NPA International Equity Summit

Through a series of interactive online discussions led by the NPA, the summit seeks to identify barriers – and find paths forward – in the greater postdoctoral community that significantly and/or disproportionately impact international scholars.

Although the number of postdoctoral scholars in the United States today who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents now comprises a strong majority (58 percent), these individuals face high barriers to success that demand greater attention and understanding. Roundtable discussions are currently planned on a variety of topics of interest to the international postdoctoral community featuring representatives from government, industry, nonprofits, and academia.

From greater understanding of the immigration process, to improved methods of surviving the transition to the United States beyond one’s research, this summit is designed to shine a spotlight on issues that often create both anxiety and feelings of isolation for international postdocs. It is the hope of the NPA and its allies that these conversations will lead to further discussions about specific issues and actions toward greater equity for international scholars in the postdoctoral community.

Panel 1: Welcome & Intro; Keynote Remarks and Q&A

1 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. ET

The USCIS is the government agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States. With roughly 40,000 postdocs in the United States from international origins, it is a critical component of the American immigration experience. Doug Rand, senior advisor to the Director of the USCIS, Ur Jaddou, will speak and engage with the audience on the work of the agency, including efforts by the USCIS to continue to address challenges of postdocs and other researchers and improve their immigration experience.

Moderator: Brendan Delaney, J.D., partner, Frank & Delaney Immigration Law, LLC

Speaker: Doug Rand, J.D., Senior Advisor to the Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

Panel 2: Extra Burdens: Difficulties of Health & Wellness for International Postdocs

2 p.m. - 2:50 p.m. ET

This session aims to shed light about the different health challenges faced by postdocs, including navigating the U.S. healthcare system and addressing behavioral health issues. Panelists will share experiences about how postdocs can advocate for themselves using approaches such as mentoring up, and will provide examples of how the diverse needs for health and wellness services for postdocs can be translated into practical services and programs. This inclusive session will provide strategies for postdocs, postdoc associations (PDAs), and postdoc offices (PDO) leaders.

Moderator: Tanya Paes, Ph.D., postdoctoral research associate, Department of Psychology & Biobehavioral Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, International Officer, NPA

Speakers: Danielle Little, Ph.D., St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Amy Ramirez, M.A., executive director, Global Learning and International Services, Center for Global Engagement, University of Maryland Baltimore; Mudita Upadhyaya, Ph.D., St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Panel 3: Intersections: International Postdocs and DEIB in America

3 p.m. - 3:50 p.m. ET

International postdocs face barriers both similar to and different from domestic postdocs in the United States. This session aims to promote awareness of the rich diversity of experiences they offer as well as the additional challenges they face during their training in the United States. In this session, our panelists will offer their unique perspectives and suggest some action plans on how as individuals or/and institutions, we can improve to be more inclusive of and equitable to this global workforce in DEIB conversations and practices.

Moderator: Sook Hollingshead, M.Ed., project analyst/international scholar advisor, UC Berkeley

Speakers: Rafael Luna, Ph.D., head of biomedical education & innovation, Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research; Sina Safayi, D.V.M., Ph.D., principal scientist, Johnson & Johnson MedTech

Panel 4: Finding Solutions: Addressing International Postdocs’ Challenges to Improve the Postdoctoral Experience for all Postdocs

4 p.m. - 4:50 p.m. ET

The postdoctoral experience creates several challenges for domestic and international scholars alike. In addition to difficulties encountered by all postdocs, international postdocs often face further barriers such as cultural shock, lack of social support, and the complexity of the U.S. immigration system. We propose the label “international postdoc tax” to refer to the disproportionate resource-consuming burden that negatively impacts international postdocs’ finances, time, and mental health. In this session, we will raise recommended practices and guide participants to resources that can be used to alleviate some of the effects of the international postdoc tax and improve the postdoctoral experience for all postdocs. We will introduce the new NPA Onboarding International Postdocs Guide among these resources.

Moderator: Rashmi Raj, Ph.D., postdoctoral affairs manager, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, International Officer, NPA

Speakers: Paola Cepeda, Ph.D., director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, International Officer, NPA; Natalie Chernets, Ph.D., director of postdoctoral affairs & professional development, associate director, MD/Ph.D. program, assistant professor, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Drexel University

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