Since 2009, the National Postdoctoral Association has sponsored National Postdoc Appreciation Week to recognize the significant contributions that postdoctoral scholars make to research and discovery. We hope that all supervisors recognize the efforts of their postdocs during this week of celebration.
UBC, and especially the PDFO, would like to take this opportunity to thank our postdocs for their hard work and for all the contributions they make to UBC's research enterprise.
2023 PDFO NATIONAL POSTDOC APPRECIATION WEEK
A kickoff video from Dean Dr. Susan Porter (Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, UBC Vancouver) and Dean Dr. Peter Simpson (College of Graduate Studies, UBC Okanagan).
2023 PDFO NATIONAL POSTDOC APPRECIATION WEEK EVENTS
This year, the PDFO is excited to host a series of both online and in-person events celebrating UBC's postdoc community.
Join the PDFO in conversation with current UBC President Dr. Deborah Buszard to kick off our 2023 National Postdoc Appreciation Week. Meet and connect with other postdocs over coffee and treats, followed by brief remarks and a Q&A with President Buszard.
This event will be held in person at the UBC Vancouver - Point Grey campus.
Hear from a panel of faculty members about the 'behind-the-scenes' of the faculty hiring process, with insights into what hiring committee members are looking for and how to prepare for the academic interview.
New postdoctoral fellows are invited to attend our fall Orientation for Postdoctoral Fellows. This half-day session will cover a range of important campus and academic information and advice geared to help you and your families obtain the most from your Postdoc experience at UBC. Orientation will begin with an info fair and networking at 8:30 AM, with presentations from 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM and a networking lunch from 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM.
Hear from a panel of former UBC postdocs about the transition from a Postdoctoral Fellowship to a post-PDF career in non-academic fields.
Join the PDFO for our traditional National Postdoc Appreciation Week barbecue! Check-in begins at 11:45, followed by the barbecue at 12:00. The event is expected to last between 1.5 to 2 hours. As part of this event, postdocs will be eligible to win prizes from a variety of on- and off-campus donors; in order to receive a prize, attendance is required at the time of the draw.
As we have to provide numbers to the venue in advance of this event, RSVPs for the barbecue are requested by Friday, September 8, 2023.
This event will be held in-person at the UBC - Point Grey Campus.
UBC POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATION (PDA) EVENTS
3 minute postdoc slam - monday, september 18, 2023 - 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
The 3-Minute Postdoc Slam is back! Share your research and engage a general audience with a single slide in just 3 minutes. The winners bring home cash prizes!
Postdocs of all faculties and departments are welcome to participate in the slam. Everybody is welcome to attend any or all parts of the event.
Visit the PDA website to register.
OTHER ON-CAMPUS EVENTS
If your faculty, department/unit or research group will be offering events for National Postdoc Appreciation Week, please let us know!

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS!
The PDFO is pleased to feature a prize draw as a part of our in-person NPAW events, but we could not offer this draw without the generous support of our donors. We would like to thank the following organizations for their generous donations in support of 2023 National Postdoc Appreciation Week.
- Ballet BC
- BC Lions
- Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours
- H.R. MacMillan Space Centre
- Fly Over Canada
- Koerner's Pub
- Rain or Shine Ice Cream
- The Improv Centre
- Theatre Under the Stars
- UBC Food Services
- UBC Opera
- UBC Theatre and Film
- UBC School of Music
- Urban Fare
- Vancouver Art Gallery
- Vancouver Canadians
- Vancouver Opera