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This section highlights the research infrastructure, shared facilities, scholarly programming, and training award opportunities available to postdoctoral scholars.

Research Infrastructure

UNT is a Carnegie Tier One Research University with a rapidly expanding research enterprise, reaching over $124 million in annual research expenditures. The university supports a highly interdisciplinary research environment across its schools and colleges, with strengths in areas such as materials science, plant science, logistics, and artificial intelligence.

Research activities are coordinated through the Division of Research & Innovation (DRI), which provides support for research development, compliance, and commercialization. UNT also hosts several Institutes of Research Excellence, including the BioDiscovery Institute, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Processes Institute, Advanced Environmental Research Institute, the Jim McNatt Institute for Logistics Research, and the Applied Artificial Intelligence & Data Science Institute.

Together with a network of advanced core research facilities, this infrastructure enables collaboration across disciplines and supports high-impact research from fundamental discovery to applied innovation.

UNT's Division of Research & Innovation

The Division of Research and Innovation supports the generation and dissemination of knowledge by assisting faculty, postdocs, and students in their research, scholarly work, and creative activities. Its mission is to support, facilitate, and empower the growth of sustainable research at UNT. This is achieved through an interdisciplinary approach that serves as a catalyst for discovery and innovation and has contributed to UNT’s designation as a Tier One research university.

The division provides access to research administration, proposal support, compliance oversight, and institutional resources that enable research across all disciplines.

Core Research Facilities
UNT’s research facilities play a central role in advancing discovery and innovation across campus. These shared spaces bring together advanced instrumentation, specialized expertise, and collaborative environments that support high-impact, interdisciplinary research. By providing access to technologies that are often beyond the scope of individual labs, these facilities enable researchers to pursue complex questions and translate ideas into practical outcomes.
Compliance & Responsible Research

Research at UNT is guided by strong principles of ethics, safety, and regulatory responsibility. The Research Integrity & Compliance program supports researchers throughout the lifecycle of a project, ensuring that all work meets institutional and federal standards.

This includes oversight, training, and guidance to help researchers conduct responsible and compliant research

Research Events & Scholarly Engagement

Active participation in the research community is encouraged and plays an important role in broadening your perspective and building professional connections. Postdoctoral scholars are encouraged to attend seminars and research talks within their own department, as well as across other departments and colleges, to gain interdisciplinary insight.

Participation in college-level events, such as poster sessions, symposia, and campus-wide programming, provides additional opportunities to present work, engage with other researchers, and stay informed about ongoing research at UNT.

Postdoctoral scholars should also seek out workshops and seminars focused on professional and career development. While some events may be primarily targeted toward graduate students or faculty, they often remain highly relevant and valuable for postdoctoral training and career progression.

Training Grants & Career Development Awards

While postdoctoral scholars typically do not serve as Principal Investigator on standard research grants, they may apply for individual fellowships and career development awards.

Examples include:

  • NIH F32 Individual Postdoctoral Fellowships
  • NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Awards
  • NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships
  • Foundation and society-based postdoctoral awards

Institutional routing and compliance review are required for submission.

Discuss eligibility and timelines early with your faculty mentor and research administration contacts.

Transitioning Toward Independent Funding

Postdoctoral training provides preparation for future independent funding opportunities.

Scholars interested in long-term research careers should:

  • Develop an Individual Development Plan (IDP)
  • Engage in proposal development with their mentor
  • Participate in grant-writing workshops and research seminars

Advancement to PI-eligible roles depends on institutional classification and appointment status.