About

Launched in 2024, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) serves as a hub to support postdoctoral fellows across the University of Michigan: Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses.

A large group of people sit at round tables, eating and talking in a well-lit banquet hall with decorative windows and chandeliers.
A woman stands indoors holding a plaque recognizing her achievements. She wears a magenta cardigan over a black dress and looks at the camera. An abstract painting is visible in the background.
A person writes with a green marker on a large pad of paper attached to an easel in an office or classroom setting.
A tall clock tower stands among green trees on a college campus, with two people walking along a path under a bright blue sky.

About OPA

OPA provides guidance on leading practices related to employment and well-being of postdocs. This includes professional development, resource navigation, networking, and conflict resolution.

Learn more about our guiding principles:

Mission and Vision

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs partners with postdoctoral fellows, faculty, administrators, and external entities to assist postdocs at the University of Michigan as they grow toward their own independent research, professional, and academic careers.

OPA is jointly supported by Rackham Graduate School and the Office of the Vice President for Research. OPA is located within the Rackham Building.

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs provides:

  • Central policy coordination and oversight
  • Professional development presentations and workshops
  • Individual career counseling
  • Interpersonal conflict resolution
  • Monthly orientations for a smooth transition to the university
  • Need-based grant funding

Meet the Team

A person with short dark hair and glasses, wearing a plaid shirt, is smiling against a blurred background.

Mark Moldwin

Faculty Director and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering

Professor Mark Moldwin, a space physicist and engineer who has served as the principal investigator on multiple space missions, leads the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs as inaugural faculty director.

Moldwin oversees the team providing core services, support, and resources to more than 1,400 postdoctoral fellows across the University of Michigan, including Michigan Medicine. He coordinates efforts between Rackham Graduate School and the Office of the Vice President for Research, and interfaces with university academic and staff leadership.

A woman with straight brown hair, wearing a grey shirt, smiles at the camera against a plain grey background.

Anne-Sophie Bohrer

Professional and Career Development Program Manager for Postdoctoral Fellows

Anne-Sophie received her Ph.D. in plant biochemistry from the Université Paris-Sud in 2012 and continued her training at Michigan State University as a postdoctoral researcher for nine years.

During her postdoc, Anne-Sophie became interested in pursuing a career in higher education administration, specifically in postdoctoral affairs. Anne-Sophie recognizes the importance of supporting postdocs during this transitional phase of their careers and believes embedding professional and career development curriculum in postdoctoral training is essential to provide a well-rounded experience to all postdocs.

Prior to joining OPA at U-M, Anne-Sophie was the inaugural training coordinator for the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she developed recruitment strategies and led professional development programs.

A person wearing glasses, a blue jacket, and a gray shirt smiles slightly in front of a blurred green background.

Joel Devonshire

Conflict Resolution Specialist

Joel is a trained mediator and facilitator who received his Ph.D. in peace studies and psychology from the Kroc Institute of International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame. He also obtained a master’s degree in social psychology from the University of Connecticut and a graduate certificate in conflict resolution from Dominican University. After receiving his doctorate, Joel held a postdoctoral fellowship position as an associate ombudsperson for the University of Notre Dame Graduate School, where he provided support to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars for a wide range of concerns and conflict resolution needs. Joel also has a long history at the University of Michigan, where he held research positions at the Transportation Research Institute and the Institute for Social Research.

Joel strives to maintain awareness of and sensitivity to the many challenges of postdoctoral life. In his role as conflict resolution specialist with OPA, he provides an informal, confidential, and impartial safe space to discuss concerns or challenges and to explore options for resolution.

A person with curly hair and glasses smiles at the camera, wearing a dark shirt with a floral pattern.

Ruthie Freeman

Admin/Project Coordinator

Ruthie is a “double Wolverine,” graduating with a bachelor’s degree in social science and master’s degree in information from the University of Michigan. Ruthie has worked in education since 2009, serving students in Detroit and Chicago before returning to her alma mater, where she has since focused on the needs of graduate students and postdocs.