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SPRING 2020
Welcome Postdoc Fellows

The Division of Research is excited to present the first edition of the Postdoc Parliament, a quarterly newsletter for postdoctoral fellows at FAU.

This newsletter covers new initiatives, resources, professional development opportunities, conference updates and meetings related to postdoc activities.

If you are interested in contributing to this newsletter, please email postdocaffairs@fau.edu.
- Karin Scarpinato, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Vice President for Research at FAU
Changing the World

 Congratulations to Paula Gajewski-Kurdziel , Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the biomedical science department working in the laboratory of Randy Blakely, Ph.D.

Gajewski-Kurdziel was recently awarded the National Institutes of Health National Research Service Award Postdoctoral Fellowship for her project titled "The role of serotonergic IL-1R1 in modulating physiological and behavioral responses to peripheral inflammation."

The proposal aims to identify mechanisms by which the major inflammatory cytokine, acting through its cognate receptor, communicates peripheral innate immune activation to the central nervous system. Gajewski-Kurdziel said her preliminary studies indicate this involves regulation of serotonergic neurotransmission.
New Postdoctoral Association President

Welcome to the newest president of the FAU Postdoctoral Association (PDA), Lorena Areal , Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D.

Areal specializes in neuroscience and investigates how the dopamine transporter (DAT) function can drive risk for neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Using a mouse model expressing the A559V mutation, a DAT gene variant identified in patients diagnosed with ADHD, bipolar disorder and autism spectrum disorder, her research aims to elucidate neurobiological consequences of this mutation, with the ultimate goal of identifying better ways to diagnose and treat these disorders.
 
As the current president of the FAU PDA, Areal's role is to coordinate efforts towards the PDA mission to enhance the postdoctoral experience and to ensure postdoctoral representation on administrative matters, facilitating the communication between postdocs, faculty and FAU administration.
How Does COVID-19 Impact Your Research?

As the world continues to navigate through the coronavirus pandemic, there may be changes to the way you conduct research research.

Please know that the Division of Research is here to help you navigate through this strange new time.

For all the latest news relative how to COVID-19 impacts research, be sure to connect to our dedicated website, HERE.
Connect With a National Postdoc Community

The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) is a nonprofit organization that seeks sustainable change and improvement for the postdoctoral experience through collaboration with all stakeholders.

Currently NPA has benefits and resources to offer such as webinars, mentorship guides and core competencies. Sign up and become an affiliate member, HERE .
We Want to Hear From You

Share information about your research or a recent accomplishment, or nominate a postdoctoral fellow to be highlighted in a future newsletter by emailing postdocaffairs@fau.edu.

Here's a look at a few other opportunities to continue to make a difference.

Looking for advice on different aspects of your research? Or how about sharing your experience and expertise? Check out our survey on finding a mentor or becoming one, HERE .

Want the opportunity to share your research to a lay audience? The Division of Research’s Virtual Research in Action is looking for speakers to participate. Those selected will be asked to present via Zoom webinar format to the general public.

For more information on either of these initiatives, email postdocaffairs @fau.edu .
At-home Activities and Opportunities

While many of you are spending time working from home right now, here are a few resources for postdocs and researchers looking for additional training opportunities. These training events focus on research data management and sharing resources. Some may reference graduate students but are appropriate for postdocs as well.

The following universities have items that lab managers, researchers and graduate students can do from home:


This site is maintained by the Digital Curation Centre of the U.K. and lists research data management materials specific to these areas: performing arts, health studies, psychology, geosciences, social sciences, clinical psychology, archaeology and social anthropology.

This is a registry for online learning resources focusing on research data management.
Dedication to Learning

The following are courses that offer guidance and other educational tools for continued learning.


  • DataONE Education Modules: DataONE provides several lessons in PowerPoint format available for download that can be incorporated into teaching materials. Also available are webinars and screencast tutorials.

  • ManTra: Research Data Management Training (ManTra) is a free online course for those who manage digital data as part of their research project. It is managed by the University of Edinburgh. Modules include data protection, rights and access, sharing and licensing, metadata and curation.

  • Coursera: Research Data management and Sharing (Course Started April 1) is a five-week course designed to introduce research data management and sharing. $49 for a certificate of completion and free to participate.

FAU Training Inside and Out

FAU Research Integrity Institutional Review Board (IRB) Office Hours and Ethics Training: Coordinate a virtual meeting with FAU’s IRB staff for an overview or update on matters surrounding research on human subjects.

IRB Education Training is available via FAU’s Canvas site. Visit FAU’s Research Integrity’s office for more information.

FAU Guidance for Researchers: Visit FAU Research Integrity’s IRB site for a list of a variety of FAU procedures and information everyone should know.

Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative Training: Did you know that a nimal researchers need mandatory training? Ensure that you are up to date, visit FAU’s Research Integrity Office here for more information.

Educopia Electronic Theses and Dissertations and Toolkit: This is designed for training graduate students how to manage research for thesis or dissertation, but the curriculum can be used by anyone involved in research.

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) Data Management and Curation: The ICPSR is an international consortium of more than 750 academic institutions and research organizations that provide training in data access, curation and methods of analysis for the social science research community. This site provides information specifically on data management and curation, and is a guide to social science data preparation and archiving.

Dare to Make an Impact: Check out Research Development’s newly created e-book called “Dare to Make an Impact.” This publication is specially designed to walk you through the early stages of your career in academia with guidance in research funding, building university-wide teams, strengthening grant proposals, and much more.
Funding Opportunities

GrantsForward is a search engine dedicated to helping institutions and individuals find grants to fund their research. FAU subscribes to GrantForward and encourages you to set up your account now, creating keywords and automatic searches based on areas of expertise.
Upcoming Events

The Division of Research events calendar provides the latest information on current events.

Visit often during this remote work period as several talks and workshops will shift to a virtual a meeting format.
Highlights from FAU Postdoctoral Association

Inside each Postdoc Parliament newsletter, you will read news and updates from the FAU Postdoctoral Association (PDA) here.

To get more involved in the FAU PDA, or if you have questions or suggestions, or need assistance, email the the FAU PDA president, Lorena Areal, Ph.D., at  lbianchineareald@health.fau.edu .
For postdoc affairs spotlight announcement inquiries email postdocaffairs@fau.edu.