Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s National Postdoc Appreciation Week. Whether it was in the Postdoctoral Assembly (PDA) Fall Career Webinar or in an event at your institution, we hope that Society of Toxicology (SOT) postdocs and their colleagues nationwide had an opportunity to celebrate their hard work and major accomplishments!
As SOT 2015–2016 President Peter L. Goering wrote in his address to SOT postdocs at the beginning of the week, this is a “postdoctoral organization run by postdocs, for postdocs, that provides experiences and opportunities that will build and benefit your careers.”
The PDA was established to identify and meet the needs of SOT postdocs. Through establishing communication with postdoc members, forming long-term collaborations with other SOT Committees, and promoting recruitment and transition to careers, the PDA formulates and implements programs of interest to its members and those in fields intersecting with toxicology. All SOT members who are postdoctoral scholars are part of the PDA, and the PDA Board is elected by the Assembly to lead their activities.
The mantra we hope to leave with all postdoc members is “get involved, stay involved, and get others involved.” The PDA’s activities are successful in large part due to the dedicated volunteers who come forward from the PDA Representatives and the Assembly as a whole to contribute and provide feedback throughout the year. We are excited as planning begins for the PDA-hosted programs that will take place during the upcoming SOT Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. The PDA Board will be organizing a number of activities to include Poster Tours for Trainees, a PDA Career Development session, a co-sponsored scientific session with the Graduate Student Leadership Committee, and the Postdoctoral Assembly Luncheon. Stay tuned this fall for updates on these activities.
We look forward to facilitating professional development for the SOT postdocs again this year!
Caitlin Murphy, PhD, 2015-2016 PDA Chair