Annual Postdoctoberfest Celebration

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The Office of Postdoctoral Services and the Duke University Postdoctoral Association (DUPA) held the 17th Annual Postdoctoberfest Celebration on Friday, October 13, 2023, to honor the university’s hard-working postdocs. Postdocs, their families, faculty, and staff enjoyed delicious Mellow Mushroom pizza, ice cold beverages, Locopops, and the music of the North Carolina Polka Time All Stars. The giant bouncy race car was a hit with the kids in attendance. Postdocs received an official Duke Postdoc t-shirt and enjoyed the warm fall weather. We gave ourselves a big round of applause in honor of our sixteenth anniversary!

Each year, the highlight of Postdoctoberfest is the presentation of awards to the Outstanding Postdoc and Outstanding Postdoc Mentor at Duke.

Outstanding Postdoc Mentor:

The 2023 Outstanding Postdoc Mentor is Dr. Akhenaton-Andrew Dhafir Jones, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Dr. Christopher Freel, Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation, presented the award.

Outstanding Postdoc:

The 2023 Outstanding Postdoc is Dr. Géssica Barros of the Department of Biology. Dr. Colin Duckett, Vice Dean for Basic Science, presented the award.

The faculty, administration, and staff of Duke University extend a hearty THANK YOU to all of our postdocs and postdoc mentors. We are proud to honor your achievements in research, mentoring, and teaching! 

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2023 Outstanding Postdoc Award winner Dr. Géssica Barros with Dr. Colin Duckett, Vice Dean for Basic Science; Dr. Christopher Freel, Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation; Molly Starback, Director of Duke Postdoctoral Services.

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2023 Outstanding Postdoc Mentor Dr. Akhenaton-Andrew Dhafir Jones with Dr. Colin Duckett, Vice Dean for Basic Science; Dr. Christopher Freel, Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation; Molly Starback, Director of Duke Postdoctoral Services.

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It was a beautiful day for a postdoc gathering.

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The North Carolina Polka Time All Stars rolled out the barrel of fun.

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The line for the pizza was long. 

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 But it was worth the wait.

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Dr. Chris Freel had some future postdocs dancing to his speech!

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Cheetos is curious to know, will you be back for Spring Fling in May?

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Each year, the highlight of Postdoctoberfest is the presentation of awards to the Outstanding Postdoc and Outstanding Postdoc Mentor at Duke.

Postdoc Mentor:

The 2022 Outstanding Postdoc Mentor is Dr. Ashutosh Chilkoti, Alan L. Kaganov Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Colin Duckett, Vice Dean for Basic Science, presented the award.

Outstanding Postdocs:

In 2022, we are delighted to honor not one, but two, Outstanding Postdocs: Dr. Catherine Denning-Jannace of the Department of Chemistry and Dr. Carla Wall of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Both Dr. Denning-Jannace and Dr. Wall were nominated by numerous current and former research group members and their faculty mentors.

Dr. Jennifer Lodge, Vice President for Research and Innovation, presented the awards for Outstanding Postdoc to Drs. Denning-Jannace and Wall.
 

The faculty, administration, and staff of Duke University extend a hearty THANK YOU to all of our postdocs and postdoc mentors. We are proud to honor your achievements in research, mentoring, and teaching!

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Accepting the 2022 Outstanding Postdoc Mentor Award on behalf of Dr. Ashutosh Chilkoti are Dr. Soumen Saha and Chilkoti lab members with Dr. Colin Duckett, Vice Dean for Basic Science; Dr. Jennifer Lodge, Vice President for Research and Innovation; and Molly Starback, Director of Duke Postdoctoral Services.

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2022 Outstanding Postdoc Award winner Dr. Catherine Denning-Jannace and family: Timothy Jannace, Cole and Kai, and Inell Denning with Dr. Colin Duckett, Vice Dean for Basic Science; Dr. Jennifer Lodge, Vice President for Research and Innovation; Dr. Katherine Franz, Professor and Chair of Chemistry; and Molly Starback, Director of Duke Postdoctoral Services.

