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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kevin Folta, a University of Florida associate professor and interim chair of the horticultural sciences department, is a recipient of the 2013 Postdoc Mentoring Award.

Folta, a member of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, recently received the award from UF’s Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, a unit that provides programs, services and support.

The award is given to encourage and reward excellence, innovation and effectiveness in the mentoring of postdoctoral associates and fellows.

Folta received the award for his program that mentors postdocs from the Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Program and other campus departments.

The program prepares postdocs to be competitive in the job market by providing strategies for successful presentations, interviews, grant writing and research paper publication.

“The recognition is substantial because I’ve always worked hard to promote postdoctoral advancement,” Folta said. “I’m grateful that the work was acknowledged with this award.”

In addition to receiving a prize of $2,000, Folta will serve on a postdoc mentoring committee for two years to provide guidance to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.

Since Folta started the program in 2011, more than 100 postdoctoral students have participated.

“I’ve reached out to postdocs across departments to develop professional skills and enhance their science communication ability,” Folta said. “Postdocs are underpaid and underserved. I’m trying hard to fix that in my little way.”

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Contacts:

Writer: Robert H. Wells, 352-273-3569; rhwells@ufl.edu

Source: Kevin Folta, 352-392-1928 ext. 269; kfolta@ufl.edu

Caption:

Kevin Folta, a University of Florida associate professor and interim chair of the horticultural sciences department, is a recipient of the 2013 Postdoc Mentoring Award.

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