm PDT.

Want to learn how to effectively communicate your science? Come learn from the experts (keynote speakers).

No deadline to sign up, but registration is required to attend the event and receive the Zoom link.

More information in the flyer and below.

Please share with your colleagues and friends! Everyone is welcome to attend the event*.
*only UBC Postdocs and Research Associates are allowed to participate in the Slam competition.



What?
Our annual 3 Minute Postdoc Slam is a science communication and professional development event. It is a great chance to learn more about the diverse research being done by UBC Postdocs and RAs. In addition, we have two amazing keynote speakers lined up (Drs. Parshati Patel and Jonathan Kellogg) who will share their expertise on public engagement. Whether you are interested in sharing your academic research or communicating science with the public, social media is an ideal tool with many benefits. In her talk, Dr. Patel will walk you through different platforms while discussing the best practices and engagement strategies for each of them.

For UBC Postdocs and RAs, this is a great opportunity to showcase your work and practise your elevator pitch. You will have 3 minutes and 1 static slide to describe your research to a general audience, and have a chance to win cash prizes!

When and Where?
Tune in on Zoom August 12th from 2:00pm – 5:00pm to compete in or attend our annual slam competition and to hear from two science communication experts. Those that register will receive an email with a Zoom meeting link.

Sounds great. How do I sign up?
Please register if you want to attend and submit your title and a 1-2 sentence description of your project if you want to present. We encourage postdocs from all scientific fields to sign up.

Everyone is Welcome to Attend! Although the competition is open to UBC Postdocs and Research Associates only, we also invite Graduate and Undergraduate students to join us, so tell everyone!
If you have any questions or comments, please send us an email!

Tentative schedule:
3MPS_Tentative Schedule

Postdoc Seminar by Dr. Md. Zabir Hasan on August 10th

Events, Professional Development, Seminar Series

By popular request, the PDA is starting a Postdoc Seminar Series! Do you want to practice your presentation skills? Are you looking for a chance to share your latest results? Are you interested in communicating your research to a non-expert audience of postdocs across all UBC disciplines?

Sign up as a speaker for the new Postdoc Seminar Series! If selected, we will contact you to set up a date and time for your seminar. All you need to do is prepare a 30-40 minute presentation about your research geared toward a general audience, and we will take care of the rest!

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Postdoc Seminar by Dr. Md. Zabir Hasan on August 10th at 12:00 pm

Join us on Tuesday, August 10th at 12:00pm for a presentation by Dr. Md. Zabir Hasan: Assessing the productivity of health workforce using innovative methods

Abstract: A simple indicator of technical efficiency, such as productivity of health workers, measured using routine health facility data, can be a practical approach that can inform initiatives to improve efficiency in low and middle-income countries. We have developed a proof of concept of using routine information from primary healthcare (PHC) facilities to measure health workers’ productivity and its application in three regions of Ethiopia.

Meet the Speaker: Zabir is a trained physician and currently working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Population and Public Health at UBC. In this position, he provides analytical support to several international research projects focusing on primary healthcare integration, performance, and system strengthening. He holds an Associate position in the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH). Zabir completed his Ph.D. program from the JHSPH and his MPH from James P. Grant School of Public Health (JPGSPH), BRAC University. Zabir also worked as the Country Measurement Analyst for the Primary Health Care Performance Initiative at the World Bank. Before starting his doctoral program, he worked as a Senior Research Associate at JPGSPH, where he designed and implemented several research projects on financial risk protection and Universal Health Coverage.

As an attendee, you will have a chance to win a $10 coffee shop gift card! (randomly drawn at the end of the seminar)

Register to attend and receive the Zoom link for upcoming seminars: bit.ly/PostdocSeminar
If you want to register as a future speaker, please sign up here: bit.ly/PostdocSpeaker

Postdoc Seminar by Dr. Kevin Kung on July 14th

Events, Professional Development, Seminar Series

By popular request, the PDA is starting a Postdoc Seminar Series! Do you want to practice your presentation skills? Are you looking for a chance to share your latest results? Are you interested in communicating your research to a non-expert audience of postdocs across all UBC disciplines?

Sign up as a speaker for the new Postdoc Seminar Series! If selected, we will contact you to set up a date and time for your seminar. All you need to do is prepare a 30-40 minute presentation about your research geared toward a general audience, and we will take care of the rest!

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Postdoc Seminar by Dr. Kevin Kung on July 14th at 12:00 pm

Join us on Wednesday, July 14th at 12:00pm for a presentation by Dr. Kevin Kung.

Trash to cash: Turning crop and forest residues into higher-value products
Abstract: Biomass (crop and forest residues) is often not regarded as “sexy” as other forms of renewable production such as solar and wind, given the inherent complexities of feedstock handling and logistics. Even a thorough techno-economic analysis that looks attractive on paper can quickly derail when implemented in the field. I will begin this talk by describing two anecdotes of biomass installations gone awry. Then I will summarize how that has informed my own research as well as the future vision.

Meet the Speaker: Kevin received his Ph.D. in the field of Biofuels and Renewable Energy from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2017). Currently, in addition to being a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at UBC, Kevin serves as the Chief Technology Officer of Takachar, a start-up company spun out of his MIT research. Takachar’s mission is to dramatically increase the amount of crop and forest residues economically converted into useful biofuels and bioproducts in rural underserved communities, whether in India or California. Prior to founding Takachar, Kevin co-founded a biochar company (Safi Organics) in Kenya and scaled it to 15 full-time employees, 5,000 customers, and financial profitability.

As an attendee, you will have a chance to win a $10 coffee shop gift card! (randomly drawn at the end of the seminar)

Join us for his seminar and learn more about Kevin and his research!!
Wednesday, July 14th at 12:00pm online. Register to attend and receive the Zoom link.