Timed near the start of the academic year, the week aims to say thank you to the postdocs, research assistants, and lab managers in the department, and celebrate their hard work and dedication.
“Postdocs are the work horses in research environments, and contribute immensely to the success of the department,” said the chair of the PDA, Dr. Andreia Albuquerque-Wendt. “So we want to say thank you for the fantastic work being done on a day-to-day basis.”
Thus, this week, the PDA arranged for a free hot drink at the café in the department for all postdocs, research assistants, and lab managers, with the support of the Dunn School. Additionally, the monthly Dunn School drinks, a reoccurring PDA event, was also bolstered by the department with pizza and extra drinks.
“While the PDA started small this year as it was the first week we’ve organized, we plan on expanding next year, and are already full of ideas for the future!” said Dr. Shaked Ashkenazi, another member of the PDA.
While the practice of a postdoc appreciation week has existed for several years in the US, it is now becoming more common among European research institutions as well.
Written by Derek Xu @derekcxu