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National Postdoctoral Appreciation Week—Coming September 15–19!

By SOT Coordinator posted 09-09-2014 14:30

  

National Postdoctoral Appreciation Week, sponsored by the National Postdoctoral Association, is coming next Monday through Friday, September 15–19. While many groups of postdocs located in academic institutions or industry or government facilities hold get–togethers, such as symposia or picnics, the Society of Toxicology (SOT) Postdoctoral Assembly (PDA) must take a different approach, reaching out to create a “virtual” picnic to support our community of scholars that spans the globe.

Why celebrate postdocs? A survey of data reflects the growing impact of postdoctoral researchers.

  • According to 2012 Science and Engineering Indicators, postdoctoral positions in life science research have increased from 46 percent in 1972 to 61 percent in 2012.
  • The journal Science reported that 43 percent of their primary authors of research articles were postdoctoral scholars.
  • According to the National Academies, postdoctoral researchers “have become indispensable to the science…enterprise, performing a substantial portion of the nation’s research in every setting.”

Join the PDA–Sponsored Webinar on Monday, September 15!

On Monday, September 15, at 11:00 am Eastern Time, the PDA is sponsoring a webinar entitled "Increasing Your Visibility and Participation in SOT as an Early Career Toxicologist."  Hosted by PDA Vice Chair Kathryn Page, this session includes a diverse panel of speakers covering several different areas surrounding the value of SOT membership to professional advancement. Panelists include:

  •  William Slikker Jr., PhD, ATS, Director of US FDA-NCTR, and SOT Past President, who will discuss the hows, wheres, and whys of SOT participation.
  • Lauren M. Aleksunes, PharmD, PhD, Associate Professor at Rutgers University, will provide insight into SOT membership, including types of membership, how to upgrade your membership, and the benefits.
  • Mary Beth Genter, PhD, DABT, ATS, Associate Professor at University of Cincinnati, will address how to organize a session at the SOT Annual Meeting, including how to identify strong topics and speakers, how to prepare a great proposal, and choosing a symposia versus a workshop.
  • Betina J. Lew, PhD, Senior Toxicologist at Church & Dwight, will lend her perspective on how to make the most of your SOT ToXchange member profile.

This webinar will show the value of SOT membership with regard to professional advancement. Speakers include members of multiple SOT committees, including the Nominating Committee (Dr. Slikker), Membership Committee (Dr. Aleksunes), Program Committee (Dr. Genter), and Career Resource and Development Committee (Dr. Lew). This is an excellent chance to hear how SOT can help you, and to ask questions of some great SOT leaders.

This webinar has been endorsed by the SOT Education Committee and Career Resource and Development Committee.

Register for the webinar in advance.

Look for the Postdoc—Themed Blog Series All Week!

Other highlights of the week include a blog series written by recently transitioned postdocs under the theme "Advice from the Other Side: Reflections of the Postdoctoral Experience." We will be featuring authors from each sector: academia, government, and industry.

Articles will be published as Communiqué blogs for all to enjoy. Blog articles will feature:

  • Patrick Allard, PhD, Assistant Professor at UCLA, "Transitioning into an Academic Position: The Entropy of an Exciting Period of Your Career”
  • Chris Banks, PhD, Associate Toxicologist at California EPA in the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, ” Transitioning into Government: from Academia to a Stable Government Position“
  • Katie Paul, PhD, Scientific Advisor in the Regulatory Toxicology Group at Bayer CropScience, “Transitioning into Industry: Steps to Take to Work in Regulatory Toxicology”

Through these events, the PDA joins the National Postdoctoral Association in focusing attention on the contributions and achievements of postdoctoral scholars. We hope that all SOT members will take time during National Postdoctoral Appreciation Week to acknowledge the postdocs in your communities and institutions.

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