Postdoctoral Scholars
Postdoctoral Scholars at UCF
Postdoctoral scholars, or postdocs, are an essential component of UCF’s research ecosystem. These scholars join UCF for a limited period to engage in advanced research and receive specialized training, preparing them for future roles in academia and industry.
Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
The newly established Office of Postdoctoral Affairs serves as a central hub for postdoc-related support. It keeps postdocs informed about university resources, policies, and events while fostering professional development and promoting networking both on and off campus. The office occasionally provides paid opportunities for professional development, so scholars do not need to use their $5,000 allowance. Additionally, the office oversees the Preeminent Postdoctoral Program (P3) and the new Short-Term Postdoctoral Support (STePS) program, collaborating with colleges from recruitment through the onboarding of new postdocs.
Postdoc Advisory Committee
The Postdoc Advisory Committee was established and met for the first time in the Fall 2023 to bolster the support for postdoctoral scholars. This committee, consisting of UCF administrators, faculty, and postdocs, provides guidance on policy changes and suggestions to improve the environment for postdoctoral scholars at UCF.
Postdoc Advisory Committee members
Dr. Ali Gordon – Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Associate Dean of Graduate Affairs
Dr. Winston Schoenfeld – Professor, Optics and Photonics and Vice President for Research
Dr. Kathleen Richardson – Trustee Chair and Pegasus Professor, Optics and Photonics
Dr. Xiaofeng Feng – Associate Professor, Physics
Dr. Bethany Backes – Associate Professor, Social Work and Lead, Violence Against Women Cluster
Dr. Grace Fox – Postdoctoral Scholar, Computer Science
Dr. Alex Nikolaidis – Postdoctoral Scholar, UCF Center for Ethics
Dr. Ghaith Rabadi – Professor and Graduate Program Director, Modeling, Simulation, and Training
Dr. Salvador Almagro-Moreno – Associate Professor of Medicine, Biomedical Sciences
Workshops and Initiatives
In fall 2023, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs hosted three workshops with campus partners on the following key topics: quarterly hiring, the postdocs’ $5,000 professional development allowance, and a refresher on P3 and STePS. In Spring 2024, the office announced it would cover all academic poster printing costs for postdocs, utilizing the new poster printer in the Office of Graduate Student Life. Additionally, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs was also invited to present at the Summer Faculty Research Institute hosted by the UCF College of Community Innovation and Education.
Salary Increase
In response to feedback from the Postdoc Advisory Committee, the minimum annual salary for postdocs was increased from $55,000 to $57,000. This was announced in April 2024 and will take effect in fiscal year 2025.
Preeminent Postdoctoral Program (P3)
Launched in 2017, the Preeminent Postdoctoral Program (P3) was designed to increase the number of postdoctoral scholars at UCF, with a target of reaching 200 STEM postdocs, one of the 12 key metrics required for earning Florida’s “Preeminence” designation. P3 provides faculty researchers with $25,000 per year towards a postdoc’s salary for two years, totaling up to $60,000 in support. Additionally, P3 awardees receive a $5,000 professional development allowance. As of 2023-2024, this allowance can now be used for multiple professional development activities.
Short-Term Postdoctoral Support (STePS)
To help reach the 200-postdoc goal, the Short-Term Postdoctoral Support (STePS) program was piloted in the Summer and Fall 2023. STePS offer a six-month bridge employment opportunity to UCF doctoral graduates, allowing them to continue their academic development under faculty mentorship while transitioning to the next step of their careers. The program has been appealing to faculty, requiring only a $10,000 contribution while the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs provides the remaining $24,000. Originally aiming for 30 awards, the program surpassed expectations, granting 35 awards by the end of 2023/24.
Outcomes
The P3 and STePS programs have been instrumental in significantly increasing UCF’s postdoctoral population. From just 75 postdocs (70 STEM) in 2016, UCF now boasts 221 postdocs (218 in STEM) as of 2023, exceeding the state of Florida’s preeminence metric for the first time.
Annual Total Number of Postdoctoral Scholars
| Year | Postdoctoral | STEM Postdoctoral |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 75 | 70 |
| 2017 | 104 | 92 |
| 2018 | 159 | 146 |
| 2019 | 188 | 170 |
| 2020 | 163 | 142 |
| 2021 | 198 | 136 |
| 2022 | 196 | 144 |
| 2023 | 221 | 218 |