UTSA holds institutional memberships with the following professional associations.
All faculty, postdocs, academic staff, and graduate students get free access by using their UTSA email address to sign up for membership.
Postdoctoral scholars and researchers have access to various resources and programs designed to support their professional development and success. Organizations such as postdoctoral associations, career centers, and research networks offer a range of benefits, including professional training, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
These organizations aim to address the unique challenges faced by postdoctoral scholars, providing them with tools and resources to enhance their skills, advance their careers, and achieve their goals. They also often partner with other entities to provide access to career development and mentoring resources, helping postdocs navigate the transition from research to academia or industry.
The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) is a professional association established in 2003, which provides a national voice for postdoctoral scholars and has an agenda to enhance postdoctoral success. The NPA is the one national entity representing more than 70,000 postdoctoral scholars and 300 research institutions. As a postdoctoral community leadership role NPA has addressed many issues challenging the postdoctoral community and proposed new standards and policies which are considered by federal agencies and research institutions nationwide.
Key NPA Events & Programs
- NPA Annual Conference
- National Postdoc Appreciation Week
- SmartSkills Professional Development Course
- IMPACT Fellowship Program
Materials presented and shared by NPA for UTSA Postdoctoral professional development:
- Slide Deck -contains links to all the NPA programs
- Link to join as an NPA affiliate member
- A Postdoc's Guide to Career Development - this NPA resource has great information and links to further answer some of the questions, including the website for UCSF's Office of Career and Professional Development.
- The Postdoc Academy - Their two courses are well worth taking!
- Becoming a Resilient Scientist - here is the link to the course done specifically for postdocs (need to be logged in as a NPA Member to access) - this is the course run by Sharon Milgram, Ph.D., Director of NIH's Office of Intramural Training & Education. The NIH's website is also full of amazing resources for postdocs.
National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD) is a nationally recognized, independent organization providing online career development and mentoring resources for advanced graduate students, postdocs, and faculty.
The subscription provides all faculty, postdocs, academic staff and graduate students access to tools to increase research and writing productivity and improve work-life balance.
Activate Your UTSA NCFDD Membership
- Go to faculty.diversity.org/join;
- Under “Select Your Institution,” choose “The University of Texas, San Antonio”.
- Select “Activate my Membership”.
- Complete the registration form using your UTSA email address.
- Check your email account to find a confirmation/welcome email. Click “Activate Account” in the email.
Tools available from NCFDD Include:
- Monday Motivator — a weekly motivating message that emphasizes core ideas and supports the scholar in transitioning to a faculty position.
- Guest Expert Webinars — Monthly professional development sessions.
- Discussion Forum — A member's discussion forums which helps to share knowledge with peer and mentor, and celebrate success together.
- Multi-Week Courses – series of workshops conducted by expert facilitators from different fields.
- Archives — Library for resources and recordings, archives of previous webinars.
- Career Center — guidance for job search process and notifications of new job openings.
- Faculty Success Program
The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) Network programming is now open for members! View available workshops for postdocs and graduate students interested in pursuing teaching careers in STEM disciplines.
Some programs are in high demand and involve a selection process. Register as soon possible. Please contact Dr. Madhumita Joshi, if you have questions or need guidance to get involved in the CIRTL Network community at UTSA. RSVP for monthly meetings here via our event calendar or click here to join the Teams channel.
