Graduate Division Outstanding Postdoc

Nominations for the Graduate Division Outstanding Postdoctoral Scholar Award are now being accepted.

UC Santa Cruz strives to promote postdoctoral scholars that embody the mission and high standards of this university. Postdoctoral scholars are individuals who have recently completed a doctoral degree and, under the oversight of a faculty mentor, continue training in preparation for a career in academia, industry, government, or the private sector. This award recognizes postdoctoral scholars who show excellence in one or more of the following:

Exceptional research and/or creative activities
Leadership
Mentorship
Service

Previous years’ awards

Award Description

One postdoctoral scholar will be selected annually from nominations reviewed by a committee of faculty, postdoctoral mentors/supervisors, and Graduate Division administrative leadership staff. The awardee will receive $2000 to be used for research and/or to further their professional development (e.g., attend a scholarly conference, purchase equipment/supplies, etc.). Use of the award must be approved by the Vice Provost and Dean of the Division of Graduate Studies.

The postdoctoral scholar chosen by the selection committee to receive the award will exhibit one or more of the following:

Excellent research and/or creative activity, showing strong evidence of research/creative innovation and productivity (e.g., scholarly distinctions, publications, presentations, inventions, exhibits, performances, products), as well as the nominee’s research/creative innovation and productivity having a significant or potentially significant impact on the field and/or society more broadly
Leadership and/or strong service (e.g., preparing manuscripts, funding applications, organizing workshops or conferences, volunteering in professional and/or other organizations, etc.)
Effective mentorship by advising graduate students, undergraduate students, and/or any other group in a professional setting
Support and fostering of equity, diversity, and inclusion within their research group, department, institution, community, and/or field through their research/creativity, mentoring/teaching, and/or service activities

Eligibility

The nominee must be a UC Santa Cruz postdoctoral scholar with a postdoctoral title code and at least six months of UC Santa Cruz postdoctoral experience (at the time of nomination) under the mentorship of a UC Santa Cruz faculty member or principal investigator (PI). Previous winners of the award are ineligible to receive it again.

Nominees Must Attend the Postdoc Symposium

All nominees are required to register for and attend the Annual USPA Symposium.

The 8th Annual UCSC Postdoc Symposium will take place on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at the Cultural Center at Merrill College.

Who May Nominate

Postdoctoral scholars may be nominated by:

Themselves
Faculty or principal investigator (PI) mentors/supervisors
Other faculty
Other postdoctoral scholars
Mentees (graduate students, undergraduate students, etc.)

Please note that the individual making the nomination does not need to be directly in the nominee’s working group, but direct familiarity of the nominee’s ability and performance along the four indicated criteria above is required.

Nomination Process

An online nomination form must be submitted by the nominator or the postdoctoral scholar nominee (self-nomination) by October 10, 2025. Please upload the following materials in a single pdf file:

Nomination statement (required, 900 words maximum) written by either the nominator or the postdoctoral scholar nominee (self-nomination). This statement should address how the nominee exhibits excellence in research/creativity, leadership, mentoring, and service.
Endorsement statements (one required, second optional, 900 words maximum each). More information:
- If the postdoctoral scholar is self-nominating and writes the nomination statement, the required endorsement statement must be from the faculty/PI mentor.
- If the faculty/PI mentor is nominating the postdoc and writes the nomination statement, the required additional endorsement statement may be from other faculty, other postdoctoral scholars, graduate or undergraduate student mentees, or others that the nominee has worked closely with in the context of their position at UCSC.
- If the faculty/PI mentor is NOT nominating the postdoc, the required endorsement statement mustbe from the faculty/PI mentor.
- The optional second endorsement statement may be from other faculty, other postdoctoral scholars, graduate or undergraduate student mentees, or others that the nominee has worked closely with in the context of their position at UCSC.
- Endorsements can be uploaded via the nomination form, or emailed to vpdgs@ucsc.edu.
Curriculum vitae (required) for the postdoctoral scholar: The CV should include educational and postdoctoral appointment history (i.e., locations, dates, and mentors), and awards, honors, publications, presentations, inventions, exhibits, performances, etc., as well as professional memberships, volunteer organizations, and relevant activities. Accomplishments achieved while a postdoctoral scholar at UC Santa Cruz should be highlighted.

Selection Process

Nominations will be reviewed and awardees selected by a selection committee composed of faculty/PIs and Graduate Division administrative leadership staff.

Ceremony and Award

The Graduate Division Outstanding Postdoctoral Scholar Award recipient will receive $2000 to promote career development.

Winners will be announced, recognized, and honored at the annual USPA Symposia.