Results are in.
Congratulations to Kay-Marie (co-chair, Chicago), Cat (co-chair, Evanston), Jill (treasurer), Rashmi (administrator), Olivia (webmaster), and Aparajitha (social media)!
More information on the Executive Committee positions & responsibilities can be found here.
Voting closed at 11:59pm on Monday November 2nd, 2020.
More information on the Executive Committee positions & responsibilities can be found here.
Voting closed at 11:59pm on Monday November 2nd, 2020.
Meet the applicants for the 2020 NUPA Executive Council:
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Olivia Chesniak
Department/Program: Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching (Evanston campus) 1st Choice Position: Web Design Coordinator 2nd Choice Position: Social Media Coordinator Bio: Personally and professionally, I have a passion for connecting with people and applying research-based techniques to improve learning, teaching, and training. I earned a PhD in Chemistry and a Graduate Teaching Certificate from Michigan State University. During my graduate career, I led initiatives to incorporate evidence-based instructional practices into a foundational chemistry laboratory course and founded a professional development-focused graduate student organization in my department. Since March 2019, I have been a postdoc on the Postdoc Academy project, an online and in-person professional development program for postdocs of all disciplines. My role has included course development, digital and in-person facilitation, and program evaluation. As the director of communications within NUPA, I have contributed to a growth in social media following and engagement across our channels. I have experience using WordPress and CSS/HTML and enjoy being artistic in my spare time. Through my involvement in Northwestern’s Postdoc Community, I hope to contribute to a community where postdocs are empowered to make the most of their postdoc experience and career experiences. |
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Kay-Marie Lamar
Department/Program: Neurology (Chicago campus) 1st Choice Position: Co-chair (Chicago campus) 2nd Choice Position: Administrative Coordinator Bio: Hi everyone! My name is Kay-Marie Lamar and I do research on the genetics of epilepsy in the Department of Neurology at Northwestern. I am applying for the NUPA Executive Committee Co-Chair position of the Chicago campus. I have been in my current postdoc position for almost three years, and I have been active on the NUPA leadership team since October of 2019. Since then, I have planned social events, career events, and information sessions as a part of NUPA. As a new parent to 7-month old twins, I have advocated for more opportunities to connect with fellow postdoc parents. To this end, last winter I planned a Postdoc Family Day at the Museum of Contemporary Art and organized a session about the benefits available to postdoc parents. I currently serve as the postdoctoral representative from the Chicago campus on the Graduate Leadership and Advocacy Council (GLAC)-led COVID Committee. The COVID Committee holds biweekly Town Halls for graduate students and postdocs to voice their concerns, and meets with the administration regarding the University response to COVID-19. I report back to NUPA leadership and the OPA about the activities of this committee and take their feedback back to the committee. If I am elected as NUPA Co-chair of the Chicago campus, I would like to continue to promote social events and career advancement for postdocs, and advocate for the well being of the postdocs at NU. I would also like to increase postdoctoral representation on other University Committees. Although most postdocs are considered staff, most are not eligible to be on the NU Staff Advisory Council (NUSAC), which then places members on other University Committees. Postdocs are a unique and often forgotten category of workers at NU and are many times left without representation, which I would like to remedy. |
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Cat Majors
Department/Program: Chemical & Biological Engineering (Evanston campus) 1st Choice Position: Co-chair (Evanston campus) 2nd Choice Position: Social Media Coordinator Bio: Hi! My name is Cat Majors, and I am a postdoc in the Chemical & Biological Engineering Department on the Evanston campus of Northwestern. My research focuses on protein engineering towards the goal of creating better diagnostics for infectious diseases. I joined the NU postdoctoral community in June of 2019, and shortly after began volunteering with the NUPA leadership team. I have been serving as the acting secretary for NUPA since August 2019, and I helped plan and facilitate three sessions for the NUPA Professional Development Series this past summer. I have also been active in creating and implementing social and wellbeing programming for NUPA, included postdoc group cycling events and the NUPA book club. I have a passion for improving the trainee experience in academic settings. During my PhD, I served as the president of the Graduate Student Association at my institution, working closely with university administration to advocate for and improve the experiences of graduate students at my university, in addition to overseeing a team of leaders for the development and implementation of regular social and professional development programming. I brought this passion with me when I joined the NU postdoc community. If elected as the NUPA Co-chair of the Evanston campus, I will work with fellow leaders on the NUPA Executive Council to expand community building, wellbeing support, and professional development programming and opportunities for NU postdocs. I hope to increase advocacy opportunities for the NUPA by fostering enhanced communications with university administration, as well as fostering connections with the National Postdoctoral Association, in order to improve the overall postdoctoral experience at NUPA at an institutional level. Finally, I plan to develop an improved structure to facilitate initial involvement with NUPA and empower postdocs to make the most of the postdoctoral experience at Northwestern. |
