Koenraad Van Doorslaer receives mentoring award

Koenraad Van Doorslaer was awarded the 2022 Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award. This award is presented by the UArizona Postdoctoral Affairs and recognizes a faculty member who provides exceptional mentoring to postdoctoral scholars. Van Doorslaer is an assistant professor in the School of Animal & Comparative Biomedical Sciences and also holds cross-appointments at the BIO5 Institute, the Department of Immunobiology, and the Cancer Biology & Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs.

Van Doorslaer’s nomination was based on his inspiring leadership and his unwavering support of professional development opportunities. His mentees applaud his regular and constructive feedback and his propensity to foster independence in his postdocs. Van Doorslaer is routinely sought out as a mentor because of his “conscientious leadership philosophy and the supportive and intellectually stimulating research environment he cultivates.”

“Koenraad has given me valuable insight into the early stages of a professorship and how to manage an active and impactful research program effectively and empathetically.”
“Koenraad is the kind of PI that many postdocs in the department aspire to be.”

“Koenraad was an invaluable resource…and extremely supportive of my decisions.”

Van Doorslaer stands out for his role in creating Mentorship Committees for personnel in the School of Animal & Comparative Biomedical Sciences. These committees help postdocs meet their research goals while broadening their networks and strengthening their support structure. His postdoc mentees look to him as an invaluable role model and are constantly impressed by his dedication to mentorship and the actions he takes to support trainees, both past and present.

Congratulations, Koenraad!