Postdoc and Faculty Mentor Awards Program
The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs is committed to recognizing the many contributions our postdoctoral associates make to their field, research groups, the university, and beyond. In addition, the office values the important role more senior faculty mentors play in mentoring postdocs to help them succeed at Virginia Tech and beyond.
Each Fall, exceptional postdoctoral associates are recognized who have contributed in the areas of scholarship and/or service as well as faculty members who provide exceptional mentorship to postdoctoral associates at the university through three distinct awards.
Awards will be presented at the Postdoc Showcase and Celebration event held in conjunction with National Postdoc Appreciation Week each year. This year’s event will be held on Sept. 17 at the Inn at Virginia Tech.
The specifics regarding these awards, including who can submit a nomination for each program and who is eligible for each award program is detailed below.
Nominees must demonstrate excellence in research, scholarship or creative expression as evidenced by one or more of the following:
- Recent publications, publication contracts, and/or works of creative expression
- Presentations: papers or posters at local, regional, national or international conferences/meetings
- Awards and honors: internal and/or external recognition of excellence in research, scholarship or creative expression
- Other unique contributions to scholarship (e.g., presentations, grants, publications) or pedagogy in their field
Nominee eligibility:
- The nominee must be in the rank of “postdoctoral associate” at Virginia Tech who began in their role prior to July 1, 2023 (ie, greater than 1 year as a postdoc at Virginia Tech), and has demonstrated scholarly productivity as a Virginia Tech postdoc.
Who can nominate?
- Virginia Tech faculty who are either on the tenure-track, tenured, or otherwise eligible to serve as a principal investigator on grant submissions through Virginia Tech.
What is required in the nomination?
- Name and contact information for both the nominee and the faculty nominator
- Updated CV of the nominee
- A 500-1000 word statement that speaks to the nominee’s scholarly excellence and contributions to their field, specifically focused on the work they have performed while a postdoctoral associate at Virginia Tech
Freya Olsson, Biological Sciences
Faculy Mentors and Nominators: Cayelan Carey and Quinn Thomas
Nomination Statement: “Dr. Olsson has empowered the ecological research community to forecast lake and stream water quality across the world. In a recent analysis of the number of environmental forecasts that have been submitted to the NEON Challenge across all variables, the number of aquatic forecasts numerically dominates, which is largely due to Dr. Olsson’s efforts to train aquatic scientists in this field.”
Awardees will be selected based on meeting one or more of the following criteria:
- Engages in exceptional mentorship of the next generation of researchers (undergraduate & graduate students) in their field
- Provides outstanding support to other postdoctoral scholars, their teaching or research community, and/or the Virginia Tech community
- Service to the postdoctoral community at large, including advocating for postdoctoral scholars and including postdoctoral voices in key decision making or other endeavors
Nominee eligibility:
- The nominee must be in the rank of “postdoctoral associate” at Virginia Tech who began in their role prior to July 1, 2023 (ie, greater than 1 year as a postdoc at Virginia Tech)
Who can nominate?
- Any Virginia Tech student or employee
What is required in the nomination?
- Name and contact information for both the nominee and the primary nominator
- A 500-1000 word statement that speaks to the qualification of the nominee to be considered for the Postdoc Service Excellence award along one or multiple criteria detailed above. This statement could also include testimonials the nominator solicits from other individuals within or outside Virginia Tech who can speak to the service the postdoc has performed to their field and/or community.
Maria Amaya, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Faculty Mentor and Nominator: Landon Marston
Nominaton statement from Virginia Tech Master's student Johanna Capone: "As I continue through my research journey, I aspire to strike a balance between academics, personal goals, and community service like Dr. Amaya. Our research group and the broad Virginia Tech community have benefited from her academic guidance, STEM service, and personal support.”
This award recognizes faculty mentors who have gone above and beyond to support Virginia Tech postdoctoral associates.
Awardees will be selected based on meeting one or more of the following criteria:
- Empowers postdoc mentee to reach their career goals
- Supports postdoc mentee through collaborative scholarship (e.g., grant writing, publications, presentations) and teaching, where relevant
- Offers constructive feedback and expertise in support of their postdoc mentee
- Service to the postdoctoral community at large, including advocating for postdoctoral scholars and including postdoctoral voices
Nominee eligibility:
- The nominee must be a Virginia Tech faculty who are either on the tenure-track, tenured, or otherwise eligible to serve as a Principal Investigator on grant submissions through Virginia Tech
Who can nominate?
Current Virginia Tech postdoctoral associates
What is required in the nomination?
- Name and contact information for both the nominee and postdoc nominator
- A 500-1000 word statement that speaks to the qualification of the nominee to be considered for the Faculty Mentor Award along one or multiple criteria detailed above. This statement could also include testimonials the nominator solicits from current and past postdoc mentees of the nominee who can speak to their mentorship.
James (Jamie) Smyth, Associate Professor, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
Postdoc Mentee and Nominator: Chelsea Phillips
Nominaton Statement: "Out of all my scientific mentors over the years, Dr. Smyth has been the most intentional about his mentorship. When talking to Dr. Smyth, it is clearly evident that he cares about mentoring and has poured time and energy into developing his mentoring philosophies and enacting them.”
Nomination Submission
Email nominations with subject line “Postdoc/Faculty Mentor Award Nomination” to christsmith@vt.edu.
All nominations are due no later than Friday, Aug. 16, at midnight.
