Best PostDoc Mentor Award 2016

Filomena Pirozzi, Case Western Reserve University

“Filomena extensively explains experiments and protocols before we conduct them, making sure that I understand the science behind what I’m doing instead of blindly following instructions and protocols. She is often whipping out her handy stack of scrap paper to draw diagrams to thoroughly answer any questions that I have. I am constantly amazed and grateful at how much effort she spends to make my lab experience an amazing one and to coordinate seminar sessions for high school students and undergraduates from multiple different labs and departments to give us an understanding of what life in the STEMM fields is like."  - Esther Bedoyan

Carla Nasca, Rockefeller University

“Although pervasive and institutionalized beliefs continue to impede the progress female scientists have made in achieving gender equality in STEM fields, a strong mentor like Carla provides a powerful and inspirational role model. Last summer, Carla took on four interns to design a research project that required a tremendous amount of collaboration. She took the time to give each of us intense individual support and attention and facilitated a spirit of cooperation that enabled the team to obtain significant and meaningful results. Carla’s mentorship style also combats the lower confidence levels women have about their skills, preventing them from achieving the same level of success as equally qualified men.” - Anjali Ferris

Christina Delgada-Martin, University of California, San Francisco

“Christina's depth of knowledge is exceeded only by her enthusiasm for science, and it is this enthusiasm that encourages even the newest members of the lab to feel comfortable in a positive lab environment. She has a passion for adventure that is reflected not only in her scientific endeavors but in her daily life, whether she is scaling mountains or conquering mountains of data. Over the years she has mentored everyone from high school students to senior clinical fellows, and has done so with a dedication and ease normally reserved for people in much more senior positions.” - Melissa Ruck and Lauren Mayer

Pankaj Ghate, University of South Carolina, Columbia

“On the first day we performed a western blot which was very new to me at the time. Pankaj took out a few hours of his morning, stopping all his other work in order to sit down with me and explain exactly what we were going to do and what we were trying to accomplish. Pankaj sat next to me and helped guide me through every step, from running the gel to developing the X-ray film in the dark room. He even let me develop a film for my own lab journal! Working with him throughout that procedure alone has given me a lot of confidence and has helped me feel so much more comfortable in the lab.” - Guillermo Pineda

Joshua Morgan, University of Delaware

“Josh consistently bolsters the quality of work and scientific questioning, student motivation, and collaborative atmosphere among every lab in the department, and he deserves to be recognized for his contributions. Talking to Josh when grad school is downright discouraging helps to remind me that I love research, and I wouldn’t rather do anything else. His mentoring has inspired me to be a better mentor to my undergrads and to younger grad students in the department.” -Jilian Melamed