Welcome, Prospective Postdoctoral Trainees!
Thank you for your interest in UCLA Bio-Launch, a UCLA Bioscience recruitment initiative!
The virtual 2-day event for prospective postdocs hosted by UCLA Biosciences will take place May 3-4, 2023.
About the UCLA Bio-Launch
UCLA’s Bioscience Postdoc Affairs are hosting UCLA Bio-Launch, a virtual postdoctoral recruitment initiative. Selected candidates will be invited to participate in a 2-day virtual information and professional development event (May 3-4, 2023). Included in Bio-Launch, are two professional development workshops to help early-stage researchers find a good mentor and prepare for informational interviews. As part of the virtual event, you will also have the opportunity to talk to current UCLA postdocs about their experiences and network with UCLA faculty. UCLA Bio-Launch also includes a matching service with Bio-Launch Mentors (faculty/PIs from the Division of Life Sciences and David Geffen School of Medicine) that have committed to meeting for informational interviews with participants. Virtual informational interviews are expected to occur during the post-event recruitment period (May 5-26). Prospective postdoc participants will be responsible for scheduling virtual informational interviews with their faculty partners once they receive their match information.
Important Dates:
- DEADLINE EXTENDED: March 31, 2023 at 11:59PM PST – Application Deadline for Prospective Postdocs
- May 3-4, 2023 – Virtual Zoom Events
- Professional Development Workshops
- Postdoc Panel
- Networking with Faculty
- May 5-26, 2023 – Recruitment Period (Zoom-based Informational Interviews)
Agenda for May 3-4 Virtual Events*:
*All times listed below are in Pacific Standard Time and all events are hosted on Zoom.
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
- 9:00-10:00 am – Welcome & Overview of UCLA Postdoc Experience
Presented by Dr. Greg Payne (Director of Graduate Programs & Postdoctoral Affairs in Bioscience) & Dr. Lynn Talton (Director of Bioscience Postdoctoral Affairs) - 10:00-11:00am – Workshop: Finding Mentors, Aligning Expectations, & Self-Advocacy
Presented by Letty Treviño - 1:00-2:00pm – Panel: “Ask a UCLA Postdoc”
Moderator: Letty Treviño
Panelists: Sada Boyd, Leonila Lagunes, Berney Peng
Thursday. May 4, 2023
- 10:00-11:00am – Workshop: Effective Informational Interviewing & Networking
Presented by UCLA Graduate Career Services
Informational interviews, conversations you have with others to learn more about their professional experiences, can be an invaluable way to explore your own career options and make professional connections. Despite their importance, most people never learn how to conduct effective informational interviews. Join us to learn and practice strategies for identifying and connecting with potential interviewees, structuring these important conversations, and asking strong questions to learn valuable information about the industries you are interested in. Participants will leave the workshop with informational interviewing resources and tools to help support career development and job searches.
- 12:00-1:00pm – Networking: Speed Friending
How it works: Speed Friending is a guided networking activity. Prospective postdocs will be placed in breakout rooms with faculty and the groups will be switched every 8-10 minutes. We will be providing ice breaker questions per round to guide the conversation in the breakout rooms. Questions will involve faculty sharing their career journeys and reflecting on their best practices as scientists.
Eligibility
- This initiative will be most useful for advanced PhD students, recent PhD graduates, or early-career postdoc scholars in Bioscience fields.
- Prospective postdocs from groups traditionally marginalized in the biosciences and/or from disadvantaged backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
- There is no citizenship requirement to apply.
Accessibility
We will have closed captioning during the 2-day virtual event. The application provides a space for you to list any accommodations you may need; we may contact you for further information in order to meet your needs. If you have any questions or would like to speak to us directly, please email Letty Treviño (ltrevino@mednet.ucla.edu) with “UCLA Bio-Launch” in the subject line.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to the Chicagoland team for sharing this recruitment model with us.