Katherine (Katie) Unger Baillie Appointed Interim Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Katherine (Katie) Unger Baillie Appointed Interim Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) has appointed Katherine (Katie) Unger Baillie as Interim Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA), effective July 1, 2026. She will serve in this role through November while OVPR conducts a search for a permanent director.
Baillie assumes this role alongside her current position as Director of University and Community Engagement in the Office of the Vice Provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action. In that role, she leads initiatives that connect students, faculty, postdoctoral scholars, staff, alumni, and community partners in support of interdisciplinary climate research and scholarship. She also directs the Penn Climate Scholars Program, a community of practice for postdoctoral scholars and advanced graduate students, through which she has worked closely with many members of Penn’s postdoctoral community.
A member of the Penn community for more than 14 years, Baillie previously served as Director of the Environmental Innovations Initiative and as Senior Science News Officer in University Communications, where she helped communicate the impact of Penn research to broad audiences. She currently co-chairs the Academic Subcommittee of Penn’s Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee, serves as President of the University Research Magazine Association, and co-chairs the Academic Consortium for Climate, Environment, and Sustainability Solutions.
As Interim Director, Baillie will lead the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs during this transitional period, overseeing communications, community engagement, and university-wide initiatives that support Penn’s postdoctoral community. She will also help lead planning for National Postdoc Appreciation Week while continuing to advance OPA’s mission of supporting postdoctoral scholars across Penn’s twelve schools.
“Katie brings a wealth of experience in research communications, interdisciplinary program development, and community engagement,” said Marta Bartholomew, Associate Vice Provost for Research and Chief of Staff to the Vice Provost for Research. “Her collaborative leadership and longstanding commitment to supporting researchers across Penn make her exceptionally well suited to guide the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs during this transition.”
Ken Lambert will continue serving as Associate Director for Research Programs and Communications, supporting the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and Penn’s postdoctoral community. Marta Bartholomew will also remain closely engaged with OPA during the transition in her role as Associate Vice Provost for Research and Chief of Staff to Vice Provost David Meaney.
Please join us in welcoming Katie to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. She can be reached at kbaillie@upenn.edu. General inquiries may also be directed to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at opa@provost.upenn.edu.