Graduate Pathway for Scholars | University at Albany

About the Graduate Pathway for Scholars Program

The Graduate Pathway for Scholars (GPS) program aims to recruit and retain exceptional UAlbany graduate students as faculty members at the University.

The program was spearheaded in 2024 by three College of Arts & Sciences faculty members associated with the RNA Institute — Distinguished Professor Marlene Belfort, Associate Professor Cara Pager and Professor Emerita Rabi Ann Musah — to accomplish two important goals:

Fill open faculty positions with talented candidates
Provide mentorship and other support to early career scholars

GPS has since expanded to become a University-wide program, with the goal of bringing scholars who receive their PhDs at UAlbany back as faculty members after completing their postdoctoral training at other institutions.

You’re Invited: Attend the 2025 & 2026 GPS Fellows' Presentations

What: Join us for presentations from seven GPS program participants.

Towards Regulating Biological Activities with Azobenzene Modified Nucleotides
Ibrahim Adelakun, PhD Candidate, Department of Chemistry (2026 Fellow)
Mapping How Fibroblasts Respond to Tissue Injury and Orchestrate Tissue Remodeling
Joey Tavarez, PhD Candidate, Department of Biological Sciences (2026 Fellow)
Dysregulation of Alternative Splicing in CAG Repeat Expansion Spinocerebellar Ataxias
Asmer Aliyeva, PhD Candidate, Department of Biological Sciences (2026 Honorary Mention)
Significant shifts in codon usage bias associated with age and age-related diseases
Dylan Ehrbar, PhD Candidate, Department of Biological Sciences (2026 Honorary Mention)
Worms and Women in STEM: A Journey of Research and Discovery
Michelle Urman, PhD Candidate, Department of Biological Sciences (2025 Fellow)
Zika virus adaptation in mosquito and mammalian hosts
Andrew Munoz Gamba, PhD Candidate, Department of Biological Sciences (2025 Honorary Mention)

When: 3 p.m. January 29, 2026

Where: D’Ambra Auditorium, Life Sciences Research Building, Uptown Campus

How the GPS Program Works

Every fall semester, current UAlbany PhD candidates are invited to apply to the GPS program.

Applicants must provide a letter of support from their graduate advisor, endorsed by their department chair, explaining their potential and commitment to becoming a faculty member after completing postdoctoral training.

A committee reviews all applications and selects that year’s GPS Fellows, as well as Honorary Mentions.

Each member of the cohort receives a monetary award, mentorship, networking and experiential learning opportunities, and other development support to help them prepare for postdoctoral training.

They also present their research at a UAlbany seminar focusing on how to strengthen the academic workforce through collaboration, mentorship and innovation.

Note: Fellows receive a larger monetary award than Honorary Mentions, and the cohort size is based on that year’s funding availability. Applicants selected as Honorary Mentions are eligible to reapply for the full fellowship again next year.

After graduation, past GPS Fellows are invited back to UAlbany for networking opportunities with the current cohort and faculty to foster a sense of community and strengthen their connections with the University.