Postdoc Mentoring

The National Science Foundation has recently released updates to their Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures that will apply to all proposals submitted or due on or after May 20, 2024.

The following will be applicable when requesting salary support for graduate students and/or postdoctoral fellows:

• A one-page mentoring plan outlining the mentoring activities for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows is required at the time of proposal submission.
• If proposal is funded, an Individual Development Plan (IDP) is required for each graduate student/postdoctoral fellow on the project who receives substantial support (one month or more of support). The Individual Development Plan (IDP) should address educational goals, career exploration, and professional development of the graduate student/postdoctoral fellow.
• IDPs should be updated annually. PIs/CoPIs will need to certify as part of their annual and final report that each graduate student/postdoctoral fellow has an IDP that addresses educational goals, career exploration, and professional development.
• IDPs are not required to be submitted to NSF, but may be requested at any time.

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPDA) strongly encourages an IDP for all postdoctoral fellows and has a webpage devoted to Mentoring Resources including an IDP template. Further, the OPDA has an anniversary reminder and documentation retention process in place that may prove helpful to all PIs and faculty mentors. Feel free to contact postdocaffairs@fau.edu with any questions regarding the IDP for your FAU Postdoctoral Fellow.