Postdoc Appreciation Week
Read about the background to Postdoc Appreciation Week (PAW), see the events and activities taking place this year, and access on-demand content from previous years.
Background
Postdoc Appreciation Week (PAW) acknowledges, recognises and celebrates all of the hard work that postdocs and researchers dedicate to research, teaching, mentoring, outreach and so much more!
Originating in North America, UK research institutions have started to take on this celebratory practice in recent years.
As well as events organised specifically for TUoS postdocs, following on from the successful inaugural National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW) events held in 2020, postdocs and researcher development managers from different institutions across the country come together to hold events open to researchers from across the country. You can find further details about NPAW through their website and social media accounts below.
Postdoc Appreciation Week 2026
See some of our key events for Postdoc Appreciation Week 2026!
The Changing Landscape of Postdoc Careers
21st September, 10 am live - Recording available
As part of National Postdoc Appreciation week and in collaboration with NPAW: Postdocs are facing an ever-changing landscape in terms of personal and career prospects, as well as a changing landscape to academic funding. Being prepared is key, so join our UK #NPAW2026 flagship event where we will start with exploring your academic journey through creative language play with Martina Diehl, followed by a workshop on uncovering your existing skills (hint: it's not just research!) and how to explore your next steps using this information with Holly Prescott. We will then wrap up with a discussion panel with funders UKRI and British Academy, who will provide candid insights to the changing landscape of academic funding. To be expected: Creative poetry, self-exploration, and honest opinions!
National 10 Development Days Festival for Research Staff
28th September - 16th October
We are excited to announce that registration is now open for our National 10 Development Days Festival for Research Staff, taking place from Monday 28 September to Friday 16 October 2026! Prosper is pleased to be contributing two sessions to this year's programme..
Created by King's College London in partnership with 14 UK higher education institutions, this free online festival celebrates and promotes the minimum 10 professional development days available to research staff across the UK.
Nominate an Outstanding postdoc!
Open now! (Closes 2nd October)
We are excited to announce the return our Outstanding Postdoc nominations! We started this initiative in Postdoc Appreciation Week 2020 as an opportunity to recognise the exceptional contributions of postdocs here at The University of Sheffield. Designed to complement the National Postdoc Appreciation Week event, our nomination initiative is a great opportunity to formally recognise the contributions or actions of a postdoc you think deserves nominating!
Nominate a postdoc for recognition here!
Previous events and on-demand videos
- National Postdoc Appreciation Week 2021
As part of NPAW in 2021, several events were run and recorded so they could be accessed after the event.
These sessions included;
- Celebrating successes - exploring diverse careers in the Postdoc afterlife
- Recognition of Research Talents
- Careers in Academia and beyond
View on-demand videos from the event
UK National Postdoc Conference (NPDC21)
Hosted by the University of Liverpool, the wholly virtual NPDC21 was an opportunity for postdoctoral researchers to engage with industry stakeholders, funding agencies, policy influencers, researcher developers and career development professionals.
The NPDC21 keynote was given by the CEO of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser. A panel on Collaborative Research Practices included Professor Julia Buckingham CBE, Former President of Universities UK.
All registrations were free of charge.
See the full programme from Liverpool and on-demand videos here.
NPDC21 poster competition
Postdocs were invited to either create a new poster or re-share an existing one, showcasing what they research or an aspect of the conference theme "New Realities, Stronger Connections, Successful Futures".
- National Postdoc Appreciation Week 2022
The Postdoc Toolbox:
Career progression beyond a postdoc position, whatever shape it takes, relies on postdocs using the range of tools at their disposal that they knowingly (or unknowingly!) acquired. In this event, each of our guest speakers will highlight a different item from the ‘Postdoc Toolbox’.
Steve Cross will discuss the ups and down of postdoc life, what he has in his own personal toolbox, and how you can equip your own. Sarah Ashworth will provide useful information on developing an effective CV, and tips on how to avoid common mistakes. And finally, we will have sneak peeks of the new ‘Prosper’ portal, designed to enable postdocs to reach their career potential, and discuss key findings and take-home thoughts based on knowledge gained from the initial cohorts.
