By Alessia Deglincerti and Bryan Utter
Much of the pda efforts over the past few months focused on the launch of a new Student/Postdoc Summer Seminar Series. The Summer Seminar Series provided postdocs and graduate students the opportunity to present their work in front of the Rockefeller community. The Series took place every other Thursday at 4:00 p.m. and ran between June 20 and August 22. There was an informal wine & cheese reception following the talks that allowed the scientific discussion to continue beyond the allotted presentation time. We would like to thank all of the speakers, the faculty sponsors who hosted the seminars, and all of those who participated for making the series such a great success. We plan to make this seminar series a recurring event in future summers, so stay tuned for more information if you would like to participate!
In addition to the Summer Series, the PDA has been working hard to organize the annual postdoc retreat. This year, the retreat will take place on September 17-18, 2013 at the Water’s Edge Resort and Spa in Westbrook, ct on the Connecticut shoreline. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Ruslan Medzhitov, the David W. Wallace Professor of Immunobiology at Yale University and hhmi Investigator. Dr. Medzhitov’s research focuses on the areas of inflammation and infection biology, as well as mechanisms of autoimmunity and allergy. Our program will also include other guest speakers to participate in a panel discussion on “The Future of Funding in Academia.” Of course, there will be ample time for postdoc talks, as well as opportunities for socializing.
The summer was also a great time to meet new people and reconnect with old friends. The pda sponsored a summer party in the Faculty Club on August 8 and co-sponsored the Tri-Institutional Picnic on Roosevelt Island on June 2. Additional Tri-Institutional events will be scheduled in the near future. We hope to see you there to mix and mingle with our neighbors from across the street.
In other news, the pda and the Housing Department worked together to begin a new apartment sharing policy for postdocs who live on campus. This policy allows postdocs to share two- or three-bedroom apartments, based on availability. If you are looking for a roommate, sign up on the online form available through the Housing Office. For more information on the policy, please contact the Housing Office.
Finally, the pda is happy to welcome Alessia Deglincerti as a new member of the pda Board. If you are also interested in serving on the pda Board, please contact us at pda@rockefeller.edu. Becoming a pda Board member is an excellent way to contribute to the improvement of our community while gaining valuable leadership experience.
To stay up-to-date on the latest news, join our Facebook group at “The Rockefeller pda.”
September 2013
