News and Upcoming Events
National Postdoc Appreciation Week (September 15-19)
Save the date for National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW)! This week will be filled with great events in honor of postdocs. Hosted in partnership with the Careers Pathways Office, come to have fun, get a free lunch voucher, and receive the special NPAW gift. Stay tuned for more details closer to the date.
All Week – Scavenger Hunt and Photo Contest – sign up your team here
Monday 15
- NPAW Gift and Lunch Voucher collection (11 AM – 1 PM, B91 3rd floor terrace) (1 per postdoc only, must collect in-person)
- Banner Raising Ceremony (12 PM, B91 3rd floor terrace)
- Trivia Contest (12 PM, B91 3rd floor terrace)
Tuesday 16
- Lunch at Emeryville (12 PM, Emerystation East)
Wednesday 17
- NPAW Gift and Lunch Voucher collection (11 AM – 1 PM, B91 1st floor patio)
Thursday 18
- National Laboratories Postdoctoral Leadership Meeting (9 AM, learn more and add to your calendar)
- Berkeley Lab SLAM (3 PM, B50 Auditorium)
- SLAM Reception (4:30 PM, B91 3rd floor terrace)
Friday 19
- Scavenger Hunt and Photo Contest Prize Party (2:30 PM, B91-310).
NPAW 2025 Scavenger Hunt
Join the Hunt!
To celebrate National Postdoc Appreciation Week 2025, we’re launching a scavenger hunt—and you’re invited to be part of the adventure!
Form a team of 3 to 5 members and rally your fellow postdocs (or postdoc-adjacent allies) for a challenge that blends collaboration, curiosity, and creativity. Non-postdocs are welcome, but each team must include at least one postdoc to be eligible for prizes.
Choose a team name that reflects your spirit, your science, or your sense of humor.
There’s also a photo prize—so bring your camera-ready game! To enter, send your team’s best hunt photo (with team name) to Kas (kandrle@lbl.gov) by Thursday, September 18th at 3:00 PM. Please be safe while snapping your masterpiece.
The hunt officially begins on Monday, September 15th, when the first clue will be sent out.
The winning team will be announced on Friday, September 19th at 3:00 PM in Building 91, Room 310.
Ready to play? Sign up your team here → https://forms.gle/PT6YYNuu2yL4Y56y5
For any questions, reach out to one of the organizers, Kas, at kandrle@lbl.gov.
Let the hunt begin!
Join BLPA!
Are you ready to make an impact? Love career fairs, engaging seminars, or fun social events? Help bring them to life and become a leader in our postdoc community!
Why join?
- Build leadership skills and gain valuable experience
- Score free swag and make lasting friendships
- Be part of the vibrant team shaping postdoc life at LBL
Get involved today!
Explore: postdoc.lbl.gov/about-us/committees
Express interest here or Contact us at postdoc@lbl.gov
Stay tuned for BLPA Board elections—your next opportunity to lead!
Slack Fun Space
We have launched a new Slack “fun space” for all LBNL and affiliated postdocs.
We have dedicated spaces to chat about housing, healthcare, taxes, COVID-19 & vaccination, hobbies & events, food, movies & tv, childcare, sell or buy stuff and even to post photos of your pets! Sign up here and join the conversation.
Past events
Camping trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park
During the weekend 18-20th of July, some of our postdocs went for a camping trip. We slept in tents and cooked meals at gas stoves....
Read More "Camping trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park"
Hike to Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve
Last Saturday, Berkeley Postdocs and their friends hiked in beautiful redwood forest in Armstrong State Natural Reserve. Greetings from 1400 years old Colonel Armstrong.
Read More "Hike to Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve"
Weekend trip to Yosemite
During the weekend 7-8th of June, BLPA postdocs and their friends visited Yosemite National Park. They hiked in Mariposa Grove and at Upper Yosemite Fall.
Read More "Weekend trip to Yosemite"
City Hike at Lake Merritt
On May 10, 2025 our postdocs changed the hiking environment into Oakland. They enjoyed a walk around Lake Merritt admiring lake and Botanical Garden at...
Read More "City Hike at Lake Merritt"
Hiking: Alamere Falls on May 3
On Saturday, May 3, the BLPA hiking group explored the Pacific coast and reached the Alamere Falls.
Read More "Hiking: Alamere Falls on May 3"
Hiking: Mount Diablo from bottom to top
On Saturday, April 5, we we hiked Mount Diablo all the way from the foot of the mountain to the summit via the shortest route....
Read More "Hiking: Mount Diablo from bottom to top"
Career Transition Talk – Sintu Rongpipi
We had a great session with Dr. Sintu Rongpipi as part of our BLPA Career Transition Talk Series! Sintu shared her amazing journey from postdoc...
Read More "Career Transition Talk – Sintu Rongpipi"
Hiking: Waterfalls of Mt. Diablo
Another Saturday and another BLPA hike. This time we explore waterfalls in the Mt. Diablo State Park on March 15, 2025.
Read More "Hiking: Waterfalls of Mt. Diablo"
Resources
BLPA Board
BLPA is made up of volunteers – and we are always looking to grow! Are you interested? Do you want to know about the inner workings of BLPA and contribute to the postdoc community, building a larger network? Please contact us (postdoc (at) lbl.gov) or sign up to check out one of our many committees!
Bernard Field
Co-chair
Jan Dvorak
Co-chair
Jakub Kierdaszuk
Coordinator, Social Committee & Webmaster
Dennis Noll
Coordinator, Outreach Committee
Soumyadeep Ghosh
Coordinator, Treasurer
Kas Andrle
Secretary & Board Member
Kshitiz Gupta
Board Member
Joseph Schneider
Board Member
Jacob Rapp
Board Member
Antonino Caliò
Board Member
BLPA Committees
We are always on the lookout for new events that could be fun and that we can bring to the postdoc community together as well as enthusiastic individuals interested in serving the postdoc community. If you have any ideas for events, please let us know by email to postdoc@lbl.gov or by dropping a line to a board member you know. If you’d like to volunteer with BLPA, please fill out this form.
Social Committee
Social Committee puts together a wide variety of events to enrich the postdocs’ personal lives and support networking among postdocs in a social context. We organize social events and outdoor activities including movie nights, game nights, hikes, pub nights, meet & greet events as well as a labmate program for new postdocs and we are happy to include new ideas. Join us to support social interactions among postdocs at Berkeley Lab.
Outreach Committee
Outreach Committee focuses on self development and diversity & inclusion activities including brown bag seminars (postdoc-to-postdoc, science café, cultural lunch) as well as coffee with postdocs blogs, outreach events and workshops. We also enhance communication between the BLPA Board and nation-wide postdoc community and foster networking and collaborative communication across divisions. Join us in preparing seminars, workshops, blog posts, newsletters while improving your science communication and public speaking skills.
Lab-Industry Networking Connection (LINC) Committee
LINC committee organizes tech talks, company site visits, networking events and career fairs to educate postdocs about careers beyond academia and facilitate effective networking between postdocs and industry partners. Join us if you are interested in expanding your professional network and exploring opportunities beyond academia while improving your communication, networking, leadership, time and project management skills.
