Nominate your mentor

The Postbac Distinguished Mentor Award is back for 2026.

The award recognizes excellence in mentorship for individuals who demonstrate unwavering support and commitment to mentoring postbac trainees.

NIH intramural postbacs are invited to nominate a mentor who has influenced their postbac experience and reflects excellence in mentorship.

Awardees will be announced on Postbac Poster Day.

Read more about mentoring at the NIH.

Read this eligibility information carefully to ensure that your mentor qualifies for the award.

• Mentors are:
  • Principal investigators (PIs)
  • Staff scientists/clinicians
  • Postdoctoral fellows
  • Graduate students
  • Contractors (biologists/lab managers/lab technicians)
• A mentoring relationship develops over an extended period. Postbacs must have worked with their mentor for at least 6 months.
• No group nominations are allowed.
• A postbac may submit nominations for different mentors - for example, one for their PI, one for a postdoc.

In your nomination, you will need to provide:

• Your (submitter) first and last name, NIH email address, IC
• Your mentor (nominee)'s role, title, first and last name, email address
• How long you have worked with your mentor, the nominee

To nominate your mentor, please write a brief nomination letter (500 words) describing why your mentor should receive the Postbac Distinguished Mentor Award. You may wish to consider how your mentor has played a role in the following areas:

• your ability to develop as a scientist (critical thinking skills, problem-solving, experimental design, communication skills etc.)
• professional and career development
• leadership/mentorship in the lab
• well-being support

Use broader terms such as mentor, IC, branch, section, and neutral pronouns. Provide specific examples of what makes them exceptional and how they have influenced positively your postbac experience. Nominations that contain any identifiable information will not be considered.