2026 UIPDA Conference
Date: June 26,2026
Location: Medical Education Research Facility (MERF) Atrium
Sponsors: Graduate College, Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Carver College of Medicine, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, and Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
Details: Annual UIPDA Conference bringing together postdoctoral scholars for professional development, networking, and community engagement.
Attendance: 100 postdoctoral scholars
UIPDA Book Club
Dates: December 10, 2025 - Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict; January 30, 2026 - Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein; February 26, 2026 - The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden; March 26, 2026 - The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee; April 30, 2026 - The Road by Cormac McCarthy; May 28, 2026 - Becoming Real: Authenticity in an Age of Distractions by Robert (Bob) Sessions; June 9, 2026 - Not Quite Dead by Holly Jackson.
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: The Greenhouse
Details: UIPDA Book Club meetings are organized to foster community building, informal discussion, and connection among postdoctoral scholars through shared reading experiences.
Attendance: 5 participants
Career Ladder Postdoc Program (2026 Cohort)
Organizers: Meng Xiao and Jennifer Teitle, Graduate College
Dates: May 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, and 29, 2006
Time: 12-1 p.m.
Location: Medical Education Research Facility (MERF)
Details: Four-week professional development program designed to support postdoctoral scholars in career growth, skill development, and preparation for future career pathways.
Attendance: 30 participants
Scientific Writing Seminar Series
Dates: May 4-5, 2006
Time: 1:25-4:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Sessions and Speakers:
- Writing and Publishing Clinical Research in a High-Impact Journal - Dr. Marta Koch, Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology
- Scientific Writing Through an Editor's Lens - Dr. Jodi Gullicksrud, Editor, Immunity (Cell Press)
- Medical Writing - Dr. Stacey Peek, Medical Writer, Merck
- Science Writing That Pays: Turning Ideas into Stories--and Stories into Rent Monday - Dr. Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Independent Science Writer
- Science Writing of the Freelance Variety - Dr. Jacqueline Houtman, Freelance Writer and Editor
- Medical Writing - Dr. Lanikea King, Senior Regulatory Medical Writer, Aroga Biosciences
Postdoc Future Success Panel Discussion
Title: How to Be Competitive for Faculty Positions or Careers in Industry
Date: April 28, 2026
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Location: Medical Education Research Facility (MERF) Atrium
Details: Panel Discussion with academic and industry hiring leaders on preparing for faculty and industry career opportunities.
Panelists:
- Ellen Vander Bleek, Account Manager, Sciences and Healthcare, Actalent Services
- Garrett Rettig, PhD, Senior Director of Product Development, Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc.
- Tina Tootle, PhD. Departmental Executive Officer, Department of Biology, University of Iowa
UIPDA & UCS Support Space
Date: April 7, 2026
Time: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Location: Medical Education Research Facility (MERF), Room 2189
Details: Mental Health and wellness support event featuring Finn, the University of Iowa therapy dog, and his handler, Anna Holbrook.
Immigration and Visa Seminar
Speaker: John Goslow, Attorney, Ellis Porter Immigration Law
Date: March 19, 2026
Time: 3-5 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Details: Seminar focused on strengthening profiles for employment-based immigration pathways, including EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW), and O-1 visas for postdoctoral scholars.
Postdoctoral Panel
Date: March 5, 2026
Time: 12-2 p.m.
Sponsor/Collaboration: Association of Multicultural Scientists (AMS)
Details: Panel discussion featuring faculty members and current postdoctoral scholars sharing insights on the postdoctoral application process, selecting a research lab, and succeeding as a postdoc.
Moving Tech Beyond the Lab
Speaker: Dr. Andres J. Garcia, Executive Director, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience
Dates: March 5, 2026
Time: 9:30-10:15 a.m.
Location: Room 257, College of Pharmacy Building (CPB)
Details: Professional development event focused on translating scientific discoveries into real-world applications and moving innovations beyond the laboratory. Open to all postdoctoral scholars.
Invited Industry Talk
Speaker: Justin Topp, Senior Manager, IDT
Date: December 12, 2025
Location: Seebohm Conference Room, EMRB
Sponsor: Graduate College
Book Club First Meetup
Date: December 10, 2025
Location: The Greenhouse
Organizer: Rachel Kehrberg
Attendance: 4 participants
UIPDA Holiday Party
Date: December 3, 2025
Attendance: 25 participants
Zoom Watch Party and Career Talk
Speaker: Chris Rader, CTO, Aethon Therapeutics
Date: November 3, 2025
Location: PBDB, Zoom watch party
Sponsors: CLAS, HCCC, INI, CoE
Attendance: 18 participants
2025 Career Ladder Program
Dates: September to October 2025
Format: Multi session career development series
Average attendance: 9 participants per session
Images: Screenshot may be available from Meng