Welcome to UMBC and to the postdoctoral experience! As a postdoctoral research associate at UMBC, your research and leadership have opportunities to flourish. All postdoctoral scholars at UMBC are encouraged to participate in the community of scholars through various activities that are sponsored by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, the Faculty Development Center (postdocs are a faculty rank and are welcome at all FDC events), and the office for Graduate Student and Postdoc Development (GSPD). UMBC is also a CIRTL Campus (Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning), and in addition to workshops offered on our campus, we offer support for you to access a national network of virtual workshops, all of which can lead to free certificates in teaching that demonstrate your competency and commitment to evidence-based practices and inclusion. PROMISE hosts regular workshops on topics such as project management, mentoring undergraduates, developing materials for tenure-track positions, starting and nurturing research collaborations, and public speaking. To keep up with the latest events, you should join the myUMBC page for Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Development: http://my.umbc.edu/groups/gspd.
Resources
Resources available through UMBC’s memberships and partnerships, include the following:
UMBC
Events sponsored by or suggested by the Graduate Student & Postdoctoral Development (GSPD) office
CIRTL: The Center for the Integration of Research Teaching and Learning at UMBC: earn a nationally recognized certificate in STEM teaching for free!
The RISEUPP PROMISE Academy Alliance – scholars from minoritized backgrounds are encouraged to inquire about the PROMISE Academy – a program specifically geared toward supporting underrepresented postdocs in STEM as they pursue tenure-track positions.
Maryland & Affiliates
Through our NSF-funded RISE UPP PROMISE Academy Alliance, we are pleased to announce that virtual offerings from the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at the University of Maryland, College Park and The University of Maryland Baltimore’s Office of Research Career Development (RCD) are open to UMBC Postdocs. You are welcome to review their offerings and register for virtual events.
National Resources for which UMBC has Membership:
National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) – Get your Free NPA Affiliate Membership! UMBC is an Institutional member of the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA). You can sign up as an Affiliate NPA member with your institutional (UMBC) email address and once a member attend events hosted by the Association for FREE.
- Go to https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/ and click on “Join” on the upper right corner menu
- Select your member type: Affiliate Graduate Student, Affiliate Postdoc or Affiliate Non-Postdoc/Other
- Enter your institutional email address (i.e. @umbc.edu) as your username, along with your first and last name
- Enter all required information and any other information that you wish to have in your profile
- Click on “Submit”. The NPA will review your membership within 10 days, and you will receive an email when it has been approved.
CIRTL: The Center for the Integration of Research Teaching and Learning – Earn a nationally recognized certificate that demonstrates your commitment to being an effective and inclusive instructor. UMBC has a membership.
National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity :
- Go to http://www.FacultyDiversity.org/Join
- Choose your institution from the drop-down menu.
- Select “Activate my Membership”
- Complete the registration form using your institutional email address (i.e. @umbc.edu)
- Go to your institution email to find a confirmation email. Click “Activate Account” in the confirmation email.
Tax Resource for PostDocs
Tax Guide for PostDocs – Here is the detailed tax guide for PostDocs.
Mentoring Resources
National Research Mentoring Network – Postdocs
AAAS – Getting the Mentoring You Need
Mentoring Plans – Postdoctoral Scholars
If you would like to read a success story regarding pursuing a postdoc and what it can provide, please check the Profiles tab.
Additional for Success
The following resources are offered from past events that served postdocs. These resources have been developed by UMBC’s Faculty Development Center, and PROMISE: Maryland’s Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP)
- Skills Assessment – the AGEP PROMISE Academy Alliance has developed a skills assessment for those hoping to become tenure track faculty. Ranking yourself in these skills can help you identify areas of strength and areas for growth.
- Here are two template Individualized Development Plans (option1, option2) that can help you with goal setting and provide some structure to conversations with your mentor regarding prioritizing your activities.