The University of Texas at Austin Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Are you a postdoctoral scholar interested in building your knowledge and confidence around teaching? Applications are now open to join the Postdoctoral Teaching Academy!

Teaching Academy scholars spend the academic year learning best practices, tools and resources to lead an effective, student-centered classroom. The program culminates in scholars delivering 1-2 guest lectures to a course under the mentorship of an experienced instructor.

"One of the most valuable parts of the program was learning how to design student-centered classes that use a variety of activities to support different learning styles," Yelim Hong, who received her certificate of completion as part of the 2025-26 cohort, said. "As my goal is to pursue a career in academia, I am confident that the knowledge and skills I gained through the Teaching Academy will be highly valuable in my future teaching and mentoring."

Current postdoctoral scholars can apply for the 2026-27 cohort by August 31, 2026 at the following link: https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cOwXPQoPUW2xKvk

Calling all Master’s, PhD and Postdoctoral scholars - it is the last week to apply for the CONNECT fall cohort! Submit your applications to CONNECT to support data, research and program evaluation projects for Community Organizations. CONNECT Fellows commit 5-12 hours a week to support a 3-4 month project that fits their skill set.

Student applications close on August 7 at 11:59 p.m.! Get your applications submitted to be part of the Fall 2026 Cohort and gain valuable experience and a professional network.

Apply here: https://gradcareer.utexas.edu/internships/ut/connect

Only two weeks left to submit your abstract for the poster session at this year's UT System Postdoctoral Research Symposium, to be held on September 14 at the Texas Union!

Postdocs can sign up to present research to faculty and peers from across the University of Texas System. Outstanding presentations will be recognized with first-, second-, and third-place awards.

Submit your abstract by August 14 via the registration form: https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eyYQUXTZjmw340K

Calling all master's and PhD students, and postdoctoral scholars - there's still time to CONNECT! Submit your applications to CONNECT for a chance to support data, research and program evaluation projects for Community Organizations. CONNECT Fellows commit 5-12 hours a week to support a 3-4 month project that fits their skill set.

Student applications close on August 7 at 11:59 p.m. Get your applications submitted to be part of the Fall 2026 Cohort and gain valuable experience and a professional network:

CONNECT Program | Graduate School Office of Career and Life Design Internships & Experiences UT Fellowships & Internships CONNECT Program Project Library Graduate Archer Fellowship Program PhD Career Pathways Discovery to Impact PhD Internship Competitions & Awards Experiential Learning Resources On-Campus Jobs Connecting for social impact CONNECT brings together g...

It's the final week to submit projects for the CONNECT Fall cohort!

CONNECT is committed to building nonprofit capacity, one project (and student!) at a time. After participating in CONNECT, organizations report learning new skills, increased confidence in communicating data and mission advancement. Join the fall cohort to experience the impacts first-hand!

Visit our website to learn more, explore past projects and submit your own. Submissions close on July 31 at 5 p.m.

https://gradcareer.utexas.edu/internships/ut/connect

Are you ready to CONNECT with community organizations? Fellowship applications are now open!

For master's and PhD students, and postdoctoral scholars, CONNECT matches fellows and community organizations for students to gain work experience in data, research and program evaluation projects. CONNECT fellows build relationships with community organizations, develop solutions for real problems, and gain experience that they can continue to develop for years to come. Fellows can watch their hard work come to life in 3-4 months!

Curious if this is the right fit for you or how to get started? Join our virtual student information session TOMORROW Tuesday, July 22 at 2 p.m. to learn more!

https://gradcareer.utexas.edu/internships/ut/connect

Thank you to all the postdocs who joined us for the Postdoc Summer Social last Friday! We gathered for some barbecue, networking bingo and a guided wellness drumming session hosted by postdoctoral scholar Kelley T. Glover, Ph.D. This was a great opportunity for postdocs to destress, connect and take home some prizes!

To learn more about events exclusive to postdocs, visit the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs website and join the postdoc listserv to receive our monthly newsletter.

Looking for support with data analysis, program evaluation, research, or strategic projects? Applications are now open for UT CONNECT! Partner with talented graduate students from The University of Texas at Austin to build your organization's capacity and advance your mission. Apply today and turn your biggest questions into actionable insights.

https://gradcareer.utexas.edu/internships/ut/connect

Meet Ahmed Z. Sihorwala, a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in Chemical Engineering at the Cockrell School of Engineering.

Sihorwala's research is helping shape the future of bioengineering by creating synthetic cells that can communicate with one another and self-assemble into tissue-like networks. This work could one day lead to innovations like programmable tissue grafts and smart drug delivery systems.

Inspired by the interdisciplinary nature of chemical engineering, Sihorwala chose UT Austin for its collaborative research environment and opportunities to bridge scientific discovery with real-world impact. Through experiences in the Belardi Lab, Biodesign courses and the I-Corps program, he has gained the skills to translate breakthrough research into technologies that improve healthcare.

As an international student, Sihorwala encourages future Ph.D. applicants to seek out undergraduate research opportunities to build technical skills and discover whether graduate research is the right path for them.

Congratulations to Sihorwala on his many accomplishments, including being a 2026 Empower Your Research Pitch finalist, receiving the 2025 Outstanding Mentor Award, and publishing research in Nature Communications (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-66621-y). We can't wait to see the impact of his work after graduating this August.

Registration is now open for the third UT System Postdoctoral Research Symposium on Monday, September 14, 2026 at the Texas Union. Hosted by The University of Texas at Austin, the theme for this year's event is Success in a Dynamic Research Landscape.

The symposium promotes postdoctoral research contributions and fosters collaboration between postdoctoral scholars, principal investigators and leaders across the University of Texas System. The event will feature invited talks from leaders in research, professional development and higher education as well as networking activities throughout the day to strengthen the postdoctoral community.

Postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to present research during the poster session, where outstanding presentations will be recognized with first-, second-, and third-place awards. Abstracts should be submitted through the registration form by August 14, 2026.

To register to attend the symposium, fill out the registration form by August 31, 2026: https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eyYQUXTZjmw340K