Join Us:
- We are looking for new members! Feel free to contact us at ptop-vspa@berkeley.edu if you're interested in joining the PTOP borad.
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Upcoming Events:
October 22 @4-5:15pm, virtual zoom
Insider’s View of the Faculty Search - teaching-focus roles
Anyone pursuing a faculty career should understand the conventions of the academic job market. Panelists will share their experiences and what trainees should know to better navigate the hiring process. Your questions are welcome!
Registration: https://forms.gle/md5BUN9pfMJ7e7qr6
Organised by QB3 Berkeley. See more on the event page here: https://events.berkeley.edu/QB3/event/307080-insiders-view-of-the-faculty-search-teaching-focus-ro
October 9, 16, and 30, 2025 @1-3 pm
Grant Writing Workshop
These workshops on grant writing will train scientists and engineers to become more effective and confident writers. They will describe the specific challenges and common mistakes of writing grant proposals. The lectures will focus on funding research through the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, but other funding opportunities will also be discussed. The workshops will entail a combination of lectures, individual exercises, and small group exercises.
Registration: https://vspa.cmail19.com/t/d-l-gztrty-hleikjijh-r/
Past Event(s)
- Insider’s View of the Faculty Search (hosted by QB3-Berkeley) --Research-focused institutions. October 8, 2025 11:30 am -12:45 pm, virtual zoom
- Teaching statement: write, share, and teach! (Thursday, September 25th, 4:00-5:00 pm, 309 Sproul Hall)
- Navigating Teaching in U.S. Higer Education System (Tuesday, August 26th, 2:00-4:00 pm, 309 Sproul Hall)
- Academic Job Search Series in STEM Disciplines (Monday, August 7th, 14th, and 21st 4:00-5:15 pm, via zoom.)
- Pathways to Scientific Teaching （May 7 and 8, 2025 9 am - 1 pm. Limited spaces, via zoom.)
- 2025 Teaching & Learning Conference (May 9, 2025.)
- Teaching and the Academic Job Search ( April 25th 2025 10-11:30am,via zoom)
- Postdoc Teaching Opportunities at Berkeley: Introduction to PTOP ( April 17th 2025 12pm - 1pm, @ 309 Sproul Hall). If you missed it, check out the information slides here: 4-17-25_ptop_info_session.pdf
Teaching Resources for Postdocs at UCB：
- Teaching-focused postdoc positions at UCSF/SFSU: https://iracda.ucsf.edu/
Meet Us ──
Current Board Members
Yifeng Shi
President
Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
Yifeng is a postdoctoral researcher at Ti lab, UC Berkeley. Her postdoctoral research focuses on the design and synthesis of DNA nanostructures, along with their hybridizations with inorganic nanocrystals to create functional materials with customized properties. Outside research, she enjoys reading, gardening, and making crafts. More about her can be found at findyifeng.com.
M. Fernanda (feña) Palominos
Vice-President
Integrative Biology
Feña is a National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) K99/R00 Postdoctoral fellow in the Martin lab at UC Berkeley. Her postdoctoral research focuses on understanding the genomic basis of craniofacial and sensory diversity using pupfish adaptive radiations as her study systems. In her spare time, feña enjoys biking, dancing, painting, and hiking. You can learn more about her at fishfena.github.io
Sam Lewin
Secretary
Mechanical Engineering
Sam is a postdoctoral researcher in the Kaminski lab working on the fundamental fluid dynamics of geophysical and environmental flows, with applications to models of small-scale ocean processes. He enjoys cycling in the Berkeley Hills, running, and cooking.
Collin Steen
Treasurer
Chemistry and QB3
Collin is a postdoctoral researcher in the Ke Xu lab in the College of Chemistry. His postdoctoral research employs methods from optical and single-molecule microscopy to uncover the design principles of photosynthetic membranes. Outside of the lab, Collin enjoys hiking, listening to podcasts, and traveling.