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Each year, CU Boulder joins institutions nationwide to recognize the pivotal work of postdoctoral scholars. Established by the National Postdoctoral Association, this week aims to increase awareness of postdocs' significant impact on academic research.��

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Dr. Carillon Skrzynski (Psychology/Neuroscience) and Dr. Massimo Ruzzene, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Dean of the Institutes

Dr. Ana Maria Rey (JILA & Physics) and Dr. Massimo Ruzzene, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Dean of the Institutes

Dr. Angela Bryan (Psychology/Neuroscience) and Dr. Massimo Ruzzene, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Dean of the Institutes

These scholars often serve as the backbone of innovative research, advancing cutting-edge projects across disciplines while working closely with faculty and graduate students.

From September 16-20, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) honored CU Boulder's postdocs and faculty mentors, creating a memorable and inspiring experience. Among the highlights of the week were a breakfast gathering and presentation of Outstanding Postdocs and Postdoc Mentors of the Year awards. The breakfast allowed postdocs to network with peers and mentors, sharing their research interests and exploring potential collaborations. Other events included a BBQ social and professional development sessions on launching academic careers and using individual development plans to enhance career progress. ��

Outstanding Postdocs of the Year

The highly competitive Outstanding Postdocs of the Year Awards recognize CU Boulder postdocs excelling in research productivity, innovation, communication, leadership, and advocacy for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Massimo Ruzzene, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Dean of the Institutes, presented these awards.

This year’s recipients are Dr. Carillon Skrzynski (Psychology/Neuroscience), nominated by Dr. Angela Bryan—who also received a mentor award—and Dr. Jonathan Henn (INSTAAR), nominated by Dr. Katie Suding.

• Dr. Carillon Skrzynski has an impressive record, with 28 peer-reviewed publications and many more in preparation, demonstrating her ongoing productivity and promise in research.
• Dr. Jonathan Henn has published 21 papers, with four more currently under review, and secured over $700,000 in research funding. Notably, several of his recent papers have been cited over 100 times.

Outstanding Postdoc Mentors of the Year

The Outstanding Postdoc Mentor of the Year Award honors exceptional faculty mentors who actively engage with postdocs. This year, the award went to Drs. Ana Maria Rey (JILA, Physics), Angela Bryan (Psychology/Neuroscience), and Jihye Park (Chemistry).

• Dr. Ana Maria Rey was praised by Drs. Tianrui Xu and David Wellnitz for her passion, kindness and support. They emphasized her commitment to one-on-one meetings with all her trainees. The award adds to Dr. Rey’s array of accolades including being a MacArthur Fellow, Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellow and Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists.
• Dr. Angela Bryan, nominated by Dr. Carillon Skrzynski, highlighted Dr. Bryan’s leadership and encouragement, saying, “It is both refreshing and encouraging to see someone at Dr. Bryan’s level of research working so hard to make sure that those she supervises feel heard and seen…and this motivates me, as her mentee, to do the same.”
• Dr. Jihye Park was recognized by Dr. Ji Yong Choi, who accepted the award on her behalf. Dr. Choi credited Dr. Park with helping him secure a fellowship and cited her use of individual development plans (IDPs) to help set clear career goals during his postdoc.

Postdoctoral Association of Colorado (PAC) Boulder

PAC Boulder, the volunteer group of postdocs on campus, also recognized recent winners of its award programs.��PAC President Aleksandra (Ola) Wierzba shared information about the organization’s mission to create a sense of belonging through social activities for postdocs and their families. Recent recipients of PAC’s Travel Award and Research/Outreach Award programs were recognized and included below.

• Ananya Rakshit, BioFrontiers,��Travel Award Fall 2023
• Morgan Klaus,��Information Science, Travel Award, Fall 2023
• Melanie Henry, Integrative Physiology��Travel Award, Spring 2024
• Ekaterina Landgren, CIRES,��Travel Award, Spring 2024
• Bhishek Manek,��Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences, Research/Outreach Award, Fall 2023
• Yao Wang, Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering,��Research/Outreach Award, Spring 2024

National Postdoc Appreciation Week serves as a reminder of the critical role postdoctoral scholars and their mentors play in the university’s success. Through celebrations like these, CU Boulder fosters a culture of recognition and support, ensuring its postdocs feel valued and empowered as they contribute to groundbreaking research and scholarship.