A tight-knit, empowered and thriving postdoctoral community that drives research, innovation, scholarship and mentorship across all disciplines to solve problems in Kentucky and beyond.
About PRISM
Vision
Mission
The Office of Postdoctoral Research, Innovation, Scholarship and Mentorship (PRISM) is dedicated to empowering the next generation of researchers, innovators, scholars and mentors by enhancing their postdoctoral experience at the University of Kentucky and preparing them for impactful careers in academia, industry, government and beyond.
This mission is accomplished through our commitment to:
- Creating a thoughtful and comprehensive postdoc experience
- Providing robust career development programming and resources
- Offering professional development for key core postdoc competencies
- Fostering a collaborative and integrated postdoc community
Together, these commitments ensure that every postdoc at the University of Kentucky is equipped to discover, thrive and lead — both during their time on campus and throughout their careers.
About the Director
Dr. Lutz received his Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Bath, United Kingdom, and his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Kentucky. His predoctoral research focused on studying neuroprotective natural products targeted at nicotinic receptors against alcohol induced neurotoxicity. He subsequently joined the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) where he completed his postdoctoral training in the Human Addiction Psychopharmacology lab, here he investigated various aspects of human subjective responses to alcohol including their reliability, their potential use to classify heavy drinkers in various at-risk groups, and their ability to predict abuse liability and drinking in the lab. He then became Program Manager of a multi-investigator research group administering several NIH funded research projects focused on neuroimaging of mental illness. During his postdoc, he was an active member of the UIC Postdoctoral Association (even served as President for a year) allowing him to find his passion for postdoc career & professional development and helping the next generation of scientists and scholars. He therefore applied and became the Associate Director of Postdoctoral Affairs at UIC where he ran the UIC postdoc office for a year. He then returned to his alma mater to become the inaugural Director of Postdoctoral Affairs at the University of Kentucky and establish the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs on September 1st, 2019.
Need help?
Are you a postdoc looking for help? Are you looking for career guidance? Do you need an extra set of eyes on a grant proposal?
Contact us
The Office of Postdoctoral Research, Innovation, Scholarship and Mentorship (PRISM) is located in the heart of campus, in the Ezra Gillis Building