Postdoctoral Affairs

About

The Office of University Postdoctoral Affairs (OUPA) supports Brown postdoctoral scholars in their training and professional development, empowering them to thrive and prepare for independent careers in academia, industry, and beyond. OUPA collaborates with appointing departments, campus partners, and the Brown Postdoc Council to advance this mission.

About

The Office of University Postdoctoral Affairs (OUPA) supports Brown postdoctoral scholars in their training and professional development, empowering them to thrive and prepare for independent careers in academia, industry, and beyond. OUPA collaborates with appointing departments, campus partners, and the Brown Postdoc Council to advance this mission.

OUPA Priorities

  • Strengthening postdoctoral community and identity
  • Enhancing communication, outreach, and recruitment efforts
  • Providing guidance on postdoctoral policies and procedures
  • Supporting career and professional development
  • Coordinating efforts across university units
  • Advising on postdoctoral data collection and reporting
  • Convening stakeholders to address emerging needs and opportunities
  • Supporting the pursuit of external funding (individual and programmatic)
  • Advancing and contributing to national best practices

Please note: While OUPA does not oversee postdoctoral affiliates employed by Brown’s partner hospitals, we welcome and encourage their participation in our community-building and professional development activities.

Meet the OUPA Director

Postdoctoral scholars can sign up for Tuesday office hours with the OUPA Director (10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.) using the registration link.

  • Audra Van Wart

    Audra Van Wart

    Associate Dean of Training, Education, and Professional Development and Director of Postdoctoral Affairs

    Dr. Van Wart is Associate Dean for Training and Program Development in the Division of Biology and Medicine at Brown University, and Director of Brown’s Office of University Postdoctoral Affairs. In her role she oversees a variety of training initiatives for graduate students, postdocs, and junior faculty. Prior to joining Brown University, she served as Assistant Vice President for Health Sciences Education at Virginia Tech, where she co-developed and co-directed the Ph.D. program in Translational Biology, Medicine and Health, and was PI on an NIH-funded BEST professional development program grant. She has served on the Steering Committee and PhD Outreach Committee for the AAMC Graduate Research, Education, and Training (GREAT) Group, and has spoken widely about PhD training and careers, including at ABRCMS, SACNAS, and webinars for NRMN and ASBMB. Dr. Van Wart completed her postdoctoral training at MIT and earned her Ph.D. from SUNY at Stony Brook.

Meet the OUPA Assistant Director

Postdoctoral scholars can sign up for Wednesday office hours with the OUPA Assistant Director (9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.) using the registration link.

  • Victoria Williams

    Victoria Williams

    Assistant Director

    Victoria Williams earned a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration and Policy from the School of Education and Social Policy (SESP) at Northwestern University. Previously, she worked in The Graduate School, the McCormick School of Engineering, and SESP at Northwestern University.