Postdoctoral Associate Mentoring Plan
One postdoctoral scholar (postdoc) will be funded 100% time for project research. The
postdoc will be hired under the direction of Co-I Bouwma-Gearhart and PI Sharp who will co-head
the search committee of core faculty. The committee will advertise through multiple outlets to
recruit a postdoc with exemplary research skills and knowledge of postsecondary STEM
education, preferably graduate training. Individuals with an interest in organizational and faculty
change will be most competitive. While Bouwma-Gearhart will act as official manager and mentor
of the postdoc, PI Sharp will act as co-mentor, ensuring that the postdoc witnesses numerous
professional models and receives diverse counsel.
Our postdoctoral scholar will join a dynamic STEM Education community at OSU with
representation from diverse schools such as Education, Engineering and Science, uniquely
brought together at OSU through the Center for Research On Lifelong STEM Learning. The
postdoc will have numerous opportunities to interact with other faculty, staff, and graduate
students working to improve STEM education. Along with project activities, the postdoc will have
the opportunity to participate in biweekly postsecondary STEM education research meetings (run
by Bouwma-Gearhart and comprised of 6-10 emerging and practicing scholars), as well as STEM
Education seminars run each term (such a fall seminar on Organizational Change In STEM
Education Environments) attended by faculty and staff, graduate students, and postdocs from
across OSU.
The ultimate goal of the mentoring program is to provide the knowledge, skills, and practices
needed by the postdoc to excel in this position and in future academic careers. To these ends, we
rely on the wealth of resources provided by OSU’s novel Office of Postdoctoral Programs
(http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/postdocs), including resources for postdocs on conducing
research, writing, securing IRB approval, teaching, and other professional skills and stated
responsibilities for mentors of postdocs at OSU. This includes an Individual Development Plan
template that serves as both a “compact” between the postdoc and mentors regarding work
expectations (including an equitable and just “data access and publication agreement”) and, more
importantly, a blueprint for core competency development of research and professional skills (as
defined by the National Postdoctoral Association1) and associated expectations of both postdoc
and mentor(s). Mentors will help the postdoc identify professional development opportunities to
prepare the postdoc for a variety of academic career paths and that address a breadth of topics,
including how to identify professional opportunities, write competitive proposals for funding,
effectively present to diverse audiences, succeed in job interviews and negotiations, launch a
professional trajectory or research agenda, and mentor diverse mentees. The postdoc will be
allocated a $1,800 yearly travel allowance through the grant, and a portion of this may be used
for postdoc-identified professional development. As per OSU policy, 15% of the postdoc’s time
“will be devoted to professional development activities that develop core competencies outside of
project responsibilities.”2
Success of the postdoc and the associated mentoring will be co-determined by the posdoc
and mentor and recorded on the OSU Annual Progress Report Template2 which, alongside report
of accomplishment, also requires plans for continued competency development in the upcoming
term/year and expectations of both postdoc and mentor(s). Formal reviews will be conducted a)
twice annually to provide formative feedback and b) at the end of the grant period or end of the
postdoc’s appointment (whichever occurs first).
1
2
http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/competencies
http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/postdocs/individual-development-plan