Michigan State University has partnered with Boston University, Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison to build a diverse biomedical workforce by improving the training experiences and career prospects for current and future postdoctoral scholars.
The four institutions collectively received a five-year $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to collaborate with partner organizations to create the Postdoc Academy, designed to help postdoctoral scholars overcome financial and professional development challenges. Partnering organizations include the National Research Mentor Network, the National Postdoctoral Association and Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning.
Available to postdoctoral scholars nationwide, the Postdoc Academy will provide a blend of interactive online and in-person content focused on the NPA competencies to support skill development, from postdoc orientation to identification and preparation for the next career step.
The program will offer inclusive, active-learning approaches and will be delivered flexibly to serve as a resource for the postdoc community. Massive Open Online Courses will be offered by Boston University on the online learning platform http://edx.org.
MSU’s Henry (Rique) Campa III and Antonio Nunez, associate deans in MSU’s Graduate School, are principal investigators, along with colleagues from the partnering universities.
To learn more about the initiative, including the four main focus areas, visit NIH.