The 6th annual Arizona Postdoctoral Research Conference (APRC) was a huge success! The APRC is a completely postdoc-run conference that provides opportunities for postdocs to present to a diverse audience at a state-level conference and to network with fellow postdocs with intersecting research interests. This conference, which is co-sponsored by University of Arizona (U of A) and Arizona State University (ASU), was held in Tucson on September 20, 2024 during National Postdoctoral Appreciation Week. More than 60 postdocs from ASU, U of A, and Northern Arizona University (NAU) attended this year’s conference. The oral and poster presentations represented a diverse set of topics ranging from opioid disorder, lung function, wearable technology, water policies and uses, age-related cognitive change, the Russian Civil War of 1918, attachment anxiety, bovine tuberculosis, and much more. The winner of the Best Oral Presentation was Dr. Jamison Weber (ASU) and the winners of the Best Poster Presentations were Dr. Kristen Martinet (U of A) and Dr. Christine Lewis (ASU).

The keynote speaker, Dr. Rachel Gallery (Professor in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at U of A), in keeping with this year’s conference theme of Building a More Sustainable Future in Academia, spoke about “Promoting Biodiversity for a Sustainable Future”. The conference also included lively group discussions focused on personal sustainability, workspace sustainability, and community sustainability. Dr. Zhanette Coffee, a postdoc scholar at U of A, led a group through breathing exercises and a conversation around work-life balance; Michael Ochs spoke about ASU’s Green Labs Program; and Dr. Isle Rojas-Hamilton, Associate Director of the Office of Sustainability at U of A, discussed the various collaborations her office has with members of the community, one of which is Compost Cats, who graciously provided compost bins for the event. 

The day ended with sharing a meal and drinks on 4th Ave, where postdocs from across the state got to know one another in a relaxed setting. Leaders from NAU, ASU, and U of A are looking forward to future collaborations to better support all postdocs across Arizona – watch this space!

We extend a special thanks to this year’s organizing committee of postdocs from ASU (Vikrant Kamble, Brian Scott) and U of Arizona (Aman Bhatia, Alane Blythe Dy, Zhanette Coffee, Angela Greenman – committee chair, Nicole Jimenez, Miriam Keppler, Franziska Kuehner, Karla Vargas). 

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