The Ohio State Office of Postdoctoral Affairs recognizes the exceptional contribution of postdoctoral scholars and their faculty mentors to the education, research, and service missions of Ohio State by offering several mentorship and service awards annually.
Additionally, OPA supports the Ohio State postdoc community through fellowship programs, onboarding funds, and awards to support travel to annual conferences.
OPA Faculty Awards Programs
Faculty Mentor of the Year Award
The OSU Office of Postdoctoral Affairs annually awards the Faculty Mentor of the Year Award to a faculty member who has engaged in exceptional mentoring of postdoctoral scholars.
The recipient of this award must have demonstrated a desire to encourage and implemented practices such as enhancing networking and career planning skills and will have made an active effort to help their postdoc(s) prioritize professional development, work towards future career goals or create career plans.
The recipient of the Faculty Mentor of the Year Award will then be nominated for the NPA Gallagher Mentor Award.
Online submission portal for PostDoc Faculty Mentor of the Year
Nomination materials are accepted on a rolling basis.
Faculty Outstanding Postdoctoral Service Award (FOPSA)
The OSU Office of Postdoctoral Affairs annually awards the Faculty Outstanding Postdoctoral Service Award to a faculty member who has gone above and beyond in mentoring teams of postdoctoral scholars, or who has otherwise made substantial contributions to the postdoctoral training experience at Ohio State.
Online submission portal for FOPSA
Nomination materials are accepted on a rolling basis.
OPA Postdoc Awards Programs
Postdoctoral Scholar Mentor of the Year Award
The OSU Office of Postdoctoral Affairs annually awards the Postdoctoral Scholar Mentor of the Year Award to a postdoctoral scholar who has demonstrated outstanding mentorship to junior trainees (high school, undergraduate, or graduate students) through leadership and support.
The recipient must demonstrate leadership, communication, and management skills, as well as have encouraged and maintained an accessible, professional, and supportive lab environment that enhances the mentee experience.
Online submission portal for Postdoctoral Scholar Mentor of the Year
Nomination materials are accepted on a rolling basis.
Previous Postdoctoral Scholar Mentor of the Year Award recipients
Postdoctoral Service Award
The OSU Office of Postdoctoral Affairs annually presents the Postdoctoral Service Award to a postdoctoral scholar who has demonstrated profound, sustained leadership contribution to improving the postdoctoral experience at Ohio State.
*Peers and faculty are encouraged to nominate a postdoc who demonstrates this excellence.
Online submission portal for Postdoctoral Service Award
Nomination materials are accepted on a rolling basis.
Postdoc Fellowship Programs
President’s Postdoctoral Scholar Program
The President’s Postdoctoral Scholars Program (PPSP), supported by the Office of the President, was launched in January 2018 to recognize highly qualified postdoctoral trainees who will become leaders in their fields. The program supports the scholarly efforts and training of terminal degree holders (PhD and others) who wish to pursue careers in research and creative inquiry, as well as providing professional development and networking opportunities.
Benefits include salary support and full benefits (health insurance, tuition assistance, and paid leave) provided by the Office of the President and the scholar’s faculty mentor/sponsor college. PPSP scholars also receive funds to support research, creative expression, and professional development-related expenses.
President's Postdoctoral Scholar Program Information
Previous President's Postdoctoral Scholar Program Recipients
Other Postdoc Awards and Recognitions
W.K. Kellogg Foundation Postdoctoral Recruitment Onboarding Supplement (OK-PROS)
The Ohio State University Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and W.K. Kellogg Foundation Postdoctoral Recruitment and Onboarding Supplement (OK-PROS) program supports postdoctoral scholars recruited by Ohio State faculty by providing up to $5,000 to aid them with jump-starting their research agenda at the university and relocating to Columbus (or other Ohio State location). Thanks to the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s generosity and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, we will be able to provide onboarding funding for up to forty incoming postdoctoral scholars over the 2022-2023 academic year.
- OK-PROS supports faculty-postdoc teams committed to contributing to diversity, equity, and inclusion in their disciplines and in higher education.
- OK-PROS is unique across the Big10 Academic Alliance for providing institution-level postdoctoral relocation and onboarding support!
OK-PROS Cycle 4 is accepting applications. OK-PROS Application and Eligibility
Still Have Questions?
Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
214D University Hall 230 North Oval Mall, Columbus, OH 43210
osupostdocs@osu.edu