The Annual Postdoc Symposium is a dynamic event designed to enhance the professional development of postdoctoral scholars at Washington University in St. Louis. This one-day symposium offers a range of workshops and sessions focused on career advancement, skills development, and networking opportunities. Connect with academic and industry professionals, learn about campus resources, and build a supportive community with fellow postdocs. Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to expand your skills, knowledge, and network!
This annual event is sponsored by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.
20th Annual Postdoc Symposium
Check back often as additional details will be announced.
March 28, 2025
8:30am – 5:30pm
Farrell Learning and Teaching Center (FLTC)
Symposium Schedule
10:15 am
Break
10:30 am
Concurrent Sessions
Session 1: TBA
Session 2: Exploring the Art of Improv in Our Teaching Practices
1:00 pm
Concurrent Sessions
Session 3: Once Upon a Job Talk: Using Storytelling and Performativity to Deliver a Winning Job Talk
Session 4: TBA
5:30 pm
Event Concludes
Keynote Address
9:30-10:15am Connor Auditorium
Alison L. Antes, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of General Medicine & Geriatrics
Washington University School of Medicine
Concurrent Session 1
10:30-11:45am Connor Auditorium
Hosted by WashU Learning and Development
Facilitated by Carla Bailey, MBA, Director, Learning and Development
Concurrent Session 2
Exploring the Art of Improv in Our Teaching Practices
10:30-11:45am FLTC 302, 303 & 304
Hosted by The Center for Teaching and Learning
How can the art of improv support your teaching activities and bring more joy into the classroom? Traditional approaches to teaching in the college classroom can often be stilted and scripted. Yet, in order to respond to our students’ needs and draw them into the learning process deeply we need to be present, flexible, and responsive as instructors. Improv is a great theatrical tool to improve public speaking and listening skills as well as helping one think quickly on their feet. Improv skills also helps our students to build strong collaboration skills and encourages them to take risks in the classroom. In this workshop, we’ll explore how to incorporate improv principles into both our teaching and our students’ learning. Be prepared to try out simple, fun activities – zero acting skills or experience required!
Workshop Facilitator: Denise Leonard, PhD
Associate Director for Graduate Student and Postdoc Programs
Concurrent Session 3
Once Upon a Job Talk: Using Storytelling and Performativity to Deliver a Winning Job Talk
1:00-2:15pm FLTC 302, 303 & 304
Workshop Facilitator: Cindy Reed, PhD, Assistant Professor of English, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
The job talk can often feel like a humdrum process. However, sharing your ideas and research should be exciting for you and your audience. This workshop demonstrates how to make a positive, memorable impression on prospective colleagues by elevating the job talk from simply sharing scholarship to storytelling, from reading a paper to delivering a performance.
Concurrent Session 4
1:00-2:15pm Connor Auditorium
Facilitated by: Thi Nguyen, PhD, Nguyen Education & Workforce Consulting
Career Professional Round Tables
2:30-4:00pm FLTC 302, 303 & 304
This session features 12 separate roundtables, each with 1 career professional and room for 8 postdocs. The session will be split into three 30-minute segments where postdocs will be able to rotate tables to speak with up to 3 different career professionals in industries of their choice.
Table Topic
Speaker
Academic Investigator
(domestic background)
Gwendalyn J. Randolph, Ph.D.
Emil R. Unanue Professor, Pathology & Immunology
WashU
Academic Investigator
(international background)
Aayushi Uberoi, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Pathology & Immunology
WashU
Academic Faculty Instructor
Career Coaching
Consulting
Skye Fishbein, PhD
Instructor, Pathology and Immunology
WashU
Harshad Ingle, Ph.D.
Instructor in Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
WashU
Chuanmei (Mei) Zhu, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Career and Professional Development for PhD and Postdoctoral Scholars
Center for Career Engagement
WashU
TBA
Data Science
Daniela Mattos, Ph.D.
Clinical Data Scientist
Spatial Front
Entrepreneurship
Deepika Poranki, Ph.D.
Business Development Director
Office of Technology Management
WashU
Grant writing
Emily Madden, Ph.D.
Scientific Grant Writer
EpiCypher
Industry Research
Heidi Hope, Ph.D.
Senior Research Fellow, Cell & Translational Lead
Confluence Discovery Technologies
Non-profit
TBA
Public Scholarship
Kelly Smits
Editorial Specialist
Program in Public Scholarship
WashU
Research Communication
Monica Sala-Rabanal
Science Communication Specialist
Becker Medical Library
WashU
Resource Fair
4:00-5:15pm FLTC Atrium
Speak with representatives from various offices and organizations across campus and learn more about their work and services available to you.
Bernard Becker Medical Library
Clinical Research Training Center
The Center for Teaching & Learning
Continuing and Professional Studies
Mentorship to Enhance Diversity in Academia