Last week, Florida State University’s Office of Postdoctoral Affairs celebrated National Postdoctoral Appreciation Week with a fall symposium that highlighted the invaluable contributions of postdoctoral scholars.
The event featured a poster session and a five-minute oral competition.
“The National Postdoctoral Appreciation Event at Florida State University is a testament to the dedication and technical creativity of our postdoctoral scholars,” said Debra Ann Fadool, professor, associate dean and director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. “Their innovative research and curiosity in the discipline of their chosen fields creates the foundation of a research-intensive university such as FSU, and they are happy to share their pursuits with the campus and local community.”
A postdoctoral scholar, often referred to as a postdoc, is an individual who has completed their doctoral studies and is engaged in advanced academic or professional research. They work under the mentorship of experienced researchers to deepen their expertise, develop new skills and contribute to their field of study.
“This period is crucial for gaining the experience needed to pursue independent research careers or other professional paths,” Fadool said.
The event kicked off with students presenting their research through poster presentations. A $500 award was given to the postdoc who best explained their research discipline to fellow scholars and attendees. This interactive session provided a platform to receive valuable feedback, network with peers and inspire future collaborations.
After the poster presentations, 10 finalists presented their research in a five-minute lecture competition. Presenters were judged by a panel from FSU and the Tallahassee community.
The Five-Minute Research Competition (5MR) at FSU challenges postdoctoral presenters to explain the impact of their research in five minutes using any medium, appealing to a non-specialist audience and sparking their curiosity. Topics included the genetics of sea urchins, the science of taste, the precision of particle physics, and more.
Postdoctoral trainee, Li Guo, received first place in the 5MR competition, earning a $1,000 prize for her presentation, “How Do High Doses of Fat and Sugar Lead to Diabetes?”
Guo praised the College of Medicine’s supportive atmosphere and the collaborative spirit that drives innovative research.
“FSU’s environment perfectly matches my research interests, and the people here are incredibly friendly,” Guo said. “The faculty, especially Julia Wang, assistant professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Biomedical Sciences, have provided me with valuable information, making the community feel very supportive. Since joining, I’ve found the support to be even greater than I expected.”
The day concluded with an award ceremony sponsored by FSU President Richard McCullough, recognizing and celebrating the achievements of postdoctoral scholars. The ceremony honored various travel grant recipients, Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program scholars, Fulbright recipients, Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Postdoctoral Mentor Award winners, Professional Development Travel Awardees and the winners of the Poster Session and 5-MR competition.
“Postdoctoral scholars play an incredibly important role in FSU’s research endeavors, and this event is a wonderful opportunity for us to recognize their significant contributions,” said Mark Riley, professor and dean of The Graduate School.
The postdoctoral researchers’ finalists for the 5MR Competition were:
- Ahinsa Ranaweera, “The HIV Capsid: A Promising Target for Anti-HIV Drugs and More?”
- Behrouz Ghazi Esfahani, “SPOT-RASTR: A Novel Method to Prepare CryoEM Samples”
- Herschel Chawdhry, “Particle Physics and the Quest for High Precision”
- Kasey Longley, “Caring for the Carers: Identifying Support for Older Adult Kinship Caregivers”
- Katherine Odegaard, “A Matter of Taste: Unveiling the ‘New’ Region in Taste Processing”
- Li Guo, “How Do High Doses of Fat and Sugar Lead to Diabetes?”
- Pearl Rivers Key, “Mate Choice Under the Sea: Exploring the Genetic Blueprint of Reproduction in Sea Urchins”
- Shannon Griffin, “Numerical Analysis in HTS Magnets”
- Stephen Yuwono, “How Electrons Dance When Things Go Heavy and Fast”
- Yijiong Yang, “Addressing ADRD and COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy: Strategies for Enhancing Health Outcomes”
For more information about upcoming events, visit FSU Events and FSU OPDA.