About The OPA
Graduate students and postdoctoral trainees are indispensable
to laboratories engaged in biomedical research, and postdoctoral
training has become a defacto qualification for research
careers in both academia and industry. Despite this relationship,
few formal structures or standards exist for training at
the postdoctoral level, and the status and role of Postdoctoral
Trainees has been a subject of national concern for several
years.
Doctoral recipients generally seek postdoctoral positions
with specific investigators for advanced training in particular
areas of research, with the day-to-day training provided
by the mentor with whom the postdoc has chosen to work.
The University, however, has a responsibility to ensure
that there is an accurate accounting of postdoctoral trainees,
that uniform minimum standards for benefits and career development
are in place, and that there is a record of where the trainees
have gone after completing the program.
To achieve these goals on a University-wide level, the
University's Office of Academic Affairs authorized the establishment
of an Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) within the Graduate
School of Biomedical Sciences. The OPA was established in
April 2001 under the direction of the Acting Dean of the
Graduate School, Dr. Henry Brezenoff. It has responsibility
for reviewing policies regarding postdoctoral education
and financial support, for tracking the progress of postdoctoral
education and development, and for making recommendations
regarding postdoctoral education to the Senior Vice-President
for Academic Affairs. A Postdoctoral Advisory Committee
consisting of the campus research deans, faculty and postdoctoral
representatives has been constituted. The overall objective
is to enhance the academic environment and educational experience
of our postdoctoral appointees.
If you are a postdoctoral appointee and are not on the
OPA e-mail list, or would like to participate in various
activities being planned, please notify the Office
of Postdoctoral Affairs
OPA Advisory Committee
Carl Hock (Office of Research-Stratford)
Judith Neubauer
Nicola Partridge (Faculty-Piscataway)
Andrew Thomas (Faculty-Newark)
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