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2022 Outstanding Postdoc Award winner Dr. Carla Wall with Molly Starback, Director of Duke Postdoctoral Services, and Dr. Jennifer Lodge, Vice President for Research and Innovation.

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Vice Dean for Basic Science Dr. Colin Duckett presents the award for Outstanding Postdoc Mentor.

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Outstanding Postdoc Dr. Catherine Denning-Jannace with her faculty mentor Dr. Katherine Franz, Professor and Chair of Chemistry.

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The free Duke Postdoc t-shirts were a hot item, as were the free Duke Postdoc flash drives in all the colors of the rainbow, distributed by DUPA president Dr. Briana Simms and DUPA councillor Dr. Daniel Luo.

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Here are the outstanding t-shirts!

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The Loop made sure we had plenty of pizza. Maybe we needed a stepladder.

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The bouncy race car had to get a tune-up after the postdoc kiddos were finished.

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The North Carolina Polka Time All Stars rolled out the barrel.

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Who knew that constructing ballon animals was a transferable skill?

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Thank you all for another amazing Postdoctoberfest!

 

 

 

 

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The Office of Postdoctoral Services and the Duke University Postdoctoral Association (DUPA) held the 15th Annual Postdoctoberfest Celebration on Friday, October 4, 2019 to honor the university's hard-working postdocs and their mentors. Postdocs, their families, faculty, and staff enjoyed hot dogs and veggie dogs with all the fixings, Torch Pilsner from Foothills Brewery, and the music of the Huzzah Band. The giant bouncy race car was a hit with all the kids in attendance, as were the four flavors of Maple View Farms ice cream. Postdocs received an official Duke Postdoc t-shirt and enjoyed the warm fall weather. We gave ourselves a big round of applause in honor of our fifteenth anniversary!

Each year, the highlight of Postdoctoberfest is the presentation of awards to the Outstanding Postdoc and Outstanding Postdoc Mentor at Duke.

Outstanding Postdoc Mentors:

The 2019 Outstanding Postdoc Mentors are Drs. Terrie Moffitt and Avshalom Caspi from the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience. Drs. Moffitt and Caspi were unable to attend, so Dr. Colin Duckett, Vice Dean for Basic Science, presented the award to two of their postdoctoral mentees, Drs. Leah Richmond-Rakerd and Jasmin Wertz.

A former postdoc in the lab, now an Assistant Professor, writes: Terrie Moffitt and Avshalom Caspi, or Temi and Av as their colleagues and friends know them, are not only outstanding postdoc mentors at Duke, they are likely the best postdoc mentors anywhere. They run a big team, and at any given moment they have several postdoc mentees. Still, Temi and Av blocked two full hours every week to meet with me (and every other one of their postdocs) to review projects, critique writing, and plan career steps. I learned how to conduct rigorous research, how to think about analysis and data presentation, and became a much better writer. Even better, their kindness and affection makes one feel at home. They invite us all to celebrate holidays with them, and they remember to celebrate the big and small events in work and in life for all of us in the lab. Temi and Av were not only the best postdoc mentors I could wish for could wish for professionally, they also became my family away from home.

Another postdoc, now Assistant Professor, writes: Moffitt and Caspi are exceptionally generous mentors. They invest extraordinary time in their people. And they provide a model of how a senior academic can remain deeply engaged in day to day research and have fun doing it. They cultivate a research Eden in their lab.

Another postdoc, now Assistant Professor, writes: The training and support I received from Temi and Av did not end with my postdoc. After leaving the nest, Temi and Av continued their mentoring, under their policy of “trainee for life.” I regularly call on them with questions about projects, papers, funding, tenure and promotion. One additional and very meaningful component of their mentorship is they model and encourage work-life balance for their trainees. I had two young children under the age of 5 when I was a postdoc for Temi and Av. They made my career as a mother and a scientist seamless and easy. I won the lottery by getting the opportunity to work with Temi and Av.

