National Postdoc Appreciation Week

The 2024 National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW) is officially over! Thank you for joining us in making this week special. See below for all the events we hosted for NPAW 2024. We will see you next year!

UCSF celebrates the fifteenth annual National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW) from September 16 through September 20, 2024. The Office for Postdoctoral Scholars and the Postdoctoral Scholars Association encourage you to help us celebrate UCSF postdocs!

Looking for more ways to recognize postdocs and their contributions? We have lots of ideas to help you.

Celebrate postdocs during NPAW 2024!

Celebrate Postdocs on Social Media

Celebrate postdocs on social media by using the hashtags #ucsfNPAW and #UCSFpostdocs. Follow us on X/Twitter.

Calendar of Events

We are excited to be working on a week filled with great events for NPAW 2024. Keep checking this page for more events and details to come!

UCSF is committed to making its facilities and events accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request accommodation for any of the events below, please email [email protected] at least four days in advance.

All scheduled times below are Pacific Daylight Time.

Free Gym Week for Postdocs - September 8 to 28 - an extended NPAW event

The Office for Postdoctoral Scholars (OPS) is pleased to partner with the Postdoctoral Scholars Association (PSA) to announce the upcoming Postdoc Fitness and Recreation Open House Sep. 8 - Sep. 28 at the Mission Bay and the Parnassus Fitness and Recreation Centers!

During this exclusive trial, UCSF Postdocs can:

  • Use all fitness center equipment
  • Register to take exercise classes
  • Utilize fitness center indoor and outdoor pools
  • Participate in drop-in sports and leagues
  • Access lockers, showers and saunas
  • Learn More about UCSF Fitness Centers 

Mission Bay:
Hours and Location
Facility Hours: Monday - Friday, 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday - Sunday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

William J. Rutter Center
1675 Owens Street
San Francisco, CA 94158

Parnassus:
Hours and Location
Facility Hours: Monday - Friday, 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday - Sunday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Millberry Union
500 Parnassus Avenue, Level B1
San Francisco, CA 94143

All Week Long

Do your own Professional Photo Booth Headshots! Drop in to the Student Success Center at Parnassus and use the new Iris Photo booth to do your own professional headshots. Learn how to get ready for your photo shoot. No registration required - first come, first served.

Where:
Millberry Union, 500 Parnassus Ave, MU 100W

When:
Monday - Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Closed for lunch daily between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Monday, September 16

10:30 a.m. - noon

Self-Sponsorship Options for Permanent Residence (PR) Workshop • This session is for international postdoctoral scholars interested in exploring options for self-sponsored permanent residence. Attorney Jennifer Bouta Mojica will cover materials required to build a strong self-petitioned PR application. You may pre-submit your permanent residence questions for the presenter in advance when registering. • Sponsored by ISSO • Virtual • Registration is now closed. 

12:15 - 1:30 p.m.

International Scholars Pizza Lunch​ • Enjoy delicious pizza in celebration of NPAW! This luncheon is open to all members of our international postdoc community, including international family members. • Sponsored by ISSO and OPS • Mission Bay - Koret Quad B • Registration is now closed. 

2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Connect with OPS • Come meet your OPS Assistant Dean Dr. Chequeta Allen, Program Manager Sammi Ma, and other staff at the Graduate Division. Pick up your 2024 NPAW swag, and network with your fellow postdocs over refreshing bubble teas! • Hosted by OPS • Parnassus - Faculty-Alumni House • Registration is now closed. Stop by anyway, we may have an extra for ya.

Tuesday, September 17

10 a.m. - noon

Postdoc Paint & Plant • Art and plants can provide psychotherapeutic benefits. Get creative by painting your own pot and giving life to a new plant. • Sponsored by Campus Life Services and OPS • Mission Bay - The Pub Lounge • No registration required - first come, first served.

1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Bubble Tea Hour • Drop by for a bubble tea. Stay and chat with your fellow postdocs. • Hosted by New England Biolabs and PSA • Parnassus - Saunder's Court.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Connect with OPS • Come meet your OPS Assistant Dean Dr. Chequeta Allen, Program Manager Sammi Ma, and other staff at the Graduate Division. Pick up your 2024 NPAW swag, and network with your fellow postdocs over delicious burritos! • Hosted by OPS • Mission Bay - Koret Quad F • Registration is now closed. Stop by anyway, we may have an extra for ya.

3 - 5 p.m.

Bubble Tea Hour • Drop by for a bubble tea. Stay and chat with your fellow postdocs. • Hosted by Fisher Scientific and PSA • Mission Bay - Sandler Courtyard

3 - 4 p.m.

California Home Assistance Programs for First-Time Home Buyers • Leanne Walker from the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) will present important information and resources on purchasing your first home in California. • Hosted by OPS • Mission Bay - Genentech Hall Room S271 • Registration is now closed. 

