Postdoctoral Scholars
Postdoctoral Scholars
Postdoctoral scholars, or postdocs, play a vital role in UCF’s research ecosystem. They join the university for a limited time to conduct advanced research and receive specialized training and mentorship. This experience equips them with the skills and expertise needed to excel in future careers across academia, industry, and beyond.
Postdoctoral Affairs
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 offers paid professional development opportunities, so scholars do not need to use their $5,000 allowance. Additionally, the office continues to cover the cost of postdocs printing posters in the Graduate Student Center. They also oversee the Preeminent Postdoctoral Program (P3) and the Short-Term Postdoctoral Support (STePS) program, collaborating with colleges from recruitment through onboarding and throughout their tenure as UCF postdocs.
Postdoctoral Advisory Committee
The Postdoctoral Advisory Committee, established in Fall 2023, was created to strengthen support for postdoctoral scholars at UCF. This committee, comprising UCF administrators, faculty, and postdocs, guides policy development and recommendations to enhance the postdoctoral experience. In 2025–26, new members will join the committee to continue its work following the departures of Dr. Alex Nikolaidis and Dr. Salvador Almagro-Moreno.
Postdoctoral 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 and Innovation
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 2024, to raise awareness of postdoctoral opportunities and introduce early career planning, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs launched a targeted outreach campaign to encourage PhD students to consider postdoctoral training. That same semester, in response to increased demand for P3 and STePS funding, the office implemented changes to both programs. The P3 award, previously $25,000, was adjusted to $20,000 effective November 20, 2024, and the STePS faculty buy-in increased from $10,000 to $12,000.
In early 2025, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs proposed including postdoctoral scholars among the employee groups eligible for the Employee Tuition Waiver. The UCF Board of Trustees approved this proposal in June 2025, with an implementation set for Fall 2025. That spring, postdoctoral scholars were invited to a meeting to discuss reinstating a Postdoctoral Association at UCF. The group agreed to begin with campus-based activities, leading up to a larger university-wide event later in 2025. These efforts are ongoing.
Additionally, in collaboration with Graduate Student Life and the Office of Undergraduate Research, the Knight Research Scholars Program (KRSP) was established, modeled after Texas A&M’s Aggie Research Program. KRSP offers postdoctoral scholars and graduate students the opportunity to mentor interdisciplinary research teams, while offering undergraduate students hands-on, collaborative research experiences under their guidance.
Salary Increase
In response to feedback from the Postdoctoral Advisory Committee, the minimum annual salary for postdoctoral scholars increased from $55,000 to $57,000. Announced in April 2024 and took effect on July 1, 2025.
Preeminent Postdoctoral Program (P3)
The Preeminent Postdoctoral Program (P3) supports UCF’s STEM research community by providing faculty with funding to mentor postdoctoral scholars and advance the university toward its goal of 200 STEM postdocs, a key metric for Florida’s “Preeminence” designation. P3 provides faculty researchers with $20,000 per year toward a postdoc’s salary for up to two years, totaling $40,000 in support, along with a $5,000 professional development allowance, which, as of 2024–2025, is used exclusively for professional development activities.
Short-Term Postdoctoral Support (STePS)
The Short-Term Postdoctoral Support (STePS) program continued to support UCF doctoral graduates in 2024–2025, with 36 postdoctoral scholars receiving awards. STePS provides a six-month bridge employment opportunity, allowing scholars to advance their academic development under faculty mentorship while transitioning to the next step of their careers. The program remains appealing to faculty, requiring only a $12,000 contribution while Postdoctoral Affairs provides the remaining $22,000.
Outcomes
Through the continued success of the P3 and STePS programs, UCF’s postdoctoral population has seen sustained growth. Rising from 75 postdocs (70 STEM) in 2016 to 340 postdocs (including 309 in STEM) in 2024, UCF has continued to exceed the state’s preeminence benchmark for postdoctoral appointments.
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 |
| 2024 | 340 | 309 |