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MU Postdoctoral Association (MUPA)

MUPA’s mission is to foster professional development and social interaction to provide community and a collective voice; and to liaison between postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and administration.

MUPA Board Members

MUPA Bill of Rights

The MU Postdoctoral Association created a Bill of Rights to outline how the condition of Postdoctoral Fellows can be maintained and improved.

MU Postdoctoral Association’s Travel Grant Application

MUPA Travel Awards – Call for Applications

Every year the MU Postdoctoral Association allocates special funds to help support postdoc attendance at conferences during their time at MU. We strongly encourage all postdocs to apply for this award. Postdocs may receive up to $350 towards costs, limited to registration fees, lodging, poster printing, and childcare (please see note below), for any Meeting/Conference and/or training program taking place within the specified funding period to be considered for that funding round. We particularly encourage postdocs who have not yet received an award from MU Postdoctoral Association, as well as those who are presenting work done whilst at Mizzou.

Note that awards are paid directly to the postdoctoral scholar once proof of payment by the postdoctoral scholar is provided via receipt.

Travel Award funding cycle:

The MU Postdoctoral Association Travel Award follows a three-round funding cycle per year. The application deadlines for each funding round are described below:

  • Fall: Deadline November 1st
    • Conference/training attended from September 1st to December 31st
  • Spring: Deadline March 1st
    • Conference/training attended from January 1st to April 30th
  • Summer: Deadline July 1st
    • Conference/training attended from May 1st to August 31st

Only conferences attended in the specified date range for each funding round are eligible for the award. Funds may be used for the costs of registration, lodging, poster printing, and/or childcare expenses.

Starting with the Spring 2024 cycle, postdocs awarded in the most recent two funding cycles are not eligible to be awarded.

  • For example, postdocs awarded in Fall 2023 are not eligible to be awarded in Spring 2024 or Summer 2024 but can apply for the Fall 2024 funding cycle.

If you wish to apply, please review the Travel Award Instructions, complete the application package, and return it to mupatravel@missouri.edu. An updated application form is provided for cycles starting with Fall 2023. Please ensure you are submitting the correct application form.

Note: There is now an option to apply the travel grant award towards childcare expenses incurred while attending a meeting/conference.


National Postdoc Appreciation Week

MUPA hosts activities during the National Postdoc Appreciation Week (September) and has professional development and social activities throughout the year. If you have ideas of events for how MUPA can better serve your needs as a Postdoc, please reach out to the MUPA Board.