Could you share a bit about your career journey - what experiences led you to your current role as a Director of Postdoctoral Affairs? 

Throughout my career, I have actively mentored and trained diverse scholars across disciplines and career stages. I have also directed several research training programs aimed at training future generations of our biomedical and public health workforce. These past experiences led me to my current role as Director of UNC-CH OPA, which serves as a pan-campus resource that enriches postdoctoral experience by connecting research training with professional development. 

If you were to give one message to your younger self, perhaps during your own postdoc years, what would it be? 

Learn to be your own advocate, improve your networking skills, and always be job ready!

What inspired you to become involved in postdoctoral leadership and advocacy work? 

I am deeply committed to ensuring that postdoctoral scholars gain the fullest possible benefit from their training and time at UNC–Chapel Hill. I believe their success depends not only on their individual efforts, but also on a strong network of support from faculty, staff, institutional leadership, and the broader UNC system. For that reason, I actively advocate for postdocs at the individual, departmental, institutional, system, and national levels. My goal is to help build the policies, resources, and culture that empower postdoctoral scholars with the tools, opportunities, and support they need to thrive and achieve their full potential.

How would you describe the core mission of your office, and how do you see your role evolving over time? 

Our core mission is to provide expert career coaching and high-impact professional development to help postdocs build competitive skills and enhance career readiness. I see my role focusing more statewide and national initiatives that can help expand career pathways and training opportunities for postdocs and continue to shape the national expectations for postdoctoral training and experience.  

What do you see as some of the biggest challenges postdocs face today - both at your institution and more broadly across academia? 

Overall, one challenge is helping postdoctoral scholars explore a broader range of career pathways beyond tenure-track positions at R1 institutions. At UNC-CH, there may be limited awareness of the differences among institution types within the UNC system, as well as among private institutions in North Carolina, and the variety of faculty roles they offer. Given ongoing funding constraints, tenure-track opportunities at R1 institutions are likely to remain limited, making it increasingly important for scholars to understand and consider these diverse academic career paths.

Another area for growth is career preparedness. Ideally, postdoctoral scholars would feel ready to enter the job market at multiple points during their training. However, many begin exploring options later in their appointments, which can make it harder to take advantage of opportunities that might otherwise represent strong next steps in their careers.

·       We have professional development workshops that address this already

Could you share a particularly difficult situation you faced in this role and how you navigate it - whether personally, politically, or institutionally? 

Something that is always difficult is when there is mentor-mentee conflict. It is very difficult to deal with and depending on the situation, sometimes it requires additional involvement of institutional entities. As an unbiased party, my goal is to try to find a resolution that works for both parties, although that is not always possible. 

If you could redesign one aspect of the postdoctoral system, what would it be, and why? 

I would redesign the compensation structure, which would include the offer letters and reappointment letters. I think that would improve the quality of life of our postdocs. 

Where do you see the postdoctoral landscape heading in the next five years? What changes, positive or negative, do you anticipate? 

·       I think you will see less PhDs pursuing postdoctoral opportunities in academia due to the limited number of faculty positions.

·       However, you will see more diverse postdoctoral opportunities in industry, administration, and corporate

·       I think institutions will be forced to improve overall postdoc training experience, mentoring, compensation, work/life balance, career transition, and expected length of postdoc training due to more competition in recruiting and retaining postdocs 

What’s a successful example of collaboration between postdocs, faculty, and administration that you think others could learn from? 

NPA Week; PDA; Science Cafe

How would you describe your leadership style? What principles guide your decision-making and interactions with postdocs? 

My leadership style is transformational and adaptive. Transparent, open communication, and decision-making based on facts.

Is there a book, podcast, movie or quote that’s influenced how you approach postdoc mentorship or leadership in general? 

Mentoring for me is my way of paying it forward. It allows the next generation of scholars, especially those of underprivileged backgrounds like me, to have access to knowledge and resources.

What’s a piece of advice or wisdom that has stuck with you through challenging moments in your career? 

Fight harder! If you are unhappy then make a change. You are in full control of your career, and no one can take that away from you. However, be strategic and smart and always be prepared to make that next move.

Outside of policy and programming, what do you think makes a postdoc’s experience truly fulfilling or meaningful? 

The personal and professional connections they are able to make during their training. The unintended opportunities they were able to capitalize on during their time.

What are your thoughts on the mission at JoLS-Pub to educate the public at large, who are the indirect funders of most research, though the direct beneficiaries of its outcomes? 

I think it is great and would like to learn how this is getting disseminated to our communities.

This interview with Dr. Torres was conducted by Dr. Ana Sachetto, a Postdoctoral fellow at UNC, Chapel Hill. Ana's research work focusses on the roles of Toll-like receptor 4 and NLRP3 inflammasome in lipopolysaccharide-induction of tissue factor and activation of coagulation. In 2024 she was awarded an American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Ana also serves as the Chair of UNC Postdoctoral Association. Her responsibilities also cover overseeing Social Media as well as Communications.