2024 Postdoc Appreciation Week

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

The UCalgary Postdoctoral Office is celebrating the 6th annual Postdoc Appreciation Week from September 16 - 20 to highlight our community's important work and significant contributions.

Join us at the Postdoc Appreciation Week Kickoff Breakfast for a deliciously enlightening morning! Indulge in a hot breakfast buffet and perk up to a session on industry engagement tailored specifically for postdoctoral researchers! This kick-off breakfast for PDAW will provide valuable insights into how postdocs can effectively connect with industry partners to advance their research and careers.

What You Will Learn:

• Navigating Career Transitions: Gain tips on transitioning to industry, including how to highlight your research skills and experience in a corporate environment.

• How Does Industry Do Research? Hear about how research gets done outside academia with different approaches, questions, and opportunities

• Building Connections: Learn strategies for networking with industry professionals and establishing meaningful partnerships to advance your research

• Success Stories: Hear from experts and alumni who have successfully engaged with industry and how it has benefited their research careers.

Monday, September 16 | 9:00 - 11:00 AM
Location: Main Campus | Collision Space, Hunter Hub 4th Floor

Join us to explore both dynamic and warmth-building (yang) poses, along with restorative, longer-held (yin) poses. Yin-Yang yoga provides you with benefits from the strength-building, active yoga flows you love, with the mindful, stretch-based sequences you crave. Open to all fitness levels. All Active Living session participants will be automatically entered for a prize draw.

Equipment will be provided by Active Living.

Monday, September 16 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Location: Main Campus | KNA 162

Pilates is a full body workout as the exercises develop the body through muscular efforts that stem from the core. This class focuses on repetitive exercises performed on a yoga mat along with other equipment to build strength, mobility and flexibility. Open to all fitness levels. All Active Living session participants will be automatically entered for a prize draw.

This session is hosted by Active Living.

Tuesday, September 17 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Location: Main Campus | KNA 163

Join a fun sketching workshop to explore how to draw a human figure. With guidance from an instructor with over 30 years of experience, Vahe Tokmajyan, MFA, you will learn to capture the movement of the human body through simple exercises. No prior experience is required and the supplies for the workshop will be provided. This event is supported by the Department of Art and Art History.

Tuesday, September 17 | 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Location: Main Campus | AB 710

These professional headshots are great for symposiums, social profiles, job applications, and more. This year, postdocs can choose from three days: one day at the Foothills Campus, one day at the Main Campus, and a third day with sessions at both campuses.

As spaces are limited, you can only sign up for one time slot.

Foothills Campus

HRIC Atrium check-in

Foothills Campus

HRIC Atrium check-in

Main Campus

MacKimmie Tower | 7^th Floor | MT 714

Main Campus

MacKimmie Tower | 7^th Floor | MT 735

We are excited to welcome guest speaker Sreyasi Biswas for this session. A dossier has become a common requirement for teaching positions in academia. This introductory session will provide an overview of the components and the purpose of a teaching dossier, as well as some practical resources to guide individuals on how to develop a teaching dossier.

Speaker:
Dr. Sreyasi Biswas - Education Development Consultant, Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning

Wednesday, September 18 | 10:30 AM - Noon
Location: Online

Reverse the damage from long work days sitting at the computer or hunching at the lab bench and learn strategies on how to stretch throughout the day to prevent pain and damage.

Wednesday, September 18 | 2:00 - 2:50 PM
Location: Foothills Campus | HSC O1500

Welcome and Meet your Institutes: Join ADR Dr. Savraj Grewal, your postdoc union, our research institutes, our Faculties Grant Development Teams and other services in a casual networking event. Dinner and snacks will be served.

Wednesday, September 18 | 3:00 - 4:30 PM
Location: Foothills Campus | Hippocrates Mall

Use all major muscle groups in this full-body workout. Work through an effective strength and cardio HIIT (high-intensity interval training) program in a safe and informative environment!

All Active Living session participants will be automatically entered for a prize draw.

Thursday, September 19 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Location: Foothills Campus | HRIC Atrium

PDAC is your Union, and consists of postdoctoral members who join together to advance common interests such as salaries, benefits, schedules, employment terms and conditions while connecting postdocs to professional development opportunities.

Thursday, September 19 | 2:30 - 4:30 PM
Location: MacKimmie Tower | 7^th Floor | MT 701

OpenAI Website with Introduction to ChatGPT on Computer Monitor

Friday, September 20 | 9:30 - 11:00 AM
Location: Foothills Campus | Clara Christie Theatre

The Centre’s innovative programs harness the power of AI to personalize learning and empower students to excel. We aim to cultivate strong digital and information literacy skills that will pave the way for academic success across disciplines.
Identify and evaluate generative AI tools relevant to literature searching and understand how to incorporate them into the research process
Select the appropriate tool for research needs
Critically assess the limitations and ethical implications of using AI-powered tools in academic work.

Taught by Dr. Jeff Dunn:

Articulate your science to any audience in any capacity comfortably
Use your writing skills in various ways, including better grant writing, lay abstract writing, pop science articles, and journal articles.
Visualize your science in a way that is easy for people of all backgrounds to understand.
Beneficially use social media to empower your research and the scientific community.
Be able to spread information about science to others in a constructive and positive way.
Interact with people of all backgrounds to elevate science and bring your research to a wider audience.

Friday, September 20 | 11:00 - 12:30 PM
Location: Foothills Campus | Clara Christie Theatre

Have a lovely lunch and network with your colleagues over freshly made, delicious samosas. Please RSVP so we know how many to order!

Friday, September 20 | 12:30 - 1:30 PM
Location: Foothills Campus | Clara Christie Theatre

Drop-in Session

How to participate:

Submit an abstract of knowledge you would like to translate through a comedic talk. This can be anything, from your own lab work to the grand challenges in your field. You can use any material around your scientific realm, encounters at conferences, bizarre lab work or rambunctious lab animal. Your abstract will be judged by the following criteria:
Is it funny?
Is it accessible?
Does is translate knowledge?
Does it evoke curiosity in the reader?
Format of the abstract: 1 page, single spaced, times 12pt

Prizes: The winners of the competition (up to 4) will receive a $200 research allowance each and will perform on the Clara Christie stage during postdoc appreciation week with a 10 minute science comedy talk. All winners will receive coaching for their talk as well as connections and mentorship in the realm of science communication and knowledge transfer.

Friday, September 20 | 1:30 - 3:00 PM
Location: Foothills Campus | Clara Christie Theatre