Leading a postdoc association (PDA)? Thinking about stepping into a leadership role? Already volunteering and want to make a bigger impact?

You're juggling a lot - your research, your career development, AND trying to build a community for postdocs on your campus. The PDA Leadership Series is here to support you, with less stress and more success.

This four-part series gives you practical tools you can use immediately - no fluff, just tried and true strategies that work for real PDA challenges. Whether you're struggling to get volunteers to follow through, wondering how to communicate your PDA's value to administrators, or just want to connect with others who get what you're dealing with, this series covers it all.

Here's what you'll get:

✓ Concrete strategies for motivating volunteers (even the ones who ghost you)
✓ Communication tools that actually help you reach more postdocs
✓ Real talk with other PDA leaders facing the same challenges
✓ A network of peers you can reach out to when you need advice
✓ Skills that'll strengthen your CV or resume for your next position

How it works: Three individual hour-long virtual sessions (January 29, June 18, October 15), plus an in-person three-hour bootcamp at the NPA Annual Conference on March 12. Each session stands alone, so you can join the sessions that interest you—but attending multiple sessions helps you build momentum and deeper connections.

What You'll Learn:

Understand yourself as a leader → Discover your leadership style and how to use your strengths effectively

Motivate your team → Get volunteers actually engaged and accountable (without doing everything yourself)

Communicate like a pro → Build your PDA's visibility and reach postdocs who need to know you exist

Handle the hard stuff → Navigate conflicts and difficult conversations with peers

Build your network → Connect with PDA leaders who understand your challenges and can share challenges and wins

The Sessions:

Session 1: Understanding Your Leadership Style
Thursday, January 29, 2026 | 2:00-3:00 PM ET (Virtual)
Start here! Figure out your leadership approach and get a preview of the skills we'll dive into at the bootcamp. Perfect if you're new to leadership or want to be more intentional about your style.

PDA Leadership Bootcamp
(In-person at 2026 NPA Annual Conference - March 12, 2026)
The deep dive. Interactive, hands-on practice with creating and marketing a value proposition for your PDA and strategies to influence your peers without formal authority. Expect case scenarios and walk away with an action plan for your PDA. Separate registration required.

Session 2: Communication Tools & Strategies
Thursday, June 18, 2026 | 2:00-3:00 PM ET (Virtual)
Learn how to promote events, engage members, and communicate your PDA's impact to administrators. (Because if people don't know what you're doing, does it even count?)

Session 3: Sustaining & Funding Your PDA
Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 2:00-3:00 PM ET (Virtual)
Get creative ideas for funding and keeping your PDA thriving beyond your tenure. Learn from institutions that are doing it well.

This is for you if:

You're leading or volunteering with a PDA

You’re trying to start a PDA

You want practical skills, not just theory

You're tired of figuring everything out alone

You want to make your PDA experience count on your CV

Can't make all the sessions? No problem - each one is valuable on its own. But the more you attend, the more you'll get out of it.

Questions? Contact contact@nationalpostdoc.org.

Ready to level up your leadership? Register now!