Calendar

Join us for our April Membership meeting next week. We’ll talk about academic unions in the US, including some exciting updates from Postdocs and Researchers across the country who are currently organizing their union!

This is also an excellent opportunity to ask your questions about the Union or any workplace issues in person.

Lunch will be provided!

Sincerely,

Patrick Callahan, Unit Chair
Kevin Brown, Recording Secretary

For this month’s membership meeting, we have invited Cesar Cap, a retirement planner from Fidelity Investments, to present on the retirement plan options for Postdocs, including the Defined Contribution Plan (DCP), 403b and 457b plans.

You will have the opportunity to ask all of your questions about the plans, the various ways you can invest for the future, and what options you have when your UC employment ends.

Hope to see you there and lunch will be provided!

Sincerely,

Kevin Brown, Unit Chair
Dhananjay Thakur, Recording Secretary

Please join us on Sunday, June 24 for a barbecue co-hosted by the Postdoc Union and Academic Researchers United, a group of Project Scientists, Specialists, Researchers and others who are in the process of forming a union at UC! This will be a great chance to meet other researchers and enjoy some sunshine and good food.

Colleagues (especially fellow Academic Researchers), friends, and partners are welcome to join!

If you plan to attend, please RSVP here and let us know if you or anyone in your party has any dietary restrictions.

Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Kevin Brown, Unit Chair
Dhananjay Thakur, Recording Secretary

Are you interested in gaining teaching experience as a Postdoc? In this month’s membership meeting, we will discuss opportunities for Postdocs to hone our teaching skills as part of career development. We’ll talk about different kinds of teaching, whether formal or informal, and how to build those experiences into your CV. And we’ll also discuss opportunities for teaching in the area, both within UC and outside.

Lunch will be provided!

Sincerely,

Kevin Brown, Unit Chair
Dhananjay Thakur, Recording Secretary

The benefits and protections important to Postdocs are under attack because of a series of court decisions and policy changes, among which the billionaire-funded Janus v AFSCME case against public-sector unions. Please join your fellow Postdocs at this month’s membership meeting to discuss how we can fight to protect our right to stand together and advocate for ourselves and our profession.

Lunch will be provided!

Sincerely,

Kevin Brown, Unit Chair
Dhananjay Thakur, Recording Secretary

This month during our Membership Meeting, we’ll discuss the UC Postdoc Benefits Plan:

• How does health insurance work in the US?
• What is the difference between the HMO and the PPO medical plan?
• What are my out-of-pocket medical expenses?
• How to find a General Physician/Pediatrician/Dentist/Endodontist?
• And more.

Especially helpful if you’re a relatively new Postdoc, or you want to educate yourself on all options before the Open Enrollment period coming up in October.

If you have a question right now, feel free to let us know at santabarbara@uaw5810.org.

Lunch will be provided!

Sincerely,

Kevin Brown, Unit Chair
Dhananjay Thakur, Recording Secretary

Our very own Bastien Bonef has offered to put on a Vinyasa yoga class at the Chemistry lawn! Bastien is certified yoga instructor and will lead us through the one hour class. If it turns out well we can even make it a weekly event!

Here’s a video of Vinyasa yoga so you can get a general idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmZFwoUU3WQ.

If you have any questions about the event, you can ask Bastien directly: bbonef.prof@gmail.com.

Hope to see you all there!

Sincerely,

Kevin Brown, Unit Chair
Dhananjay Thakur, Recording Secretary

What do you wish you had known when you started as a Postdoc at UCSB?

At this month’s Membership Meeting, we’ll be discussing local resources that are available to Postdocs, including strategies to help new Postdocs get settled in Santa Barbara and Postdoc recommendations ranging from doctors and child care services to restaurants and hiking trails. Please join your fellow Postdocs to learn more about how to make the most of your time in Santa Barbara and share your own recommendations.

Lunch will be provided!

Sincerely,

Kevin Brown, Unit Chair
Dhananjay Thakur, Recording Secretary

Walk precincts in support of Representative Salud Carbajal, who is running for re-election, and Proposition 10, which supports affordable housing in California. Are you in? Do you want to carpool? Please RSVP here.

Please join us for a membership meeting on the upcoming midterm elections! Postdocs have a lot to gain during the upcoming November 6 election. We’ll briefly discuss what’s at stake, how the federal and state law-making process works, and how science and research are impacted. We’ll also present our Science Slate, including our endorsed California propositions.

Lunch will be provided!