4 - 5:30 p.m.

Personal Finance Session • Learn from Jeff Hanson from the OPS Financial Literacy Series on how to manage budget, debt and build credit as preparation for home buying and financial security. • Hosted by OPS • Mission Bay - Genentech Hall Room S271 • Registration is now closed. 

Wednesday, September 18

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Resource Centers Fall Open House • Join the LGBTQ Resource Center, the Multicultural Resource Center, the Disability Resource Center, and the Campus Advocacy Resources & Education (CARE) Program for an open house at the Office of Diversity and Outreach. • Sponsored by ODO • Parnassus - Millberry Union 102W • Registration is now closed. 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Career and Professional Development Writing Retreat • Writing can be challenging for scientists, especially when writing something non-scientific. Certain things that every scientist needs to write at some point, such as a personal bio, a cover letter, a resume, a conference proposal, or a teaching statement. This Writing Retreat will provide a space to write together! • Sponsored by OCPD • Mission Bay - Mission Hall 2106-2108 • Registration is now closed. 

4 - 6 p.m.

Postdoc Slam 2024 • Join us for the 7th UCSF Postdoc Slam competition! Our popular research communication competition for postdocs is back, and we are planning for an exciting event. Ten UCSF postdoc finalists will present their research in three minutes or less, in language accessible to a general audience. It's a celebration not only of the finalists and contest winner, but also of postdoctoral research at UCSF and of scientific inquiry. • Sponsored by OPS and the Graduate Division • Mission Bay - Byers Auditorium + Live Stream via YouTube. Find event details.

Thursday, September 19

10:30 a.m. - noon

Prepare for a Potential Future Permanent Resident (PR) Application Workshop • Not sure where to focus your professional efforts for a potential future PR application? ISSO will briefly offer best practices for selecting an attorney, and Attorney Jennifer Bouta Mojica will guide you through the best practices about where to focus your professional pursuits. We recommend attending the "Self-Sponsored Options for Permanent Residence" seminar on September 16 as a preparation for participating in this workshop, although it is not required. • Sponsored by ISSO • Virtual • Registration is now closed. 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Bubble Tea Hour • Drop by for a bubble tea. Stay and chat with your fellow postdocs. • Sponsored by Proteintech the PSA • Mission Bay - Saunders Court

1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Bubble Tea Hour • Drop by for a bubble tea. Stay and chat with your fellow postdocs. • Sponsored by New England Biolabs the PSA • Mission Bay - Helen Diller & CVRI Courtyard

3:10 - 4 p.m.

NIH Talk: High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program • This program issues annual funding opportunities for exceptionally creative scientists with highly innovative research ideas. Learn about the NIH Director's Pioneer, New Innovator, Transformative Research, and Early Independence Awards supporting high-impact research from scientists at all career stages. • Hosted by Gladstone Institutes • Mahley Auditorium at Gladstone Institutes • Details • Registration is now closed. 

4:30 - 6 p.m.

UCSF + Gladstone Joint NPAW Reception • Come enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres and beverages as an appreciation to our UCSF and Gladstone Institutes postdocs. Stick around for a chance to win a raffle prize! • Sponsored by OPS and the Gladstone Institutes • Mission Bay - Genentech Hall Steps • Registration is now closed. 

Friday, September 20

11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Bubble Tea Hour • Drop by for a bubble tea. Stay and chat with your fellow postdocs. • Sponsored by Proteintech the PSA • Mission Bay - Helen Diller Courtyard

2 - 4:45 p.m.

Postdoc Cultural and Talent Showcase • As part of NPAW, we want to celebrate our postdocs not only for their research contributions, but also for their remarkable talents in the arts! Come enjoy a fun variety show of music performances, dancing, improv, and more! • Sponsored by PSA and OPS • Mission Bay - Byers Auditorium • Registration is now closed. 

Spotlight Postdocs on Zoom

Keep postdocs in the spotlight all week long with an NPAW Zoom virtual background!

Download the NPAW 2024 Zoom Background Featuring Multiciliated Cells

National Postdoc Appreciation Week Zoom Background with the Rutter Center

Download the NPAW 2024 Zoom Background Featuring DNA in a Gel Matrix

National Postdoc Appreciation Week Zoom Background with Parnassus Heights campus

Sponsors

 

UCSF Graduate Division

 

UCSF Office for Postdoctoral Scholars

UCSF Postdoctoral Scholars Association

UCSF Office for Career and Professional Development

 

UCSF International Students and Scholars Office

Gladstone Institutes

UCSF Arts and Events

UCSF Fitness and Recreation

 

 

New England Biolabs

 

Fisher Scientific

Proteintech

 

Special thank you to the members of the Postdoctoral Scholars Association, the Office for Postdoctoral Scholars, and the Graduate Division, as well as everyone else who has contributed their ideas, time, and energy to celebrate UCSF postdocs!