Postdoc Awards

Each spring the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) partners with the Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Association (VPA) to recognize postdocs who demonstrate excellence in research, service, mentorship, and a commitment to the postdoc community, as well as their mentors who demonstrate a willingness to share expertise and advice, service to the community at large, along with other mentoring activities.

This 2025 awards ceremony took place on Wednesday, May 21. OPA celebrated the postdoctoral community with five different awards across various categories. You can view the recorded award ceremony here.

2025 Award Winners

  • Postdoc Mentor of the Year: Corinne Carlton-Smith, Ph.D.
  • Postdoc Service Award: Lianrui Zuo, Ph.D.
  • Faculty Mentor of the Year: Bennett Landman, Ph.D.
  • Postdoc of the Year: Maxime Chevee, Ph.D.
  • Postdoc of the Year: Lorenzo Gavassino, Ph.D.
  • Outstanding Campus Partner: VUMC Office of Research

Read the My VU article here. 

Postdoc of the Year Award

Sponsor: Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA)

Eligibility: All current Vanderbilt-affiliated (VU and VUMC) postdoctoral fellows, scholars and trainees are eligible for nominations.

  • Criteria, Nomination Process and Selection

    Criteria: Nominee must demonstrate excellence in research, scholarship or creative expression as evidenced by one or more of the following:

    • Recent publications, publication contracts, and/or works of creative expression
    • Presentations: papers or posters at local, regional, national or international conferences/meetings
    • Awards and honors: internal and/or external recognition of excellence in research, scholarship or creative expression

    Consideration will also be given to:

    • Service: committees and organizations (internal and/or external), teaching, volunteering, etc.
    • Mentoring within a lab or school, establishing or leading projects and initiatives (internal and/or external)

    Nomination Process and Selection:

    • The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs solicits nominations from faculty in each school.
    • The Postdoctoral Fellows Advisory Committee reviews and votes on all nominations; if needed, the Graduate School leadership will act as additional reviewers.
    • The committee may select honorable mentions in addition to the award winner.

    Nominations close on Sunday, March 16 at 11:59 P.M. CST. 

Faculty Mentor of the Year Award

Sponsors: Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Association (VPA) and Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA)

Eligibility: Anyone who has served as a mentor to a postdoctoral fellow, scholar or trainee at Vanderbilt in any capacity is eligible for this award.

  • Criteria, Nomination Process and Selection

    Criteria:

    • Willingness to share expertise and advice.
    • Support of the mentee’s current career stage and advancement towards the mentee’s chosen career direction.
    • Service to the community at large, including other mentoring activities.
    • Scholarship within the mentor’s own career: publications, awards, presentations, and honors.

    Nomination Process and Selection:

    • The VPA solicits nominations from all postdocs at Vanderbilt.
    • The VPA Executive Board reviews and votes on all nominations.

    Nominations close on Sunday, March 16 at 11:59 P.M. CST. 

Postdoc Mentor of the Year Award

Sponsors: Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Association (VPA) and Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA)

Eligibility:

  • All current Vanderbilt-affiliated (VU and VUMC) postdoctoral fellows, scholars and trainees who have served as mentors are eligible for nominations.
  • Self-nominations and nominations by others are accepted.
  • Criteria, Nomination Process and Selection

    Criteria:

    • Willingness to share expertise and advice.
    • Support of the mentee’s current career stage and advancement towards the mentee’s chosen career direction.
    • Service to the community at large, including other mentoring activities.
    • Scholarship within the mentor’s own career: publications, awards, presentations, and honors.

    Nomination Process and Selection:

    • The VPA solicits nominations from members of the Vanderbilt community.
    • The VPA Executive Board reviews and votes on all nominations.

    Nominations close on Sunday, March 16 at 11:59 P.M. CST. 

Postdoc Service Award

Sponsors: Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Association (VPA) and Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA)

Eligibility:

  • The nominee must be a current postdoc at Vanderbilt University or Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
  • Self-nominations and nominations by others are accepted.
  • Criteria, Nomination Process and Selection

    Criteria:

    • Demonstrated sustained leadership skills to foster postdoc experience at Vanderbilt.
    • Demonstrated meaningful contribution in national and international societies relevant to their research field, e.g., moderating sessions at national/international conferences.
    • Engaged in scholarly research activities outside regular lab responsibilities to advance science, e.g., reviewing manuscripts for journals.
    • Service to the community at large, including other mentoring activities.

    Nomination Process and Selection:

    • Service activities should be clearly listed on the postdoc’s CV.
    • The VPA solicits nominations from all postdocs at Vanderbilt.
    • The VPA Executive Board reviews and votes on all nominations.

    Limitation: Each postdoc is eligible to receive the service award once during their tenure at Vanderbilt University or Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

    Nominations close on Sunday, March 16 at 11:59 P.M. CST. 

Previous Award Winners