GAAP

A Guide to Applying for Astronomy Postdocs

A series of online workshops
June-July, 2025



Registration Form

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GAAP (Guide to Applying for Astronomy Postdocs) is a series of four online workshops designed for prospective postdocs in astronomy. The initiative aims to support emerging astronomers who are looking to transition, or bridge the gap, from graduate studies to postdoctoral research positions, as well as from one postdoctoral position to another. The series is jointly organized by the Graduate Student Committee (GSC) and the Postdoctoral Committee (PDC) of the Canadian Astronomical Society / Société Canadienne d'Astronomie (CASCA), and is running for the first time in summer 2025.

The GAAP workshop sessions will provide helpful information and experiential insights about the process of applying for postdoctoral positions and fellowships. The events will also serve as a platform for discussions and opportunity for applicants to forge supportive connections with other applicants. We invite participation from students or recent graduates engaged in astronomy research who are interested in pursuing postdoctoral research opportunities, particularly senior graduate students in Canada.

Important Dates

  • February 28, 2025: The Expression of Interest Form opened, and we were amazed by the number of responses; thank you to everyone who filled this out!

  • May 5, 2025: Registration is open! Complete the Registration Form to receive connection details for the sessions. This form has no closing date and will remain open until the last session on July 31st. You do not have to be at a Canadian university to register; participation is welcomed from one and all! The list of invited guest speakers and panelists at each of the sessions is now available below as well.

  • June 19, 2025 (1:00-3:00pm ET): Join us for Session 1 of GAAP!

  • July 3, 2025 (1:00-3:00pm ET): Join us for Session 2 of GAAP!

  • July 17, 2025 (1:00-3:00pm ET): Join us for Session 3 of GAAP!

  • July 31, 2025 (1:00-3:00pm ET): Join us for Session 4 of GAAP!

Session 1

Session 1. The Fundamentals of Applying to Postdoctoral Positions

Thursday, June 19, 1:00-3:00pm ET

  • Essential tips & tricks; background and reflection; finding and parsing opportunities; typical components of an application; timeline of the application and selection processes

  • Setting priorities and expectations; statistics to be aware of; the importance of organization tools and communication; personal branding; questions submitted by registrants


Emily Deibert, CASCA Postdoctoral Committee (Gemini Observatory/NSF's NOIRLab)

Taylor Hutchison (NASA Postdoctoral Fellow, NASA Goddard)

The slide deck from GAAP Session 1 can be downloaded as a PDF file here.

The directory housing all GAAP slides is here: https://www.canfar.net/storage/vault/list/jspeedie/GAAP2025

We are grateful to the CANFAR Data Publication Service for indefinite file hosting.

Session 1 Slides

Full recording on the CASCA GSC's Youtube channel:

Session 2

Session 2. Writing Your Research Proposal

Thursday, July 3, 1:00-3:00pm ET

  • Why this is the most important component of your application and what it accomplishes

  • The qualities of a strong proposal; where to find examples; when and how to start writing


Eric Koch (Submillimeter Array & NSERC Fellow, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian)

Veronika Dornan, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (McMaster University)

Jess Speedie, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (University of Victoria)

Will be posted following the session!

Will be posted following the session!

Session 3

Session 3. Interview Preparation // Two Sides of the Hiring Process

Thursday, July 17, 1:00-3:00pm ET

  • What an interview accomplishes, from the perspective of both sides: the selection committee and the applicant

  • How to prepare for an interview; typical formats; what to put in your presentation; questions you may be asked; questions you may ask

  • Featuring invited panelists: Testimonies and insights shared from folks who have served on selection committees (representation from NSERC, USA, overseas)


John Blakeslee (Director of Research and Science Services, NOIRLab)

Kristine Spekkens (Professor, Queen's University )

Kari Saumur (Physics Program Officer, NSERC)

Lily Zhao (NASA Hubble Fellowship Program Sagan Fellow, University of Chicago)

Jess Speedie, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (University of Victoria)

Emily Deibert, CASCA Postdoctoral Committee (Gemini Observatory/NSF's NOIRLab)

Will be posted following the session!

Will be posted following the session!

Session 4

Session 4. The Many Possible Paths // Maintaining Mental Wellbeing During Application Season

Thursday, July 31, 1:00-3:00pm ET

  • Differences amongst postdoctoral systems and hiring structures across the globe

  • How everyone's path is different; representation of the diversity of considerations to making decisions

  • Featuring invited panelists: Testimonies and advice from previous or current postdocs with diverse experiences from around the world


J. J. Zanazzi (51 Pegasi b Fellow, the University of California Berkeley)

William Thompson (Herzberg Instrument Science Fellow, NRC Herzberg Astronomy & Astrophysics)

Matthew Taylor (Assistant Professor of Astronomy, University of Calgary)

Aromal Pathayappura (Postdoctoral Researcher, Western University)

Katie Crotts (Postdoctoral Research Associate, Space Telescope Science Institute)

Matías Bravo, CASCA Postdoctoral Committee (McMaster University)

Will be posted following the session!

Out of consideration for the sensitive and personal topics at hand, this session might not be recorded.

Organizers


CASCA GSC Logo

  • Adrien Hélias, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (Western University)

  • Jess Speedie, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (University of Victoria)

  • Veronika Dornan, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (McMaster University)

  • Isabel Sander, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (University of Manitoba)

  • Solveig Thompson, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (University of Calgary)

  • Emily Deibert, CASCA Postdoctoral Committee (Gemini Observatory/NSF's NOIRLab)

  • Matías Bravo, CASCA Postdoctoral Committee (McMaster University)

  • Parisa Nozari, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (Queen's University)

  • Nolan Dickson, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (Saint Mary's University)

  • Kierra Weatherhead, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (University of Calgary)

  • Neil Doerksen, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (University of Manitoba)

  • Kit Gerodias, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (McGill University)


To contact the organizers, please write directly to any/all of us!

Additional Resources

AMP-UP