Postdoctoral scholars enrich Dartmouth through their research, teaching, and collaboration. This vital community, supported by the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies and Cindy Rosalbo, director of postdoc affairs, was celebrated with campus events during National Postdoc Appreciation Week 2025.
Festivities began with a Dartmouth Community Lunch on the Green, where postdocs gathered alongside students, faculty, and staff at an event open to the entire campus. The week continued with the Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning (DCAL) and Guarini hosting a Postdoc Reception at the Dartmouth Outing Club by Occom Pond, which drew more than 50 attendees and featured a lively “make your own button” station alongside food and conversation. Cindy Rosalbo commented, “I always love the reception–it’s a chance to connect with postdocs, librarians, and others I haven’t seen in a while, and to meet new postdocs I’ll see again at other events throughout the week.”
Postdocs had the opportunity to explore Dartmouth’s creative and innovation spaces through a letterpress orientation at Baker-Berry Library and a hands-on session at the Cable Makerspace. On Friday, a mindful eating lunch in Guarini Commons encouraged reflection on wellness, and a kayaking outing at Ledyard Canoe Club offered a chance to relax and connect on the Connecticut River.
“The star of the kayaking event was the baby who went out on the canoe with his parents,” joked Olha Kholod, co-president of the Dartmouth Postdoc Association (DPA) and a postdoc in Thayer School of Engineering.
“Both letterpress and the mindful lunch were very therapeutic and calming,” said Bo Chang, a DPA board member and postdoc at the Irving Institute. “There were many new postdocs at the letterpress event. Most of us didn’t have any idea what letterpress would be, and it allowed time for postdocs to get to know each other.”
In addition to campus events, postdocs participated in National Postdoc Appreciation Week activities, including webinars and panels hosted by the National Postdoctoral Association and partner institutions. A “Postdoc Bingo” activity encouraged postdocs to connect across departments, with prizes awarded by a raffle of all participants who completed their cards. One participant remarked the event helped them feel more welcomed and eased their transition into Dartmouth life.
Beyond their research, Dartmouth’s postdocs shape the Guarini community with their ideas, mentorship, and innovation. In recognizing postdocs, Guarini’s celebration was a way to say thank you for the knowledge and care they bring into their spaces every day.
