Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Welcome to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) at the University of Idaho. Our office serves the needs of all postdocs at U of I, and provides a platform for personal growth and professional development. We work with students, faculty and staff, to provide useful resources for the postdoc community and to improve the overall postdoc experience at U of I.
Services include:
- career services
- management of benefits
- grants and fellowships
- mentorship
- organizing social events
The Postdoc Office serves any researcher in any program or department at U of I who has a doctoral degree and is working in a training position under faculty mentorship.
This includes:
- Postdoctoral Fellows
- Research Associates
- some part-time and visiting researchers
A recent survey of our current postdocs showed that they come from all continents, and that two-thirds of our postdocs are international. Our postdoctoral corps is diverse, with a female representation of around 40% of all postdocs.
Along with the Professional Development Initiative (PDI), we organize workshops to boost your career.
- Visit our PDI webpage for more details.
The University of Idaho is also a member of the National Postdoc Association (NPA). The NPA is the national organization that helps represent, support and assist postdocs develop their careers and improve their working conditions. The association holds regular meetings, webinars, workshops and produces other resources that positively impact postdocs individually and jointly.
As a U of I postdoc you can use this institutional membership to get your personal NPA membership sponsored (get a free membership).
- Activate your free Affiliate Individual Membership, and start benefiting from it now.
We are working with the U of I Postdoctoral Association and the Graduate and Professional Student Associations to develop opportunities for mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, as well as develop teaching opportunities.
Get in touch if you are interested in participating.
The Office of Research & Economic Development (ORED) at U of I offers support with finding funding opportunities, develop and submit proposals, manage awards and disseminate the research results.
For more details:
- View this document (PowerPoint)
- Visit the ORED website
The University of Idaho provides multiple benefits for postdocs and their families — beyond what was covered in the initial Benefits Orientation you may have attended.
For more info:
- View this document (PowerPoint)
- Visit the HR website
A service for postdocs, students, faculty, staff, and administrators. The Ombuds provides a safe place for anyone on campus to discuss workplace, student or general university issues, whether they are interpersonal, employment, ethical, discriminatory, or other concerns. The Ombuds is Confidential, Impartial, Informal, and Independent.
The Ombuds cannot guarantee confidentiality on email, but feel free to give them a call at 208-885-7668 or stop by GS-04 behind the faculty/staff lounge in Brink Hall. Laura Smythe is the University Ombuds.
Every year we organize an annual Postdoc orientation where we talk about issues concerning postdocs at our University. The orientation is announced on our webpage or via the postdoc mailing list.
The OPA is sponsored by College of Graduate Studies (COGS) and the Office for Research and Economic Development (ORED). It is overseen by the Dean of COGS, Jerry McMurtry.
You can contact the OPA at any time by email at postdoc@uidaho.edu.
In addition, the U of I soon-to-be Postdoctoral Association maintains a mailing list that we use to connect among postdocs, inform each other or organize interesting or social events to get to know each other.
To get added, please contact the list administrators at postdoc@uidaho.edu, or if you would like to contact all of us, use this same email and we will let you know how to do so.