Office of the Vice President forResearch and Innovation

Career resources

• FASEB Individual Development Plan 
• Individual Development Plan web-based tool
• Career information from the National Postdoc Association
• BioCareers
• Career resources from AAAS

Preparing Future Faculty program at VCU

The PFF program offers a series of short courses and professional development opportunities for students interested in pursuing careers in higher education. PFF courses introduce students to the roles and responsibilities of higher education, address teaching and learning issues in the college classroom and provide supervised internship opportunities. Postdoctoral scholars at VCU are eligible to take these courses with permission of the PFF program. Postdoctoral scholars taking these courses may be eligible for tuition assistance.

Mentoring

Mentoring is recognized as an important component to career success in the academic environment. The following links provide several resources related to mentoring and being mentored.

• Mentoring international postdocs
• Responsible conduct in research mentoring
• Resources for the development of early career scientists from HHMI

The NSF is now requiring mentoring plans in all proposals that include postdoctoral scholars.

PDA listserv

Stay up to date with PDA via the listserv. Please email postdocs@vcu.edu to enroll. 

VCU PDA on X

Follow us on X @VCU_PDA

PDA travel awards program

The PDA at VCU offers need-based travel awards in the amount of $700 dollars to select individuals to help defray meeting travel expenses. Four awards are offered in the spring and fall semesters, and three awards are offered in the summer.

How to apply

1. Sign up for the PDA listserv and/or follow on X @VCU_PDA.
2. Watch for the call for awards announcement.
3. Submit the abstract title, abstract and author names along with proof of submission of abstract to the meeting. Then include a letter identifying why you need this award.
4. Additional instructions are included in the call of awards announcement and any questions can be directed to postdocs@vcu.edu.

Postdoctoral recognition program

Want the PDA to tweet out about your newly published paper? Did you just receive a F32 or K99? How about a pat on the back for that presentation at that awesome conference? PDA would like to highlight the accomplishments of postdoctoral fellows at VCU. Please send an email to postdocs@vcu.edu with a few sentences about your accomplishment (or a postdoc that you think needs recognition), and PDA will contact you so that we can recognize amazing postdoctoral fellows over social media.

Virginia Commonwealth University has purchased a sustaining membership from the National Postdoctoral Association. This entitles everyone who is affiliated with VCU to obtain a free affiliate membership in NPA. Anyone who has an email address with the domain @vcu.edu can join NPA for free. All you need to do is complete an online or paper enrollment form using your VCU email address. Affiliate members receive a modified package of benefits, including subscriptions to NPA publications, access to members-only web content and eligibility for NPA committee service. Please note that affiliate members are not eligible to vote or serve on the NPA board of directors. Affiliate members who wish to vote or serve on the board should join NPA as full individual voting members (dues are $35).

Begin an affiliate member enrollment

(Select "Affiliate individual member, postdoc" option)