Approximately 65 students from universities and colleges from across the nation participated in the Annual Howard University (HU)/ University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Post doctorate Preparation Institute from September 25-27 on the campus of Howard University. Students from such schools as UCLA, University of North Carolina, Ohio State, University of Mississippi, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Pittsburg, University of Florida, University of Chicago, Pennsylvania State, and Clemson State learned about different types of post docts, institutions, career paths, funding for postdocs, the hiring process, finding a balance between one’s personal life and the postdoc experience, and many other topics.

In addition to Howard University Vice Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School Orlando L. Taylor and Patricia Witherspoon, Dean of the Graduate School of UTEP, panel participants included Cherie Butts, research scientist of the National Postdoc Association; Richard Weibl, director of the Center for Careers in Science; Dr. Henry Khachaturian, National Institutes of Health; Dr. Randy Duran of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Faculty; Vicky Rahamatali, American Association for the Advancement of Science; and representatives from the National Science Foundation, Procter & Gamble, the American Council on Education, and universities including Howard, University of Wisconsin, and University of Maryland.

On the first night of the institute the keynote address was provided by Mark T. Hernandez, associate professor of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Dr. Hernandez urged students to “make the short list,” stating that only 5 out of 100 applications get interviews. He encouraged them to get a mentor you knows their field because “they can’t go it alone.” It will also be important to “cross fertilize” or seek additional experiences in different skills in order to leverage their core skills. According to Dr. Hernandez and other panelists, the postdoctoral experience enhances the marketability of doctoral graduates and can lead to more competitive career options and opportunities.

The sponsors of the event – Howard and the University of Texas at El Paso, have formed a unique partnership in graduate education. As the nation’s leading predominantly HBCU and Hispanic Serving Institutions, the two universities have joined forces to increase the number of underrepresented individuals in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields who will join the professoriate. The post doctorate institute is one of the chief components of this partnership, along with preparing future faculty institutes, and graduate visitation programs, both of which alternate on either campus yearly.

For more information on the postdoctorate initiative at Howard, please call 202-806-6800/5936.