The PDFO is dedicated to providing a wide variety of quality professional development opportunities to UBC’s postdoc community.
The PDFO is proud to offer four flagship professional development programs in addition to regularly-scheduled professional development workshops:
- Foundations of Career Planning Program: A three-part workshop program designed to introduce postdocs to the support and resources required to establish the foundations of a post-PDF career in academia or with a primary focus on industry. By the end of the
- Postdoctoral Fellows Teaching Internship (PDTI): In collaboration with the Centre for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL), the Postdoc Teaching Internship is comprised of a three-day Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) and opportunities to work with a mentor.
- Fundamentals of Project Management Program (formerly called the Summer Institute in Project Management): A program designed to provide a comprehensive overview of topics in research project management, including an introduction to the principles, and key elements of scope, time, cost, quality, stakeholder and risk management for projects in research. Participants attend six two-hour sessions over a two-month period, and modules are supplemented by online readings and videos.
- Applied Project Management Program (formerly called the Winter Institute in Advanced Project Management): A follow-up to the PDFO's Fundamentals of Project Management Program, the Applied Project Management Program covers intermediate and advanced topics in project management and leadership. Building on the learning outcomes of the Summer Institute, this pilot program will provide participants the opportunity to apply these learnings by working on a group project. Participants will also learn about essential elements of leadership and management.
Additional professional development resources that are available to UBC-appointed Postdoctoral Fellows can be found on the Professional Development Resources page.
Upcoming Workshops and Events
UBC offers and administers programs that provide professional development to PDFs. Events offered by the PDFO will open for registration approximately two weeks in advance of each session. Registration is required for all PDFO events. Participants who are successfully registered in a professional development session will receive a confirmation email from the PDFO within a week of the session.
The PDFO reserves the right to cancel, postpone, or reschedule a course due to low enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances. If this occurs registrants will be contacted via email as soon as possible.
Previous Events
| Event Title | Event Date Sort ascending | Organizer |
|---|---|---|
| NPAW 2022: It’s Not What You Know, It’s How You Tell Them: The Power of Entertainment in Communication (Postponed Due to UBC Closure) | - | Postdoctoral Fellows Office |
| Immigration for Postdoctoral Fellows | - | Postdoctoral Fellows Office |
| Applying the principles of sound leadership and team building | - | Mitacs Training |
| Mastering the elevator pitch | - | Mitacs Training |
| Project and Time Management | - | Mitacs Training |
| Managing workload and burnout as a member of an equity-deserving group working in JEDII | - | UBC Equity and Inclusion Office |
| Incorporating reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion into your project | - | Mitacs Training |
| Deep-Dive into Recruitment: Inclusive Practices in-person interview for equity-deserving groups | - | UBC Equity and Inclusion Office |
| Better Time and Energy Management (Postponed) | - | Postdoctoral Fellows Office |
| Framing your project in a masterful presentation | - | Mitacs Training |
Privacy Notification: Your personal information is collected under the authority of section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). This information will be used for the purpose of planning and administering each professional development workshop and event offered by the Postdoctoral Fellows Office (PDFO). Questions about the collection of this information may be directed to the PDFO at postdoctoral.fellows@ubc.ca.