On-demand recording available here.
National showcase of postdocs
Showcasing the profile of Postdocs and Postdoc Developers who are doing an amazing job across the UK & Ireland through the National Postdoc Appreciation Week Instagram account.
You can see showcased postdoc during NPAW 2021 on the NPAW Instagram account here.
Additional events held during Postdoc Appreciation Week 2022
- Intentional Careers: How to accelerate your career even if you don't know 'what's next?'. Facilitated by Dr Hannah Roberts.
- Open Research: What do postdocs need to know? Facilitated by Dr Adam Partridge, UoS Open Research Training Lead
- Develop your creative thinking skills with CLEAR IDEAS. Developed and faciliated by Prof. Kamal Birdi
- National Postdoc Appreciation Week 2023
Creating connections and rediscovering joy - UK National Postdoc Appreciation Week event.
Monday 18th September, 10.30 - 12.00, Online
Session description: How similar/different is this across different disciplines, and with the increased focus on interdisciplinary research, how can we communicate and connect across divides?
Come explore with us in this event, kicking start with a comedic take on this topic by Dave Chawner, followed by conversations and discussion panel led by Prof Ian Sabroe and Dr Dieter Declercq, hosts of the podcast 'Conversations about Arts, Humanities and Health', on how to create collaborative environments, break preconceived ideologies, and rediscover the joy that drives us forward with what we do!
National Postdoc Conference 2023 - Over 20 sessions and events! Hosted by C-DICE and Loughborough University
Tuesday 19th September
Session description: The National Postdoc Conference 2023 is the only conference in the UK dedicated solely to the celebration of postdoctoral researchers from any university, in any discipline. It aims to bring together the postdoctoral community to navigate the postdoc journey and equip them to thrive in their current role and beyond. The conference is free to attend for all Postdocs and will be hosted at James France Building, Loughborough University.
Additional events held during Postdoc Appreciation Week 2023
- Charting Pathways for Postdoctoral Success: Unlocking the Researcher Development Concordat's Potential
- Develop your creative thinking skills with CLEAR ideas
- How does mentoring and coaching fit in your future?
- Research Staff Induction: ‘Making the most of your research contract’
- Pint of Science: Postdoc Appreciation Week Bonanza
- National Postdoc Appreciation Week 2024
A flagship national event - Into the Postdoc-verse: building relationships across dimensions explored how to authentically network, build long-lasting relationships across disciplines/sectors. As part of this event we held a live networking sessions for the audience to practice and expand their horizons right away!
CV and career development clinic: To celebrate the 5th anniversary, we offered free online 1-2-1 careers sessions for career development and as CV clinic.
- National Postdoc Appreciation Week 2025
From surviving to thriving: planning your future
This national session explored how we can take control of our futures through self-leadership and navigate uncertainties of the future. Hearing from a panel of diverse ex/academics on how they navigated (and motivated themselves) through their own careers. There was also a special showing of "Postdoc: The Musical", a musical number aimed at showcasing Postdoc lives and achievements.Exploring Prosper
Prosper is an innovative approach to postdoc career development that seeks to unlock postdocs’ potential to thrive across multiple career pathways – both within and beyond academia.
The Prosper Portal can help you to figure out what you want from your career, explore opportunities beyond academia, and develop in-demand skills.
Join this short session delivered by Prosper gave an overview of the portal an how to get the most from it.
Inside Academia
Deputy VP for Research, Professor John Flint, and Head of Researcher Development, Dr. Lucy Lee, explored the new Development Guidance for Grade 6 and Grade 7 Researchers. Created by the University ECR Committee, this guidance outlines professional development activities and opportunities you may wish to consider. They discussed the newly launched Researcher Development Framework, a sector wide tool designed to help you strategically plan your development and career transitions effectively.
Outstanding postdoc nominations
We are once again pleased to share the postdocs recognised though our 'Nominate an Outstanding Postdoc' initiative!
See the University's 2025 outstanding postdoc nominations
See the University's 2024 outstanding postdoc nominations
See the University's 2023 outstanding postdoc nominations
See the University's 2022 outstanding postdoc nominations