Postdoctoral Association (PDA)
Mission
 Provide information on career development opportunities
 Obtain written policies concerning healthcare, employment and parking
 Support a sense of community for all postdoctoral fellows
PDA Involvement
 All postdocs are members; Executive Committee meets monthly
 Next meeting: October 12th, N310 . Every 2nd Monday of the month
 Upcoming events
 Postdoc Social Hour : September 24th, N311 (Alkek)
 Postdoktoberfest : October 1st, TMC commons (Postdoc ID required)
 Annual Presidential Career Symposium : February 4th, 2016
 Ongoing opportunities to teach
 Molecular Biology Refresher course
 English Communication Hour
PDA Executive Committee
President
• Valerie Bomben, PhD
Vice-president
• Amber Miller, PhD
Secretary
• Petra Netter, PhD
Social Media
• Marife Arancillo, PhD
• Aarti Rohira, PhD
Subcommittees
• National Postdoc
Appreciation Week
• Alumni/Trainee
Networking Mixer
• Annual Presidential
Career Symposium
Office of Postdoctoral Research
Within the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
• Postdoctoral appointments processed within this office
Dean of GSBS: Adam Kuspa, PhD
Associate Dean of Graduate Education & Academic Program
Development: Carolyn Smith, PhD
Associate Dean of Graduate Education & Diversity: Gayle
Slaughter, PhD
Assistant Dean of Admissions: Gad Shaulsky, PhD
Director, Special Projects: Helen Shepherd
Administrative Associate: Deborah Blesener
Career Development Resources
Science Careers
• myIDP
National Postdoctoral Association
• http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/
• Career Planning :
http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/?CoreCompetencies
https://grad.ucla.edu/funding/working-at-
ucla/postdocs/career-development-resources/
http://www.aaas.org/careers
Local TMC events: Career talks at BCM, MDA, UTH
BCM Cores, Centers, Offices to Know
Will put our full Survival Guide on the web.
BCM Advanced Technology Core Labs :
https://bcm.corefacilities.org
BCM Centers
• https://www.bcm.edu/research/centers
• https://www.bcm.edu/centers/academic-centers
Office of Student Services
• Career Center coming soon
Core Facilities Outside of BCM
 Shared Equipment Authority of Rice University
(http://sea.rice.edu/)
 Houston Methodist Research Core
(http://www.houstonmethodist.org/research/our-research/cores)
 MD Anderson Cancer Center has a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with BCM (no overhead charge for
CERTAIN equipment)
(http://www.mdanderson.org/education-and-research/resources-forprofessionals/scientific-resources/core-facilities-and-services/index.html)
BCM Transportation
 Price and availability depending on location of lot
 TMC shuttle
• Between parking lots and locations within TMC (blue, red and white)
 After hour/weekend-parking pass
•
•
•
•
Mon- Fri 4:30pm to 8:00am
All day on Saturday & Sunday
Garages 1,2,4,6,7,10,15 and McGovern Campus
$37.78/month
 Prepaid card for public transportation operated by Metropolitan
Transit Authority of Harris County
(www.ridemetro.org)
BCM Emergency Notification System
https://intranet.bcm.edu/?fuseaction=home.showpag
e&tmp=/security/emergency-notification
Emergency notification system to alert you of a crisis
or catastrophic event
You can get phone, e-mail, and text messaging
notifications, if you enter your badge number and
email address into ENSevent.
BCM Express Care Center
 Access to treatment when your primary care physician is not
available
 Convenient location
 Quality care for non-life threatening illnesses and injuries for
patients 12 and older
 Referrals for further evaluation and treatment
 Access to lab tests and diagnostic imaging
 Same day services possible
 https://www.bcm.edu/healthcare/care-centers/family-
medicine/services/express-care
BCM You FIRST Program
Emphasizes the value of staff across all mission
areas by promoting employee morale with
opportunities that help create a positive work
environment for everyone
Management training courses (might require a fee)
BCM Book Bunch
International Services Office
Supports international students, scholars, faculty,
and staff
Provides useful links
“Settling into Life in Houston” brochure
(https://intranet.bcm.edu/?fuseaction=home.showpage&tmp=/hr/files
/files_iso/settle_hst1_5_10)
Using Office products with
your BCM email account
Use Office products for work purposes via your ECA
account, just click on the “Office 365” button when you
have your email account open in the browser and follow
the instructions
BCM ECA login can also be used for free box sign up
• Box at BCM is a cloud-based file sharing and storage
workspace that enables people to collaborate and share
information
https://www.bcm.edu/communicatenow-services/file-
sharing
BCM Work-Life Benefits
 Adoption Assistance Plan
 Backup Care for Children and Other Dependents
 Employee Assistance Program (EAP) (Faculty, Staff, Research
Postdocs)
 Tuition Assistance Plan
 BCM Gym : TMC Garage 6, 8th floor $10/pay period
 BCM Employee Discounts
 BCM BeWell Wellness Program
Hungry or in need of caffeine?!
Food services within BCM buildings
https://intranet.bcm.edu/?tmp=/finance/food_services
Texas Children’s Hospital dining list
http://www.texaschildrens.org/Plan/Your-Childs-Visit/
Where-to-Eat/
Texas Medical Center dining list
http://www.texasmedicalcenter.org/campus/dining/
EdAssist Virtual Education Fair
Free registration to the EdAssist Virtual
Education Fair beginning Sept. 2
An opportunity to learn about all of your
educational options from the comfort of your
desk
Fair will be held Thursday, Oct. 1 from 11 a.m. to
6 p.m
BCM Family and News
http://bcmfamily.bcm.edu/
Newslink
Community Bulletin Board
FromTheLabs : http://fromthelabs.bcm.edu/
Acknowledgements
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Postdoctoral Association Executive Committee
• NPAW Subcommittee
o Petra Netter; Amber Miller; Allison Mayle; Deanna Acosta;
Aarti Rohira; Alberto di Ronza; Marife Arancillo; Kat Marcelo;
Wenwen Cheng; Sam Buxton