Welcome!
Postdoctoral scholars (postdocs) come to Harvard University for further training in their chosen discipline under the general supervision of one or more Harvard faculty members. The FAS and SEAS recognize that postdocs are critical engines to our research and educational enterprise, contributing significantly to the discovery and creation of new knowledge, and helping to guide the research of undergraduate and graduate students. Accordingly, the FAS/SEAS is committed to supporting their research and broader professional training and their efforts to develop to the fullest of their abilities. Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Associates are not faculty, staff, or students, but researchers in training.
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, FAS PDO supports all postdoctoral fellows and Research Associates in the FAS Divisions of Arts & Humanities, Social Science, and Science, and in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. For the purposes of this handbook, the term “postdoc” includes both Postdoctoral Fellows, who have recently completed a Doctorate, and Research Associates, who ordinarily have already pursued at least three years as a postdoctoral fellow.
Postdocs should devote their fellowship to learning new techniques, mastering new experimental systems, revising dissertations for publication as journal articles or book-length manuscripts, and generally strengthening their ability to carry out independent research.
The mission of the PDO is to facilitate postdoctoral training beyond the scholarly training provided by faculty mentors, by providing and coordinating a wide range of academic and professional development activities. These activities help to develop the professional skills needed to succeed in or beyond academia. The responsibilities of the PDO include being available for individual consultations, coaching on job applications, advising on resources, answering questions from postdocs and departments, and building community in partnership with the FAS Postdoctoral Association (PDA).
The handbook focuses on admistrative and policy issues. In addition, a comprehensive list of resources is available on this website, notably an “Arrival Checklist.”