National Postdoc Appreciation Week

1 - 2:30 p.m.

Personal Finance Session • Via Zoom 

Learn from one of the academy’s leading financial education consultants for postdocs and grad students, Jeff Hanson, key speaker from the OPA Financial Literacy Series. Learn how to set yourself up for success with expertise on how to manage budget, resolve debt, and build credit as preparation for home buying and your future financial security • Hosted by OPA

RSVP to get the zoom link

3:30 - 5 p.m.

Loosen the Grip of Impostor Syndrome with Irene Salter • Via Zoom

Have you ever felt like a fraud amongst more talented, brilliant colleagues who have their s**t together? Is there a voice in your head that whispers, "You aren't enough”? Me too. Impostor syndrome is common amongst high achievers, perfectionists, women, and underrepresented groups. That’s me too! But it doesn't stop there. Research from the International Journal of Behavioral Sciences suggests 70% of adults experience it at least once, across occupations and backgrounds.

Here's the thing: don't get rid of impostor syndrome — get good at it. Because getting rid of it would mean avoiding the rooms where others outshine you. And it's exactly those brilliant, apparently more-together people who will push you to become who you're meant to be. Join Irene Salter (UCSF neuroscience alumna and leadership coach) for this hands-on, minds-on workshop. Learn the science, use your body to change your mind, and walk away with a foolproof strategy to manage your inner critic whenever it shows up. • Hosted by OPA

RSVP to get the zoom link

10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

11:30 a.m - 12:30 p.m.

Boba Break • Parnassus - Ocean Room, MU 

Need a mid-morning pick-me-up? Take a break, grab a fresh boba, and connect with your fellow postdocs!

4 - 6 p.m.

Postdoc Slam 2026 • Mission Bay - Byers Auditorium + Live Stream via YouTube 

Join us for the 9th UCSF Postdoc Slam competition! Our popular research communication competition for postdocs is back, and we are planning for an exciting event. Seven to ten UCSF postdoc finalists will present their research in three minutes or less, in language accessible to a general audience, while competing for cash prizes. It's a celebration of postdoctoral research at UCSF and of scientific inquiry. • Sponsored by OPA and GEPA • Find Postdoc Slam event details.

Open to all in the UCSF community, no registration required.

10 - 11:30 a.m.

Self-Sponsored Employment Based Options for Permanent Residence (PR) • Via Zoom 

This session is for international scholars interested in exploring employment based self-sponsored permanent residence. Attorney Jennifer Bouta Mojica will cover options and materials required to build a strong self-petitioned PR application. Offered in collaboration with OPS/PSA. 

RSVP online by September 23 to get the zoom link

12 - 1 p.m.

UCSF Postdoc Alumni Career Panel • via Zoom

Celebrate National Postdoc Appreciation Week at UCSF by joining us for a riveting hour-long webinar and panel discussion with 3 UCSF postdoc alumni discussing their careers. Featuring:

• Navneet Matharu, PhD, postdoc alum, UCSF faculty and co-founder of Regel Tx
• Elena Minones Moyano, PhD, postdoc alum, from Addgene
• Sol Fereres Rapoport, PhD, postdoc alum, from bioRxiv

Moderated by Assistant Dean Chequeta Allen, and a brief intro by GPAA president Courtney McCormick, PhD ’07.

RSVP to get the zoom link

12 - 1 p.m.

Lunch with OPA and Postdoc Alumni Panel Watch Party • Parnassus - Ocean Room, MU 

Connect, Eat, and Get Inspired! Stop by to grab lunch, catch up with fellow postdocs, and pick up your 2026 NPAW swag. Stick around for our Postdoc Alumni Career Panel to hear valuable insights from former postdocs! • Hosted by OPA

5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

UCSF + Gladstone Pre-Trivia Bites • Spark Social 

Join us before SPARK Social Trivia for food, drinks, and great conversation! A limited number of complimentary meal tickets will be available for the first 100 postdocs to arrive. Once they're gone, we hope you'll still join us to connect with colleagues and enjoy the evening. Trivia begins at 6:30 p.m. • Sponsored by UCSF GEPA and the Gladstone Institutes.

10 - 11:30 a.m.

Best practices to prepare for green card case preparation: What can I do now to prepare for a future PR application? • via Zoom

This session is open to international students and scholars who want to know which active steps they can take to strengthen their application for a future self-sponsored employment-based permanent residence application. Attorney Jennifer Bouta Mojica will guide us through the best practices. We recommend attending the PR workshop Sept 16 as a primer for participating in this workshop, although it is not required. This program was created in collaboration and partnership with OPS/PSA. 

RSVP online by September 24 to get the zoom link

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

12 - 1 p.m.

Academia to Industry Transition with Frederic de Sauvage, VP Research Molecular Oncology at Genentech • Mission Bay - N114 (Genentech Hall)

4 - 5 p.m.

Postdoc and Faculty Happy Hour • Mission Bay - Byers Atrium (2nd Floor)

Need a break from the lab? Join us for the Postdoc & Faculty Happy Hour. Come grab a bite, sip a drink, and connect with faculty and peers. It’s the perfect opportunity to spark new ideas, grow your network, or simply unwind. See you there! • Hosted by OPA

12 - 1:00 p.m.

Postdoc Bites from Around the World • Mission Bay - Koret Quad (across from Genentech Hall Steps) 

Taste your way around the globe! Join us for international light bites and global flavors—no passport required. • Sponsored by PSA and OPA