PRISM Basics
PRISM is a recruitment mechanism intended to expand the pool of graduate students considering postdoctoral training at Stanford. Our goals are to attract postdoc applicants who might not have otherwise considered Stanford for their postdoc and who might thrive here, and to match those candidates to potential faculty mentors.
PRISM offers the following components to faculty and prospective postdocs:
- targeted outreach and advertising to broaden the postdoc applicant pool
- a central application process
- individual coaching for applicants
- travel funding and logistical support managed by OPA staff
- 3-day visit as a cohort, including full-day interviews, access to current postdocs, and professional development
- opportunity for follow-on funding through the PRISM Baker Fellowship
- ongoing community-building activities and support for postdocs who are recruited through PRISM
How Do Faculty Engage With PRISM?
- Opt-In: Feature your group on our PRISM Faculty Mentor Page. PRISM candidates are directed to this page first to search for faculty who have expressed interest in the program. A brief summary of your research interests on this page will direct candidates to you most efficiently.
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Screen Candidates: If you are selected by a candidate, you will be asked to screen their application and nominate those who you would like to meet in person for the PRISM campus visit. See below for more information.
If you would like to review all candidates who apply to PRISM, please let us know. - Volunteer: We welcome faculty engagement through informal mentoring at PRISM meals and other small acts of service for the PRISM program. Let us know if you are willing to be contacted for these requests.
Selected By a PRISM Applicant? Next Steps:
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Evaluate Applications: you will receive an email through our SmartSheet tracking system with instructions to access application(s) for review.
You can also access your personal PRISM Applicant Dashboard here: https://bit.ly/PRISM-Dashboard *note: requires login to SmartSheet using your primary Stanford email address (SUNet ID) -
Screen and Nominate: conduct a pre-screening interview of promising applicants and nominate any you would like to include in the PRISM campus visit. Nominations can be made via the PRISM Dashboard linked above or the emailed application links.
When you nominate an applicant, the system will request your interview preferences and availability during the PRISM visit week for interview scheduling. Nominations and interviews do not constitute any expectation of an offer; the intention is you would only render an offer after the full interview if it is the right fit for you, your group, and the candidate. - Selection and Scheduling: you will be notified within a month whether they have been invited to visit during PRISM with travel funding. If they have been invited, you will work with the applicant to schedule all interviews during your assigned time blocks. The PRISM team will handle all travel logistics and costs.
- Interview and Offer: you will interview the candidate during the PRISM visit; the recommended practice is to provide a full postdoc interview in line with your group's standard practices. After PRISM has concluded, you may elect to render an offer. Those discussions take place between the faculty and candidate directly.
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Notify PRISM: if you do render an offer, please let us know!
PRISM Baker Follow-on Funding
The PRISM Baker Fellowship provides 50% of the postdoc minimum for the first year of postdoctoral training, by application. Faculty may apply for PRISM Baker funding once they have completed the in-person PRISM interviews and have rendered an offer (contingent upon funding is acceptable). The application link for this fellowship can be made available upon request to any interested faculty member after the PRISM visit has concluded.
Please Note: The PRISM Baker Fellowship program is subject to funding availability.
Read about the PRISM Baker Fellowship in the Stanford Report
Explore other postdoctoral fellowships at Stanford