Olivia K. Cook, the Florida State University College of Arts and Sciences’ Dean’s Postdoctoral Scholar, has been named the 2026 National Postdoc of the Year by the National Postdoctoral Association. The award recognizes Dr. Cook for advancing the postdoctoral community through exceptional services and leadership beyond her primary research duties.
At Florida State University, Dr. Cook conducts research with the department of psychology and the Learning Systems Institute on topics relating to children’s development of skills that underlie their long-term academic success. As an active leader within the FSU Postdoctoral Association, she developed a survey of postdoctoral scholar health and well-being and used the results to provide policy recommendations to Florida State administrators on postdocs’ access to healthcare, childcare, and parental leave.
Dr. Cook earned her bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in human development and family studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.