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New Class of NPA IMPACT Fellows Announced: Six outstanding postdocs hailing from underrepresented communities form third IMPACT class

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) today announced the members of its third class of scholars in its signature program designed to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the postdoctoral community and beyond. The six fellows in the NPA's 2023-2024 IMPACT Fellowship Program ("IMPACT") are postdoctoral researchers representing diverse backgrounds, disciplines, and geographies.

"We are thrilled to welcome this cohort of remarkable individuals who are not only striving to reach their full potential but committed to lift up one another along the way," commented Thomas P. Kimbis, J.D., executive director and chief executive officer of the NPA. "By strengthening themselves through the IMPACT program, they position themselves as leaders within their fields, their communities, and our society."

IMPACT was launched in 2021 to empower postdoctoral scholars from underrepresented backgrounds to build skills, understand strengths and develop networks. Competition for seats in the third year of the program grew dramatically, with nearly one hundred applicants from across the globe for only six positions. This year's selectees are early-career professionals in fields ranging from molecular biology and neuroscience to chemical engineering and education.

Fellows begin today on a 16-month program that allows them to recognize and build upon their own strengths, learn from their peers, network with experts, connect with IMPACT alums who have already completed the program, and gain additional mentors, allowing them to advance confidently in their careers. IMPACT Fellows also use the knowledge, tools and resources they gain from the program to implement innovative activities or initiatives at their institutions that amplify the impact of the fellowship as they contribute back to home communities.

"We are just beginning to grasp the full reach and impact this program has on both IMPACT Fellows and their communities," said Caleb McKinney, Ph.D., MPS, chair of the NPA board of directors. "In the right environment, a small cohort of diverse leaders like this one builds capacity to positively affect thousands."

NPA IMPACT Fellows, Class of 2023-24:

* Angela Crumdy, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

* Lisa Eshun-Wilson, Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute

* Pierre Kawak, Ph.D., University of South Florida

* Nicole Maphis, Ph.D., University of New Mexico

* Islamiat Raji, Ph.D., Queen's University

* Henkel Valentine, Ph.D., Fox Chase Cancer Center

IMPACT is made possible through the generosity of its sponsors, who have included the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Charles River Laboratories, Columbia University, Gallagher Insurance, LS-PAC MODELS Center, the University of Illinois Chicago, the University of Chicago, and the National Science Foundation.

Learn more: https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/page/IMPACTProgram

The NPA is seeking additional sponsors to support underrepresented communities of scholars, promote their own diversity goals, and advance discussion and action in areas needing critical attention.

Academic institutions, companies, and nonprofit funders wishing to engage with the NPA can read more about available sponsorship opportunities: https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/store/ListProducts.aspx?catid=839646.

About National Postdoctoral Association:

The NPA is a national charitable and educational nonprofit association headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, that seeks to improve the postdoctoral experience by supporting a culture of inclusive connection. Individuals seeking to support NPA and its charitable mission, please visit https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/page/donate.

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NPA Announces Six Scholars Selected for IMPACT Fellowship Program

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) today announced the six finalists in the inaugural class of its IMPACT Fellowship Program, an esteemed initiative designed to empower postdoctoral scholars from underrepresented backgrounds to build skills, understand strengths and develop networks. Competition for program seats was intense with more than seventy applicants from across the globe for six positions.

"We are thrilled at the tremendous enthusiasm for learning and potential for leadership in the Fellows of our incoming class," said Stephanie Eberle, M.Ed., chair of the NPA. "Fellows will gain mentors from outside their current discipline, greater self-awareness to identify key strengths, and newfound confidence heading into the next steps of their careers."

IMPACT Fellows will engage in a six-month, interactive fellowship that uses a variety of tools to empower participants to strategically build upon existing skills, recognize opportunities, and advance more confidently in their careers. Fellows are expected not only to benefit from their own growth but also to use the knowledge, tools and resources they gain from the program to implement activities or initiatives at their institutions and to contribute back to their communities.

"An exciting aspect of the IMPACT program is that Fellows from across institutions will be able to build a strong cohort of peers, and learn from each others' experiences and unique perspectives," stated Caleb McKinney, Ph.D., MPS, treasurer of the NPA and board liaison for diversity affairs.

