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<span class="elementToProof">Dear MIT Postdoc community,</span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">We are excited to open nominations for the </span><span style="font-weight: 700;" class="elementToProof"><i>MIT PDA Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award 2026!</i></span><span class="elementToProof"> </span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">The goal of the award is to honor and acknowledge principal investigators (PIs) for excellent postdoctoral scholar mentoring, and to recognize both the value of quality mentoring and its impact on the career path of postdoctoral scholars.
It will highlight the unique opportunities and challenges of mentoring postdoctoral scholars, who are poised to become the next generation of academic and scientific leaders. This award is seen as an effective way to spread the culture of awareness of the
critical role the faculty play in the academic/career development of postdoctoral scholars, and further, to recognize the importance of postdoctoral scholars to MIT’s mission.</span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">To nominate your PI, please upload your nomination </span>
<span style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" class="elementToProof"><u><a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWAc35ac250-a027-9db7-691c-f0522e2ec91d" href="https://forms.gle/MqTbm75SAcqo8uSV7">here</a></u></span><span class="elementToProof"> where
you outline why your PI should receive this award following the criteria defined below! </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;" class="elementToProof"><u>Eligibility and Award Categories</u></span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">Previous winners of the award will not be considered for the award this year. Nominations for all other PIs, including those who were nominated last year, are welcomed. Current MIT faculty, principal research scientists, and senior
research scientists, who are in good standing at MIT, mentoring current postdoctoral scholars are eligible for the award. </span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">This year, the award will have two categories:</span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">1) <i>Early Career Mentor Award</i>: Mentors with less than 8 years of postdoctoral mentoring experience will be considered for this category. </span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">2) <i> Established Mentor Award</i>: Mentors with 8 or more years of postdoctoral mentoring experience will be considered for this category.</span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof"> </span><span style="font-weight: 700;" class="elementToProof"><u>Nomination Process</u></span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">The primary nomination must be submitted by a current MIT postdoctoral scholar, who may organize supporting statements from additional current and former postdoctoral scholars. The nominating postdoc can write a cover letter (maximum
2 pages) highlighting different aspects from all supporting statements. We accept only one nomination for a PI and expect current postdoctoral scholars in the group to coordinate among themselves to submit only a single nomination. The nomination need not
mention the category.</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;" class="elementToProof"><u>Criteria</u></span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">The nominees will be reviewed based on demonstrated strengths in some or all of the following areas:</span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">Excellence in fostering and encouraging professional skills development and growth towards independence</span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">Ability to foster an inclusive work environment where postdoctoral mentees across a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives are empowered to engage in the mentee-mentor relationship</span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">Ability to support postdoctoral mentees in their pursuit of a chosen career path</span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">A commitment to a continued professional mentoring relationship with mentees, beyond the limit of the postdoctoral term</span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof">Nominations will close on </span><span style="font-weight: 700;" class="elementToProof">03/13/2026 at 11:59</span><span class="elementToProof"> PM EST. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact
</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);" class="elementToProof"><u><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA18611ff6-0420-0184-be00-7b08e526ac64" href="mailto:pda-alumni@mit.edu">pda-alumni@mit.edu</a></u></span><span class="elementToProof"> </span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof"><i>Best wishes</i></span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof"><i>Your PDA</i></span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof"><i>Dani Coogan</i></span></div>
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<span class="elementToProof"><i>MIT PDA Alumni Committee Chair</i></span></div>
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