Recognition? Building on Postdoc Appreciation Week

By Dr Rhoda Stefanatos, Fellowships Development Manager at the University of Glasgow

Photo by Akin Cakiner on Unsplash

A few weeks ago, (15^th-19^th September 2025) was ‘Postdoc Appreciation Week’ (PAW). Before we start, let me assure you that this post will go further than just highlighting the limitations of PAW and focus instead on reflections and suggestions on how we (researcher developers, researchers and institutions) can recognise our postdocs and all our researchers of all stages more regularly and meaningfully.

What is Postdoc Appreciation Week?

The first time I heard the phrase ‘Postdoc Appreciation Week’ (PAW), I wasn’t a postdoc anymore. It was 2023 and I was few months into my new (then) and now old role as Researcher Development Specialist for Research Staff at the University of Glasgow. I immediately went where we all go when we don’t want to seem like we don’t know something we should…Google. 

From what my search returned I could see why I hadn’t heard of it, originally established by the US National Postdoc Association it was only from 2020 that the UK started adopting this as a September tradition and the news we were being appreciated had never reached me (in more than one institution). So, what is PAW? Essentially for one week every September, institutions, current and former postdocs and a group of researcher developers create opportunities to focus on recognising the contribution of postdocs. This can often take the shape of a dedicated timetable of events focused on the needs of postdocs, including careers workshops, symposium and more recently a postdoc conference. 

As a starting point, or a pause point, in an organisation’s journey of valuing Research Staff, celebrating PAW is positive as it raises awareness of the need to see postdocs as valuable, and prompts us to think critically about how we do, when and why.

So, what’s the problem?

For me, it’s the finite framing. While I believe the intention of PAW to raise awareness of postdocs and the issues this group face is commendable, framing appreciation and recognition of postdoctoral researchers as something that happens during a defined period is not enough. One special week rather than part of a continuous practice or cultural norm to celebrate, showcase and recognise could be interpreted as performative or even distracting by researchers. Especially as we know that researchers at all career stages are increasingly feeling the pressure of precarious, challenging or competitive working environments all 52 weeks of the year. Are a week of workshops, networking events and recognition awards really raising awareness of the issues faced by Research Staff (including postdoctoral researchers, as well as research assistants, fellows and technicians to name other groups with less visibility)? As a former postdoc and current researcher developer I am not convinced. 

What’s my evidence? Well, we know from a range of sources including sector wide surveys that Research Staff at a range of career stages value:

• consistent and tailored opportunities for meaningful career development
• recognition of their value and expertise through aligned and transparent promotion and career progression pathways
• clear communication and consultation on processes and decisions that affect or will affect them
• opportunities to represent and contribute their lived experience to decision making in the pursuit of a fair and collegial research culture.

The University of Glasgow launched the Research Staff Assembly in June 2023, as our primary engagement channel with the research staff community. We began with a conversation on their priorities, what meaningful engagement and recognition looks like for this community, and how they wanted to be informed and included in the research environment at Glasgow. We heard about the challenges of career planning on short term or precarious employment, and uncertain futures and lack of agency were strong themes that arose from these conversations. 

If we know this is what researchers value, could engaging with these priorities as institutions be a more meaningful way to showcase, celebrate and recognise our researchers? 

What could showcasing, celebrating and recognising researchers look like?

Below I share some examples from the University of Glasgow, that you may have the space and inclination to adopt/adapt:

People Make Research: We created a peer-to-peer opportunity to nominate and showcase colleagues (including Research Staff) across the research community in recognition of their positive contributions as leaders.

Research Staff Representation: We established roles for Research Staff Representatives including on key university and college level committees such as Glasgow’s Research Planning and Strategy Committee, Lab for Academic Culture, and college-level Concordat Working Groups and School Research Committees. These positions are both development opportunities and engagement points for Research Staff. 

Research Staff Assembly:  We created a space that supports open and honest dialogue between Research Staff and those who support research and researchers, on key topics and challenges. Share progress and updates on issues and challenges raised. Platform those who have something to raise, share or ask. 

Research Staff Networks: We offered financial and practical support for researcher-led networks at college and school level. This recognises the need for local and specialist communities. By supporting researcher communities to flourish for themselves and offering support to them to make the most of the resources afforded we strengthened trust and engagement. 

Research Culture Commons: We created a dedicated space where all who make up the research ecosystem can engage as a network working towards maintaining and enhancing research culture. 

Research Funded Employment Working Group: In 2025 we created a pan-university working group aiming to review and pilot solutions to challenges inherent to the Research Staff experience. 

Please share what you do as an individual or as part of an institution in the comments. 

Recognition: are you doing your bit?

Working on the delivery of the Researcher Concordat at Glasgow, and in the field of research culture, a question that often comes up is ‘whose job is it to recognise the value of Research Staff?’ Who is responsible and who is accountable? Like the implementation of the Concordat, and similar to ensuring a positive and equitable research culture the answer is: EVERYONE. 

At Glasgow, we have demonstrated our commitment and expectations by establishing recognition as one of our five research culture priorities. As such we invite all who do, engage in, support and enable research to reflect on how they recognise and appropriately credit the contributions of all other groups around them. 

As researchers and Research Professionals we have a responsibility to embed and to expect recognition for our and other’s contributions. So, this is where I want to end, with an invitation to you, to reflect on how you would like to be recognised and how you contribute to and practice recognition of others.