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Stanford Postdoctoral Initiative Fund (SPIF)

About SPIF

SPIF was created to recognize and support project proposals from within the Stanford postdoc community in an effort to encourage and enrich postdoc experiences. We have a proven record of backing projects from inception onwards and watching them grow. Since 2010, SPIF has successfully funded diverse projects including multi-disciplinary journal clubs, seminar series, social gatherings, professional development workshops and so on.

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SPIF-Funded Groups

We’re proud to have funded the diverse set of groups and events below over the past years. All of the groups we fund are open to all Stanford Postdocs and designed for the benefit the Stanford Postdoctoral Community. We’re always looking to fund new initiatives, so if you have an idea then please do submit a letter of intent using the form above.

2024

Salsa Revolutions: teaching Cuban rueda to the Stanford community
Unlocking Grant Opportunities: A Dialogue with Funding Body Leaders

2023

The Advanced Seminar in Integrative Microbiology
The Women Scientists Lunch is an initiative launched by female postdoctoral fellows at Stanford
The SURPAS Sports Committee Badminton Club
The Global Health Club
Membrane Biophysics Group Meeting

2022

Postdocs Read: Open Social Event (PR:OSE): monthly meeting for postdocs to discuss books and increase socialization
SLPA Solidarity Series: Event to increase interaction of the Stanford Latinx Postdoc Association (SLPA) with other communities
Let’s Startup Postdocs! – One Day Entrepreneurship Orientation for Stanford Postdocs

2021

Networking event for Biosciences minicourse
Postdoc Wine Appreciation Club (PWAC)
Stanford Polymer Collective Lunch–and–Learn
Stanford Chinese Postdoc Journal Club (already financed in previous years)

2020

Stanford Chinese Postdoc Journal Club and Oral Presentation Improvement

2019

Stanford Polymer Collective Lunch-and-Learn
Academic Careers in Europe (ACE)
Postdoc soccer
Postdoc volley ball
Postdoc basket ball
Seminars from Korean postdocs (KOLIS)

2018

ACSSS Presentation Workshop I
ACSSS Presentation Workshop II
ACSSS Presentation Workshop III
Postdoc soccer
Postdoc volley ball
Postdoc basket ball

2017

Stanford Biosciences Grant Writing Retreat
Interdisciplinary Microbiome Perspectives
Weekly Post-Doc soccer pick-up (ongoing) | every Friday 5:00pm at Sand Hill Field
E-wear trainee journal club
E-wear student symposium

2016

Autophagy Interest Group
Stanford Bitoech Group
VA Postdoc BBQ event
Computational People United career day
Microbiome/Population-Genetics Cross-Disciplinary Journal Club

2015

GoFish! – Discussion group for Zebrafish research
Stanford Autophagy Interest Group
Mindfulness mediation workshop for postdoctoral fellows
Stanford Biotechnology Business and Finance Group (SBBFG)
VA Postdoc BBQ

2013

OBR Launch Event – Opportunities and Volatility of Biotech Startups
Mindfullness Mediation Workshop for Postdoc Fellows
VA postdoc group
CPUs: Computational People United at Stanford
LGBTQ Group for Stanford Postdocs
International Security and Cooperation Movie Series
VA postdoc BBQ event
EBAE (neurophysiology discussion group)
Stanford Symposium on the Biology of Hunter-Gatherers
Stanford Biotechnology Business and Finance Group
Postdoc Tennis Tournament

2012

VA postdoc group
CPUs: Computational People United at Stanford
LGBTQ Group for Stanford Postdocs
International Security and Cooperation Movie Series
VA postdoc BBQ event
EBAE (neurophysiology discussion group)
Stanford Symposium on the Biology of Hunter-Gatherers
Stanford Biotechnology Business and Finance Group

2010 / 2011

South Bay Crowdsourcing Meetup
Enriching Experiences for Postdocs within the School of Earth Sciences
CPUs: Computational People United at Stanford
Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) club
Enriching Experiences for Postdocs within the School of Earth Sciences

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Apply for Funding

We’re always keen to hear of new initiatives from the Stanford Postdoctoral community. If you have an idea for a project just complete the form below

New Proposals

Submit a full proposal:

Submit project proposal

We review all submitted proposals and consider all letters of intent. Proposals are assessed based on the following criteria:

Does the proposal fill a need/gap in the Postdoctoral experience at Stanford?
Does the proposal attract a general Postdoc group?
Does the proposal fit the budget of SPIF?

If you’ve submitted a proposal or letter of intent we will be in contact with you to discuss the proposal. We may ask for adjustments prior to acceptance, but will work with you to help alter your proposal.