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Rashmi Raj
Department/Program: Chemical & Biological Engineering (Evanston campus) 1st Choice Position: Administrative Coordinator 2nd Choice Position: Treasurer Bio: Hi, I’m Rashmi and I joined Northwestern as a postdoc in March 2020. I’m originally from Singapore where I did my PhD at the National University of Singapore, but I’ve also spent time in the United Kingdom where I was an undergrad at University College London. I’m a biochemist by training and currently work on stress response in bacterial metabolic engineering. Some fun facts about myself – I’ve visited every continent besides South America and Antarctica, loved dancing since I was five and am generally up for an adventure! I have been volunteering in some form for the past 15 years and am looking for something new to involve myself in. I’m interested in the NUPA Committee as I’ve benefited greatly from the wonderful summer series that NUPA has organised and want to pay it forward. If given the chance to serve on the committee, I would very much like to be a part of planning events that others can benefit from as well. I also see that the existing members are all very accomplished individuals and that is something I aspire to, with the first step to that being getting involved and learning directly from them. I think that when I’ve been given this chance to develop and build my professional skills, I should grab it while I can. Being in a new country, and especially with the current circumstances, I would like to take the opportunity to be part of the NUPA community. I believe I have great organizational skills which I can contribute and would like to help in any way that I can! |
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Deepanshu Shirole
Department/Program: Civil and Environmental Engineering (Evanston campus) 1st Choice Position: Administrative Coordinator Bio: |
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Zois Syrgiannis
Department/Program: Chemistry (Evanston campus) 1st Choice Position: Co-chair (Evanston campus) 2nd Choice Position: Administrative Coordinator Bio: I am Zois Syrgiannis, a Research Associate at the Chemistry Department and Simpson Querrey Institute. My scientific background is among organic and materials chemistry. I started participating in the NUPA from the beginning of my postdoctoral period, and we have managed to organize sports and social events and the family-oriented subgroup. My interest in serving NUPA is to attract more Postdocs to participate and serve their needs. NUPA should be regarded as a point of reference. Also, I would like to assist international postdocs for being adjusted and finding a friendly environment. |
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Jill Wenderott
Department/Program: Materials Science and Engineering (Evanston campus) 1st Choice Position: Treasurer 2nd Choice Position: Administrative Coordinator Bio: Hello, I'm Jill, a postdoc in Materials Science and Engineering on the Evanston campus. I'm currently assisting with treasury activities specific to the Evanston campus. I also helped plan the recent virtual Summer Professional Development Series, as well as the Relax and Recharge massage and aromatherapy event for postdocs last Fall, which involved the securing of a YourLife Wellness grant. To date, I have enjoyed connecting with Northwestern postdocs and ensuring we can host events to bring our community together. I'll be pleased to serve NUPA in the coming year as Treasurer and continue to expand on the activities in which I'm involved. |
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Aparajitha Vaidyanathan
Department/Program: Department of Medicine (Chicago campus) 1st Choice Position: Social Media Coordinator 2nd Choice Position: Administrative Coordinator Bio: Hey guys! I’m Aparajitha, a postdoc at the School of Medicine, Chicago campus of Northwestern. I started my postdoc here in March ‘19 and my current research focuses on toxic RNAs in HIV. Previously, I earned my PhD in Cancer Biology from the University of Dundee, Scotland. My doctoral research was primarily on drug resistance in ovarian cancer. As a grad student I have been involved in organising a research symposium (PiCLS), which is organized by students for students at the School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee. I was also the Vice President of the postgraduate student society at the University of Dundee where I helped host a number of social events to bring the postgraduate community together. Being a part of NUPA would be an amazing opportunity to meet everyone and create fun memories whilst gaining experience from all the talented people on board. I look forward to being a part of this committee and help create a space that brings us all together. |