The inaugural Fellowship class will engage in a peer mentoring program, a dedicated speaker series featuring luminaries from a range of disciplines, and ultimately a live educational and networking event at the NPA Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois, in April 2022.

The NPA is proud to present the IMPACT Fellows for 2021-22:

* Brienna Anderson-Coughlin, Ph.D., University of Delaware

* Kimiko Krieger, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine

* Tanya Paes, Ph.D., Purdue University

* Raul Rodriguez, Ph.D., University of California - Berkeley

* Anaïs Tallon, Ph.D., Virginia Tech

* Z Yan Wang, Ph.D., Princeton University

The IMPACT Fellowship is made possible through its institutional sponsors, Gallagher Insurance, the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), and Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute, as well as the contributions of individual donors.

Additional sponsorship opportunities remain available at https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/mpage/IMPACT.

The NPA is a national charitable and educational non-profit association headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, that seeks to improve the postdoctoral experience by supporting a culture of inclusive connection. At the individual, organizational, and national levels, the NPA facilitates enhanced professional growth, raises awareness, and collaborates with stakeholders in the postdoctoral community. Membership in the NPA is open to all organizations and individuals interested in advancing the interests of postdocs in the United States. Affiliate membership in the NPA for most postdocs is free and available at https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/.

To support NPA and its charitable mission, please visit https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/page/donate or text 20FORNPA to 44-321.

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NPA Launches IMPACT Fellowship Program

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) today announced a fellowship program designed to help researchers from marginalized communities advance their careers. Using tools to improve skills, better understand strengths, provide exposure to new fields, and develop new networks, the IMPACT Fellowship Program is a groundbreaking effort assisting postdoctoral scholars of all disciplines.

There are approximately 70,000 postdoctoral scholars across the United States who conduct the bulk of the nation's early-stage research. In addition to their important work within their fields, ranging from economics to life sciences, these scholars serve as mentors and instructors for graduate students while preparing to enter the full-time workforce in leadership positions. As members of minority racial, ethnic, gender, geographic, and other communities, some postdoctoral scholars face high barriers to career and personal success others do not.

"Unfortunately, all postdoctoral scholars do not share equal access to critical resources, especially those from marginalized communities or from historically underfunded institutions," said NPA executive director and chief executive officer, Thomas P. Kimbis. "A year after the height of protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd and just before the celebration of Juneteenth, we are proud to announce this intentional step in the right direction."

"As the national association of postdoctoral scholars, we are very aware of this inequity within our own membership," commented NPA Board chair, Stephanie Eberle. "By taking a hands-on, peer-driven approach, IMPACT provides new tools to help program fellows succeed while encouraging them to bring lessons learned back to their communities."

IMPACT is set to run its first program of fellows for six months starting this summer, to be followed by another class in 2022. IMPACT program graduates will comprise a growing and supportive community to scholars looking to strategically build upon existing skills, recognize opportunities, and advance in their careers.​ The program will also feature engagement with leaders from areas such as business, communications, finance, and policy that are outside the fellows' disciplines, providing them new career insights and connections.

NPA diversity officer, Matthew Aguirre, noted "The IMPACT fellowship program has taken a team of leaders to establish, and we cannot express our excitement to be a part of it. This will be the program's pilot year, but will only grow to serve the postdoctoral community, specifically those from marginalized and under-resourced communities."

"Leadership and inclusion skill sets are increasingly recognized as essential competencies for postdoctoral scholars," added Vipul Sharma, who serves as a diversity officer alongside Aguirre. "IMPACT is a small step on a national scale to initiate an equitable and inclusive culture in research."

The NPA is currently seeking applicants for fellows as well as corporate, individual, and philanthropic sponsors of the first class of this multi-year, signature program.

Applicants for fellows: https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/page/IMPACTProgram

Sponsors information: https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/mpage/IMPACT

About National Postdoctoral Association:

The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) educational association headquartered in Rockville, MD. Founded in 2003, the NPA envisions an inclusive community where all postdocs are empowered, valued, recognized, and supported in their current and future endeavors. The NPA serves the entire postdoctoral community, including its 19,000 individual and 215 organizational members.

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