A current postdoc writes: In addition to facilitating their postdocs’ research development, Temi and Av emphasize the importance of work-life balance. I had my first child halfway through my postdoc, and I was blown away by Temi and Av's incredible support, including regular supportive messages, a lovely baby shower, and a huge amount of openness and flexibility when it came to fitting work around my family commitments (e.g., I was more than welcome to attend meetings with baby in tow). Professors Moffitt and Caspi are invested in their postdoc’s personal wellbeing, and it shows in their behavior.

Another current postdoc writes: Temi and Av have fostered many successful researchers, and I feel so incredibly lucky to work with them - of course, because this is a unique opportunity to work with such distinguished researchers, but mostly because getting to know Temi and Av has been such a fun experience! They constantly support us in all aspects of research and career development, while still making sure we have fun every step of the way. I honestly cannot think of a better place in the whole wide world to do my postdoc.

In short, Drs. Moffitt and Caspi exemplify what it means to be Outstanding Postdoc Mentors. Thank you for serving as role models for faculty mentors at Duke University!

Outstanding Postdoc:

Dr. Chris Freel, Associate Vice President for Research, presented the award for Outstanding Postdoc to Dr. Adrian Oliver from the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Dr. Oliver's Pl, Dr Charles Gersbach, writes: Adrian has been a postdoctoral associate in my laboratory since 2015 and has proven to be an absolutely fantastic scientist with a tremendous work ethic and exceptional  professionalism. She has made great progress in the area of engineering new technologies for gene therapy that are certain to be of value for the field, and has brought recognition to Duke through her work in multiple ways. Adrian’s first project in my lab aimed to explore the diversity of CRISPR systems in nature as genome engineering tools in human cells. This work is now in press at Nature Biotechnology. She has mentored two undergraduates, both of whom are co-authors on her Nature Biotechnology paper. They were both so inspired by their experience with Adrian that they chose to go to PhD programs in biomedical research. Adrian is on a perfect path to establishing an impactful independent research program in gene and cell therapy, and has the ideal skill set to do so.

A lab member writes: I'd say Adrian is one of the rock stars in the lab. She is one of the most driven, energetic and passionate scientists I have ever met. She is constantly thinking of new experiments and encouraging me to come up with my own ideas. She truly loves the research that she does, and her excitement about new ideas and projects is palpable; it makes me excited to come to work every day. I am so grateful to work alongside her.

A grad student in the lab writes: Adrian was assigned to be one of my postdoc mentors, and she went above and beyond to help me get acclimated to the lab. She took it on herself to teach me all the fundamental  skills I needed to get my project started. She also was key in the intellectual planning of my project, spending multiple hours to help me think through each and every detail. She also advocated for me to be a part of her project and got me on her paper within my first year of being in the lab. There's no doubt in my mind that Adrian would make a fantastic Pl herself, because she truly looks out for the needs and success of the people she mentors.

A former postdoc, now Assistant Professor, writes: Two characteristics highlight why Adrian is a good candidate for this award: her tenacity during her research and her dedication to mentorship. Adrian was among the first to harness CRISPR systems of a special type, the subject of her recently accepted Nature Biotechnology paper. This work is impressive, but it started with a small blip on a graph. When the initial result was unimpressive, most people would have walked away from the project. Adrian instead set out to optimize every aspect and eventually developed a technology that can increase gene activation over 100-fold, resulting in a manuscript in one of our field's top journals. She did this impressive work while mentoring two Duke Undergraduate students. She was a fierce advocate for both of them, and motivated them so that they were some of the most productive undergraduates I've ever seen. Adrian truly deserves this award.

A former student writes: I worked for Adrian as an undergraduate at Duke for two and a half years. Adrian was a joy to work for and her mentoring style set me up for a successful transition into graduate school. I learned a great deal from her strong work ethic and high standards for scientific rigor. In addition to research, she always helped me with my next career step. When I was thinking about going into industry, she connected me with people who could share their experiences. When I finally decided on graduate school, she helped me understand the application process and guided me through the pros and cons of each school. Adrian is an Outstanding Postdoc because she embodies the characteristics of an outstanding mentor and teacher.

