Postdoctoral Pathways – Broadening Access to Career Advancement

We propose a Postdoctoral Pathways Program to create a consistent expectation of support for postdoc career planning and professional development across all stages of training. Our four institutions will collaborate to improve the quality and inclusiveness of postdoctoral training, working with partner organizations such as the National Research Mentor Network (NRMN) and the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA), and leveraging the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) Network of 43 institutions. Our program evaluation will apply direct assessments and focus groups toward evaluating a workshop model that emphasizes the generation of work products and motivating behavioral change, plus track participation statistics, completion rates, and collect formative pre-, mid- and post-workshop learning assessments. Specific aim of this project, and Northwestern's involvement include the following. 1) Develop an early postdoc career development program adapted from competencies for postdoctoral preparation for a wide range of career paths. An online career development program for incoming postdocs will address foundational skills and formalize their career planning. 2) Build a suite of digital, active learning workshops to create a Postdoc Academy MOOC series delivered online and in blended formats. 3) Partner with NRMN to ensure the Postdoc Academy is accessible to a diverse postdoc population. 4) Disseminate Postdoc Academy facilitator content to facilitate the growth of new postdoc professional development programs and resources at other institutions.