19th NPA Annual Conference

For 2022, the NPA is offering both a live conference in Chicago at the Palmer House Hilton on April 1-2, as well as an online virtual conference April 28-29. Please note there are key differences between the Chicago and Virtual Conference, which is intended for those who cannot travel to Chicago.

Registration for the in-person conference includes access to the virtual component of the 2022 Annual Conference and therefore does not require separate registration. Registration for the virtual Conference does not include access to the in-person 2022 Annual Conference.

The top priority of the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) for all in-person meetings is the safety and welfare of our attendees and staff. For the 2022 NPA Annual Conference (“Conference”) in Chicago, Illinois, the NPA is requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination including booster shot for admittance.

The policy is based on guidance and recommendations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health authorities and is consistent with the policy established by the American Society of Association Executives.

• The NPA will follow the strictest guidelines in place at the time of the Conference by the Palmer House Hilton, the city or county department of public health in which the Conference is located, and/or the State of Illinois. Registrants will receive logistical information via email, including safety and prevention measures, before arrival.
• All in-person registrants will be required to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination (including booster shot administration) on-site before entering the meeting space. Proof of vaccination will not be part of the online registration process, and the NPA will not maintain any records on individuals' vaccine status. The only exemptions to this policy will be for religious or medical reasons. Any exemptions must be pre-approved, and when granted, specific health protocols must be followed at the sole discretion of the NPA or such registrants will not be admitted.
• N95/KN95 masks must be worn during the conference by attendees except when actively eating. The NPA will supply attendees with such masks. Speakers may be exempt from wearing masks depending on their distance from the audience at the discretion of the NPA.

Personal Responsibility & Liability Waiver

By registering for the Conference, you hereby voluntarily assume all risks and accept sole responsibility for any injury related to exposure to COVID-19, and release the NPA, its officers and directors, contractors, subcontractors and volunteers from liability for any injury or harm that may result from attending the Conference. The NPA’s goal is to ensure a safe meeting environment. As such, you also agree to abide by the stricter of any prevention or safety measures that the NPA, the Palmer House hotel, the county or city health department where the Conference is located, or the State of Illinois may have in place during the Conference. You also agree not to attend the Conference if you become ill, are aware that you’ve been directly exposed to the COVID-19 virus within two weeks prior to the Conference, or exhibit any symptoms of the COVID-19 virus prior to or during the Conference. In such a case, the NPA will make best efforts to refund your registration fees less any expenses already incurred or obligated by the NPA.

IN-PERSON LATE REGISTRATION (March 23, 2022 - April 2, 2022)

Postdoc or graduate student member: $549

Non-postdoc member/Sustaining Member primary contact: $699

Non-member: $899

VIRTUAL LATE REGISTRATION (April 23, 2022 - April 29, 2022)

Postdoc or graduate student member: $299

Non-postdoc member/Sustaining Member primary contact: $399

Non-member: $499

Bulk registration: $999 for up to 25 individuals

Christine S. Grant, Ph.D., is a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at N.C. State and served for 12 years as the inaugural associate dean of faculty advancement, responsible for faculty development, promotion, and tenure in the College of Engineering. She’s conducted research in surface/interfacial science and developed a green chemical engineering curriculum. Grant is a fellow, life member, and 2021 president-elect of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE); she’s also a life member of SWE, NSBE, AAUW, and AISES.

Grant's been recognized for broadening the participation, promotion, and retention of underrepresented minorities and women in STEM as a recipient of the: 2015 AAAS Mentor Award, 2003 NSF Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Math and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM); 2019 William W. Grimes Award for Excellence in Chemical Engineering (AIChE Minority Affairs Committee); 2019 Dr. Joseph N. Cannon Award for Excellence in Chemical Engineering from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE); 2017 Women in Engineering Pro-Active Network (WEPAN) Bevlee A. Watford Inclusive Excellence Award, American Chemical Society Stan Israel Award for Diversity: SERMACS (2012) and the 2009 Council for Chemical Research (CCR) National Diversity Award.

She’s been a visiting senior scholar at AAAS, grant expert, and program director at NSF. She’s also been active as a principal investigator on multiple NSF ADVANCE grants and consulted (i.e., served on advisory boards, conducted workshops, delivered keynotes) for several ADVANCE schools including Texas A&M, Cornell, Lehigh, U of New Hampshire, and the University of Cincinnati promoting institutional transformation in STEM fields. She co-edited the book, “Success Strategies from Women in STEM: A Portable Mentor” by Elsevier/ Academic Press and contributed chapters to “Growing Diverse STEM Communities: Methodologies, Impact and Evidence” (2019) and the ACS Book “Overcoming Barriers for Women of Color in STEM Fields” (2020).

Bennett Goldberg, Ph.D., is a professor of physics & astronomy and the former director of the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching at Northwestern University. Goldberg works to strengthen the connections between teaching practice and research, amplify educational innovation and research of faculty, educate and support faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates, and advance commitments to assessment, evaluation, and inclusive teaching. Nationally, Goldberg has been active in building a network of universities preparing future faculty to be excellent researchers and excellent teachers, has co-authored four massive open online courses for doctoral recipients and postdocs on STEM learning and teaching, and professional development, and brings together cross-sector organizations to scale effective strategies for increasing access to and success in higher education for underrepresented groups.

Sarah Hokanson, Ph.D., is an assistant provost for professional development and postdoctoral affairs at Boston University. Hokanson is responsible for postdoctoral affairs, responsible conduct of research, and professional development programming and resources for doctoral students and postdocs across Boston University, as well as supporting the development of university policies related to postdoctoral scholarship. She also provides resources for faculty mentors and principal investigators (PIs) applying for grants related to doctoral and postdoctoral training. She is the multi-PI of the Postdoc Academy, a $1.8m NIH project focused on providing digital and in-person professional development opportunities for postdocs nationwide. She serves in leadership positions nationally, including most recently on the AAMC Postdoctoral Leaders Steering Committee (2017-2020).

Prior to joining Boston University, Hokanson was U.S. Deputy Director of Science and Innovation at the British Consulate-General, Boston. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry from Boston University, and a doctorate degree in biochemistry and molecular biophysics from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Her graduate research was supported by the NSF graduate research fellowship program, and she completed an NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein postdoctoral fellowship at Cornell University in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. She received an Executive Education Certificate from MIT Sloan School of Management’s Entrepreneurship Development Program in 2014.