Postdoctoral Fellowships Training Series (Session 1)

Applying for postdoctoral fellowships offers grantsmanship experience and funding opportunities for postdocs and late-stage doctoral trainees, but the process can feel daunting and different from traditional research grants!

The first session of this three-part workshop series includes an overview of fellowships, federal and private funding opportunities, and tips from Dr. Emily Van Syoc, a successful F32 awardee in the Bordenstein Lab, and Dr. Karen Kemirembe, Assistant Director of Foundation Relations.

The second session offers an in-depth exploration of the NIH F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship with real-world examples, a panel summary with feedback, and engaging discussions filled with actionable insights.

The final session is a “Bring Your Own Fellowship” workshop, where participants can receive peer review on drafts and strategize future funding plans.

Designed for Life Science postdocs and advanced doctoral students, this series helps participants craft competitive applications while leveraging the supportive environment of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA). While the NIH F32 is emphasized, the knowledge and skills gained can transfer broadly to federal and private funding opportunities.

Participants are encouraged to attend all three sessions, inspired and led by Emily, a fellow trainee at Penn State.  This series is brought to you with thanks to Dr. Christina Grozinger, Director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences; Dr. Camelia Kantor, Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Huck; and Dr. Seth Bordenstein, Emily's mentor and Director of the One Health Microbiome Center.  Like all OPA programs, registration is required.

Biography, Dr. Emily Van Syoc

Emily is a second-year NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow working with Dr. Seth Bordenstein in the Department of Biology and One Health Microbiome Center. Prior to postdoctoral training, Emily received her Ph.D. from Penn State with Drs. Erika Ganda and Connie Rogers, Master’s degree from the University of Wyoming with Dr. Linda van Diepen, and Bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Emily has successfully obtained multiple training fellowships and independent research grants, including an NIH/PSU T32 Predoctoral Fellowship, USDA NIFA-AFRI Predoctoral Fellowship, and an NIH F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship. Emily credits her grantsmanship prowess to multiple fantastic mentors who encouraged writing early and often, with many rejected proposals along the road to success. Emily’s postdoctoral research is elucidating the genetic and evolutionary influences on the fungal community that inhabit human gastrointestinal tract – the ‘gut mycobiome’ -- in collaboration with Dr. Emily Davenport in the Department of Biology.

Biography, Dr. Karen Kemirembe

Karen earned her Ph.D. in Entomology from Penn State, where she currently excels in research fundraising, nonprofit resource mobilization, outreach, and leadership. As the Assistant Director of Penn State's University Foundation Relations, she acts as a bridge between foundation donors and Penn State, building and managing internal and external relationships to support the University's impact and mission in alignment with philanthropic priorities of foundation partners.