National Postdoc Appreciation Week

The 2025 National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW) is just around the corner in the third week of September! We have many exciting events in store for you. Read on to learn more and secure your spots now!

UCSF celebrates the fifteenth annual National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW) from September 15 through September 19, 2025. The Office for Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) 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 2025!

Score Some Postdoc Swag!

Get ready to cozy up with some awesome postdoc-branded 1/4 zip sweatshirts! We're giving away two at each of our upcoming events, so make sure you register and attend for your chance to win.

Can't make it in person? No sweat! We're also giving away a postdoc sweatshirt daily on Instagram during NPAW. Winners will be announced on Monday, September 22

How to enter:

  • Follow us on Instagram @UCSFPostdocLife
  • Post a photo using #UCSFNPAW2025 to your reel or feed
  • Must be a current UCSF postdoc in a postdoc title code to win

Lab lunch on us! 

All during NPAW week, September 15-19, faculty and postdocs can send a shoutout or words of recognition to your fellow labs, teammates, mentors and postdocs via Instagram using #UCSFNPAW2025 to give recognition and show some support that enters you to win a catered lunch for your lab! We will choose one winner for the week. 

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 welcomes all participants to our events. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any of the events below because of a disability, please email [email protected] at least four days in advance.

All scheduled times below are Pacific Daylight Time.

Registration for events closes on Tuesday, September 9.

Throughout the Month: Free Gym Access for Postdocs - September 7 to 30
  • Free Open house Access from 9/7/25 to 9/30/25 to the Bakar and Millberry Recreation Centers.  Access will be available for all Center classes, facilities, lockers, and services at no cost in celebration of postdocs.  
    • Check out the Landing page to register here: [Landing page link to come]
    • For three weeks – Take a well-deserved well-being break! 

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

Monday, September 15

12:30 - 2 p.m.

Lunch with OPA • Mission Bay - Genentech Atrium • Come meet your OPA Assistant Dean Dr. Chequeta Allen and other staff at the Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) Luncheon. Pick up your 2025 NPAW swag and network with your fellow postdocs over a delicious lunch! • Hosted by OPA • Register for Lunch with OPA by Sept. 9 to reserve your spot.

3 - 4 p.m.

Postdoc and Faculty Connect • Mission Bay - Cafe 24 • Ready to recharge, connect, and expand your network? Join us for a delightful afternoon snack on us. This is your chance to enjoy a bite of food and sip on a beverage while you mingle with fellow postdocs, chat with faculty, and discover new connections. It's the perfect opportunity to share experiences, brainstorm ideas, network, or simply enjoy a well-deserved break away from your lab with your colleagues. • Hosted by OPA • Register for Postdoc and Faculty Connect by Sept. 9 to reserve your spot.

Tuesday, September 16

10:30 a.m. - Noon

Self-Sponsorship Options for Permanent Residence (PR) Workshop • Via Zoom • 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 • Register for the PR Workshop.

11 a.m. - Noon

NIH Postdoc Funding Explained: F32 and K99/R00 Insights • Via Zoom • This workshop provides an overview of NIH postdoctoral award mechanisms, including the F32 and K99/R00, and offers practical strategies to maximize your chances of success. We’ll discuss key application requirements, common pitfalls to avoid, and factors to consider when crafting a competitive proposal. Attendees will gain access to valuable resources, including examples of successful and unsuccessful applications, as well as guidance on support services available at UCSF and Gladstone to help you navigate the process. • Sponsored by Gladstone Institutes • Virtual • Register for the NIH Funding Workshop.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Lunch with OPA • Parnassus - Ocean Room, MU • Come meet your OPA Assistant Dean Dr. Chequeta Allen and other staff at the Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) Luncheon. Pick up your 2025 NPAW swag and network with your fellow postdocs over a delicious lunch! • Hosted by OPA • Register for Lunch with OPA by Sept. 9 to reserve your spot.

3 - 4:30 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 • Register for Personal Finance Session. 

