AUTHOR=Jahangir Arthee E. , Peng Mackie Katherine , Hirschberg Pamela , Olivierre Teneisha , Micoli Keith 
  
TITLE=Using postdoctoral scholar engagement as a key driver of institutional change
  
JOURNAL=Experimental Biology and Medicine
  
VOLUME=Volume 251 - 2026
  
YEAR=2026
  
URL=https://www.ebm-journal.org/journals/experimental-biology-and-medicine/articles/10.3389/ebm.2026.11273
  
DOI=10.3389/ebm.2026.11273
  
ISSN=1535-3699
  
ABSTRACT=Postdoctoral scholars are essential to the research enterprise, yet they remain difficult to engage because they are decentralized, transient, and diverse in career goals and disciplinary contexts. This article examines how New York University Grossman School of Medicine rebuilt postdoctoral engagement after COVID-19 and argues that engagement can drive institutional change regardless of institution type, size, or available resources. Using a five-year strategic plan, the Postdoctoral Affairs office implemented an approach centered on visibility, trust-building, communication infrastructure, community, postdoc-led governance, and structural advocacy. Key initiatives included resources for incoming postdocs, centralized annual reviews, salary advocacy, redesigned newsletters, an elected Postdoctoral Association Council, and expanded recognition efforts. Indicators—including participation, newsletter readership, and organizational survey trends—suggest increased reach, improved connection to support structures, and more positive postdoctoral experiences over time. Although no single measure fully captures engagement, the NYU Grossman School of Medicine case study shows that sustained, multi-level strategies can strengthen trust, belonging, and participation. We conclude that postdoc engagement works best when institutions treat it as a coordinated priority that aligns community-building with structural support.