News

All News

March 6, 2024

The theme for Women's History Month in 2024 spotlights the remarkable efforts of "Women Advocating for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion." Both VSPA and UC Berkeley applaud the contributions of women across the academic landscape who are keenly aware of the imperative to eliminate bias and discrimination from both personal lives and educational institutions, emphasizing the pressing need for a more equitable future.

February 22, 2024

Dr. Ola Abdelhadi headshot outdoors in front of green shrubbery.Dr. Ola Abdelhadi was diagnosed with cancer twice, first as an adolescent and later as a young adult. Following her battle with lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, she is determined to improve the quality of healthcare for cancer patients. 

January 29, 2024

Dr. Amia Nash standing in front of palm treesInspired by her own mental health journey and the cultural stigma she faced navigating it as the daughter of an immigrant, Dr Amia Nash is focusing her research on adolescent health at the School of Public Health.

January 21, 2024

Yun Chen sitting in a cafe holding a mug.Yun Chen, a seasoned lawyer with over 16 years of experience, has embarked on a transformative journey as a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley. With a focus on international companies entering the Chinese market, Yun's expertise lies in navigating the complexities of foreign direct investment law and dispute resolution.

January 15, 2024

Dr. Koning Shen posing in front of door and flower treeAfter studying structural biology in her undergrad and Ph.D., Dr. Koning Shen is using her time as a postdoctoral scholar at Berkeley to study the health of mitochondria and its link to diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

January 7, 2024

Dr. Christine Quince smiling with greenery in backgroundInspired by her family background and the goal of wanting better education practices for people of color, Christine Quince is conducting her postdoctoral research at the School of Education at UC Berkeley.

December 11, 2023

Dr. Guanghan Meng standing behind lab equipmentThrough her joint appointment with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the School of Optometry, Dr. Guanghan Meng is working on emerging technologies for people suffering from nearsightedness.

November 6, 2023

Jue Wu in outside setting

Dr. Jue Wu came to the US from China for graduate school to work on the underrepresentation of women in sciences. Now at UC Berkeley, her research has broadened as she works towards resolving issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

October 11, 2023

Dr. Xiao Liu headshot wearing blue jacket in front of trees in backgroundMaking a big transition from Grad school to her postdoc, Dr. Xiao Liu pivoted from studying neuron regeneration to working in the field between neuroscientists and cell biology at Berkeley. 

September 6, 2023

Marijke Bassani with face paint in front of colorful wall

Inspired by her personal experiences of navigating racism and discrimination, Marijke Bassani is focusing her academic research on cultivating a safe space for indigenous LGBTQIA+ communities. 

August 30, 2023

June 16, 2023

Marianne Brasil outdoors in a nature setting with sunset in background

Dr. Marianne Brasil started her journey in Berkeley as an undergraduate student and is finishing it strong, years later, as a postdoc scholar at the Human Evolution Research Center.

April 17, 2023

Dr. Merrick Osborne professional headshot wearing suit and tieWith the ambition to make the world better for folks frequently experiencing marginalization or oppression, Dr. Merrick Robinson Osborne is building his expertise in addressing prejudice within organizations. 

March 8, 2023

UC Berkeley’s (UCB) association with Women’s History Month goes back a long way when an activist, Laura X, organized a march in the city in 1969. This historical march led to the USA's rediscovery of the long-forgotten International Women’s Day. Today, decades later, Berkeley continues to embrace the entire month of March in all its glory to celebrate women around the world. 

March 6, 2023

Kanika Khanna sitting next to textile quilt of a person's face.

From studying cell biology and volunteering for life sciences to making crochet portraits, Dr. Kanika Khanna does it all!

February 24, 2023

Mark Plitt standing with shoreline in background.

Switching the model organisms for his research after seven years was the biggest challenge that Dr. Mark Plitt faced, but it only pulled him closer to his work.

Originally from Texas, Mark is a postdoctoral scholar at the Molecular and Cell Biology department of UCB. After completing his Ph.D. at Stanford, he is one of the few, continuing with academia in neuroscience.

January 20, 2023

Rafael Quintero-Bermudez in lab standing among equipment

Rafael Quintero-Bermudez grew up in Mexico City and was invested in Material Sciences right from his graduate studies. Even though he worked for a year in a solar company after graduating, he knew he needed something more stimulating.

“The research in academia could be more groundbreaking,” said Rafael.

December 16, 2022

 James Utterback in lab setting and at shoreline with guitar in hand

A scientist who studies how energy moves at the nanoscale is rare. And so is a musician who conceptualizes, composes and produces an entire rock album on their own. But you know what’s even rarer? Someone who can do both!

December 12, 2022

Israel Borokini in office, sitting at desk with book cases in background

Dr. Israel Borokini grew up surrounded by nature. He remembers going to bed to the sounds of wild animals and waking up to birdsong during his childhood. It is but natural then that he is today deeply engaged in the study of biodiversity in different parts of the world. 

November 28, 2022

Michael Kosicki standing in outside setting

When he’s not studying embryonic development at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Dr. Michael Kosicki works hard to ensure the activities of the Berkeley Postdoctoral Association (BPA) run smoothly. 

November 14, 2022

Parker-Shames in field with camera

The legalization of cannabis has been hotly debated across the United States and the world. Almost everyone has a strong opinion on the subject. But how often are the voices of communities who produce the crop and are directly affected by such legislation brought into the conversation? 

October 7, 2022

Hussein Sibai in outside setting

Dr. Hussein Sibai’s love for computers can be traced back to his early childhood when his uncle, “the tech guy in the family”, brought home a Windows 95 system for the family. Back then, young Hussein used the computer just to play games. 

September 30, 2022

“”

Food, wine, and great music brought the UC Berkeley postdoctoral community together on Wednesday evening for a special culmination of National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW) 2022. The celebration, PostdocFest, was held on September 21, 2022, at the UC Berkeley Alumni House. 

September 29, 2022

Being a postdoctoral scholar is a great commitment and an even greater achievement. But even the brightest researchers struggle with one basic question that plagues students across disciplines and stages: what next? 

As part of National Postdoc Appreciation Week 2022, the Visiting Scholar and Postdoc Affairs (VSPA) office and Berkeley Postdoc Association came together to host a virtual panel discussion on careers after postdoc appointments. The discussion was held on Tuesday, September 20. 

September 22, 2022

“”

Every year, over a hundred institutions across the country and internationally celebrate National Postdoc Appreciation Week in September to let postdoctoral scholars know that they are loved not just a little but a ‘latte’!

September 19, 2022