The UTEP Postdoc Association (PDA) was created in 2024 by postdoctoral fellows (postdocs) to create a sense of community and provide professional development opportunities for postdocs. The Graduate School serves as the institutional contact office for issues related to postdoctoral fellows (postdocs). The Director of Postdoctoral Affairs and Graduate Fellowships works closely with the PDA to identify and provide professional development activities for all UTEP postdocs. Activities and events will be posted to this website.
PDA Leadership Committee
Meet the members of the leadership committee. Together, they advocate for UTEP postdoctoral development, mentorship, and scientific collaboration.
PDA Leadership
Dr. Edwin Perez is a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Diana Natalicio Institute for Hispanic Student Success here at UTEP. Dr. Perez is the son of immigrants from Oaxaca, Mexico and comes from a first-generation and low-income background. These identities have been central in shaping his experiences through higher education, serving as both challenges and motivators to work toward transforming our institutions into environments where students who have been historically excluded from higher education can thrive. Dr. Perez received a B.A. in Political Science from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Merced and an M.Ed in Student Affairs from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Los Angeles. Most recently, he received a Ph.D. from the Higher Education and Organizational Change program at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Lauren Mena Shook is a postdoctoral fellow at the Diana Natalicio Institute for Hispanic Student Success. Her research agenda examines how discourse, policy, and practice shape inclusion and exclusion within educational systems.
Dr. Fabian R. Villagomez is a postdoctoral fellow studying KRAS and oxidative stress in pancreatic cancer. With expertise in therapy resistance, autophagy, and tumor microenvironments, he has led research at top institutions, including the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Colorado Anschutz. A recipient of the HERA Ovarian Cancer Foundation Seed Grant, his work is published in high-impact journals and presented at major conferences. Find out more about his research through his .
Upcoming Events
(Webinar) Applying a Project Management Lens to your Job Search
Tuesday, February 25 at 1 pm Mountain
According to the National Postdoctoral Association - NPA, "Searching for jobs can be daunting! To make the process of finding your next position more manageable, we will learn about project management principles and how they can be applied to finding and securing a job. Specifically, we will learn to treat job search as a “special project" and map the search to the five stages of project management: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closing." This is part of NPA's SmartSkills which is a series of free, virtual courses for postdocs who are members of the (see information below to join for free!) Monthly classes are taught by experts and focus on building skills critical to career and personal success. Postdocs can earn a certificate from the NPA by attending 10 out of the 12 skills classes.
(Webinar) Beyond the Lab: Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é Structure Every Postdoc Should Know
Thursday, February 27 at 11 am Mountain
Universities are filled with an array of offices and services that enable research and grant writing. This panel will offer information about how research resources are typically structured at a university and how you can access them. The panel is designed for postdocs who are interested in a future academic career or in resources for their research. This is co-sponsored by UTEP and the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas- Arlington.
Flyer
Postdoc Spotlight
Postdoc Spotlight
Dr. Edwin Perez is a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Diana Natalicio Institute for Hispanic Student Success. Dr. Perez is the son of immigrants from Oaxaca, Mexico and comes from a first-generation and low-income background. These identities have been central in shaping his experiences through higher education, serving as both challenges and motivators to work toward transforming our institutions into environments where students who have been historically excluded from higher education can thrive. Dr. Perez received a B.A. in Political Science from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Merced and an M.Ed in Student Affairs from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Los Angeles. Most recently, he received a Ph.D. from the Higher Education and Organizational Change program at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Los Angeles. His dissertation “The Life Cycle of STEMM Intervention Programs: From Adoption to Institutionalization” used a multiple case study approach and organizational theory to examine how STEMM intervention programs that seek to create inclusive science environments are implemented, adapted, sustained, and institutionalized within higher education institutions. His research interests focus on examining and developing the organizational dynamics and conditions that allow for the creation of equitable higher education institutions. Fun fact: He attended the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas system-wide Postdoctoral Symposium in the fall of 2024 where he won first place for his research presentaton! Most recently, he just . Way to represent!
Resources for Postdocs
UTEP is proud to be an institutional member of The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA), which provides an array of resources of interest to postdocs, their mentors/supervisors, and graduate students considering a postdoctoral fellowship. In order to access these valuable resources, graduate students, faculty, staff, and postdocs can apply for Affiliate membership by clicking below and using their UTEP email address.
Best Practices
The Office of the Provost, in consultation with faculty, the Graduate School, postdoctoral fellows, and Human Resources, has published Guidelines for Postdoctoral Appointments & Suggested Best Practices.This document clarifies the characteristics and process of postdoctoral positions as well as individual and departmental responsibilities.
Mentoring
The Graduate School recognizes the value of mentoring and recommends that postdocs actively seek mentoring relationships with faculty members and administrators at UTEP and in their field at other institutions or through professional associations. Different mentors may provide different types of assistance. Mentors should introduce postdocs to established people in the field, teach norms and best practices of the discipline, and work with mentees to create an Individual Development Plan.
The links at the bottom of the page provide information and resources on a number of topics related to mentoring. Importantly, opportunities are provided by the Director of Postdoctoral Affairs and Graduate Fellowships as well as other UTEP departments such as the Institute for Scholarship, Pedagogy, Innovation, and Research Excellence (InSPIRE). A good mentoring relationship is crucial to the success of postdoctoral scholars as they develop original research ideas and move toward greater independence and maturity. Indeed, mentoring the next generation of scholars is a shared professional responsibility of all members of the academy.
The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at El Paso is committed to providing equal opportunity to all employees and individuals seeking employment or access to its programs, facilities or services, and will not discriminate against these persons on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. In addition to this commitment, the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é will take affirmative steps to insure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated, during all aspects of employment, in a non-discriminatory manner. The National Postdoctoral Association website provides a .
