National Postdoctoral Association
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| National Postdoctoral Association | |
|---|---|
| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:GLOBE.JPG | |
| Website | http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/ |
The National Postdoctoral Association, commonly called "The NPA" is a non-profit organization that represents and provides voice to Postdoctoral Researcher (Postdocs) in the United States of America and Canada.
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[edit] Founding Members
While officially NPA came into existence by January 2003, it was a meeting of minds during April 2002 that initiated the process of establishing a national organization for postdocs. The minds that gathered at Washington DC during April 2002 were:
- Orfeu M. Buxton, Ph.D., University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Karen Christopherson, Ph.D., Stanford Medical School, Stanford, California
- Raymond Clark, Ph.D.,University of California, La Jolla, California
- Carol L. Manahan, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Arti Patel, Ph.D., M.P.H.,National Cancer Institute/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
- Avi Spier, Ph.D.,The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
- Claudina Aleman Stevenson, Ph.D., National Cancer Institute/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
[edit] Organization of NPA
In 2005, NPA received a 'Tax-Exempt' charitable organization status from the Internal Revenue Service based on it being incorporated as a non-profit professional society in the District of Columbia. Largely run by the voluntary efforts of its members, the activities of NPA are co-ordinated by a professional staff with an office in Washington, DC. After Alyson Reed was appointed as Executive Director during September 2003, the NPA has achieved new heights and increased visibility. [1] [2]
[edit] Mission of the NPA
The mission of the NPA is to advance the U.S. research enterprise by maximizing the effectiveness of the research community and enhancing the quality of the postdoctoral experience for all participants.
To achieve its mission, the NPA works to:
- Provide resources for all stakeholders in the postdoctoral community to foster increased accountability.
- Develop and advocate for implementation of policies that promote positive change in the postdoctoral experience.
- Promote collection, analysis and dissemination of data on postdoctoral scholars.
- Develop a self-sustaining, democratic organization to empower all stakeholders in the postdoctoral community.
[edit] Program Activities of the NPA
The NPA’s program activities are focused in three key areas:
- ADVOCACY
The association advocates for policy change within research institutions that host postdoctoral scholars. Since the association’s founding, more than 150 institutions have adopted portions of the NPA’s Recommended Practices. The NPA continues to work with the leadership of federal funding agencies, such as the NIH and the NSF, to develop new programs and policies for postdoctoral training, compensation, and benefits. The NPA values its partners in advocacy, including prominent national associations and organizations that represent the scientific, research and higher education communities.
- RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
The NPA continues to provide the tools and resources that postdocs and administrators need for success. Most NPA publications are available online, with selected resources for members only. These include: an International Postdoc Survival Guide, Toolkits for Postdoc Associations & Offices, an Institutional Policy Database, and a Career Development Clearinghouse.
- COMMUNITY-BUILDING
The NPA hosts annual and regional meetings to provide opportunities for the postdoctoral community to gather and enhance their professional/leadership skills. The association also maintains various listservs and an online bulletin board to facilitate networking nation-wide.
[edit] Committees of the NPA
The NPA currently operates through the following committees:
1. Annual Meeting Committee
2. Diversity Committee
3. International Postdoctoral Committee
4. Marketing and Public Relations Committee
5. Membership Committee
6. Policy Committee
7. Publications Committee
[edit] Definition of Postdoc approved by NPA
A postdoctoral scholar (“postdoc”) is an individual holding a doctoral degree who is engaged in a temporary period of mentored research and/or scholarly training for the purpose of acquiring the professional skills needed to pursue a career path of his or her choosing. Postdoctoral appointees can pursue basic, clinical or translational projects so long as their primary effort is devoted toward their own scholarship. Postdocs are essential to the scholarly mission of the mentor and host institution, and thus are expected to have the freedom to publish the results of their scholarship. [3]
[edit] Surveys
Each year since 2003, The Scientist has conducted a survey on "Best Places for Postdoctoral Researchers to Work".
These surveys aim to find what aspects of the workplace are most important for job satisfaction, and which institutions measure up to those standards. Throughout the year The Scientist publishes overviews of these surveys' results, highlighting the top ranking institutions in each.
The 2006 "Best Places for Postdoctoral Researchers to Work" survey results are available at http://pub.ucsf.edu/missionbay/science/gladstone_thescientist.pdf