Wednesday, September 17

10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Career and Professional Development Writing Retreat • Mission Bay – MH 2105, 2106, 2107, 2108 • 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 • [Link to come: Register by Sept. 9 to reserve your spot.] 

4 - 6 p.m.

Postdoc Slam 2025 • Mission Bay - Byers Auditorium + Live Stream via YouTube • Join us for the 8th 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, while competing for cash prizes. It's a celebration of postdoctoral research at UCSF and of scientific inquiry. • Sponsored by OPA and GEPA • Find event details. Open to all in the UCSF community, no registration required.

Thursday, September 18

10 - 11 a.m.

Postdoc and Faculty Connect • Student Success Center, MU 100W • Ready to recharge, connect, and expand your network? Join us for a delightful mid-morning break on us. This is your chance to enjoy a bite of food and sip on a beverage while you mingle with fellow postdocs, chat with faculty, and discover new connections. It's the perfect opportunity to share experiences, brainstorm ideas, network, or simply enjoy a well-deserved break away from your lab with your colleagues. • Hosted by OPA • Register for Postdoc and Faculty Connect by Sept. 9 to reserve your spot.

12 - 1 p.m.

Applying the Principles of Project Management to Grant & Academic Writing • Via Zoom • Learn from Dr. Shayla Vradenburgh, Founder of Revolting Science Resources (RSR) as she introduces project management basics and shows how the Scrum framework can be applied to the grant and academic writing processes. Participants will also explore tools for organizing submission materials and tracking deadlines. • Register for Project Management workshop. 

4:30 - 6 p.m.

UCSF + Gladstone Joint Lawn Party • Mission Bay - Koret Quad • Join us for an afternoon of lawn games, snacks, and refreshing beverages as we celebrate your invaluable scientific contributions to the UCSF and Gladstone Institutes research communities. Families and children are welcome, so bring your picnic blanket and enjoy the fun! Stick around for a chance to win raffle prizes.  • Sponsored by OPA and the Gladstone Institutes. • Register for Lawn Party by Sept. 9. 

Friday, September 19

10:30 a.m. - noon

Prepare for a Potential Future Permanent Resident (PR) Application Workshop •  Via Zoom •  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 • Register for the PR Application Workshop. 

2 - 4:30 p.m.

Postdoc Cultural and Talent Showcase • Mission Bay - Byers Auditorium • 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 OPA • [Link to come: Register for the Talent Showcase by Sept. 9.]

Have a talent you want to showcase? Sign up here by Sept. 2!

Saturday, September 20

10:30 a.m. - Noon

Nature Walk at Lands End • Lands End Main Parking Lot • Step into nature and take time for yourself. This relaxed walk invites postdocs to slow down, enjoy the outdoors, and connect with one another in a setting far from the lab. • Sponsored by Gladstone Institutes • Register for the Nature Walk.

Friday, September 26

12 - 1 p.m.

NIH Repays Your Student Loans: An in-depth overview of the NIH's Loan Repayment Programs •  Via Zoom •  The NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) are a set of programs established by Congress designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers. The NIH LRPs pay up to $50,000 annually of qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research.

Applicants must hold an MD, PhD, PsyD, PharmD, DO, DDS, DMD, DPM, DC, ND, OD, DVM, or equivalent doctoral-level degree (exceptions for the Contraception & Infertility Research, and REACH LRP). The NIH LRPs will accept applications from Sept. 1 - Nov. 20. Don’t miss your opportunity to learn how you could receive up to $100,000 in educational debt relief. • Register for the NIH LRP Session. 

Spotlight Postdocs on Zoom

NPAW 2025 Zoom virtual backgrounds are coming soon!

 

Sponsors

 

UCSF Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs

 

UCSF Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

UCSF Postdoctoral Scholars Association

UCSF Office for Career and Professional Development

UCSF International Students and Scholars Office

Gladstone Institutes

 

UCSF Fitness and Recreation

 

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