Dr. Oliver, these nominations demonstrate that you are truly an outstanding postdoc whose research successes are bolstered by your mentorship of others. Thank you for serving as a role model for postdocs at Duke University.

The faculty, administration, and staff of Duke University extend a hearty THANK YOU to all of our postdocs and postdoc mentors. We are proud to honor your achievements in research, mentoring, and teaching!

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Accepting the 2019 Outstanding Postdoc Mentor Award on behalf Drs. Moffitt and Caspi are their postdocs, Drs. Leah Richmond-Rakerd and Jasmin Wertz, with Vice Dean for Basic Science Dr. Colin Duckett and Director of Postdoctoral Services Molly Starback.

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2019 Outstanding Postdoc Dr. Adrian Oliver, with Associate Vice President for Research Dr. Chris Freel and Director of Postdoctoral Services Molly Starback.

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The t-shirts went fast this year!

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Thanks to the Huzzah Band for keeping things swinging!

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The hardest decision all week - which flavor of Maple View ice cream to enjoy.

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Hot Dogs for hot days.

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Let's slide on out until next year!

 

 

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The Office of Postdoctoral Services and the Duke University Postdoctoral Association (DUPA) held the 14th Annual Postdoctoberfest Celebration on Friday, October 5, 2018 to honor the university's hard-working postdocs and their mentors. Postdocs, their families, faculty, and staff enjoyed hot dogs and veggie dogs with all the fixings, Torch Pilsner from Foothills Brewery, and the music of the Huzzah Band. The giant bouncy race car was a hit with all the kids in attendance, as were the four flavors of Maple View Farms ice cream. Postdocs received an official Duke Postdoc t-shirt and enjoyed the warm fall weather. We gave ourselves a big round of applause in honor of our fourteenth anniversary!

Each year, the highlight of Postdoctoberfest is the presentation of awards to the Outstanding Postdoc and Outstanding Postdoc Mentor at Duke.

Outstanding Postdoc Mentor:

Dr. Colin Duckett, Vice Dean for Basic Sciences, presented the award for Outstanding Postdoc Mentor to Dr. Seok-Yong Lee from the Department of Biochemistry.

A postdoc in the Lee lab writes: "Dr. Seok-Yong Lee is a uniquely devoted, assiduous, and supportive mentor. Over the course of a four-year postdoctoral tenure in his laboratory, I have become a more capable, confident, inquisitive, and impassioned scientist, both by following his example and by responding to his guidance and constructive criticisms. His steadfast approach to science has been an incredible inspiration to me; he has encouraged me to tackle challenging scientific problems and to use the most rigorous and thorough methods of addressing them. He has also taught me the power of patience and diligence in the face of a scientific challenge. For example, in my second year as a postdoctoral fellow, we submitted our work to Nature and it was fortunately sent out for review. The referees provided very positive feedback on all aspects of the work, except for a major enzymatic assay we employed in the study. They suggested that our paper should be rejected on the grounds of this critique. However, the editor gave us the opportunity to repeat this portion of the work using another technique if we so desired. Feeling very dejected at the prospect of redoing a year's worth of experiments, I suggested to Dr. Lee that we pull the paper from consideration in Nature and instead submit it elsewhere, perhaps to a lower impact journal. He understood my frustration but encouraged me to brainstorm alternative techniques we could use to repeat the work in a timely manner. He saw that this roadblock actually offered us a great opportunity: most scientists working in the field were using a low-throughput and resource-intensive assay to interrogate enzyme activity, while we presented a more efficient alternative. If we could demonstrate to the referees that both techniques yielded similar results, we had an opportunity to advance the field more broadly and to thereby encourage more publication in this area. We jointly devised a strategy. I performed some key experiments using both techniques in addition to a third orthogonal biophysical method, all of which yielded consistent results. These data unequivocally demonstrated to the referees that both techniques were valid. We were able to publish our work in Nature, which was the most appropriate venue for our findings, as they influenced the direction of the field, both in a conceptual and technical sense. Dr. Lee's focused attitude toward scientific inquiry and sense of integrity has influenced me on a personal level as well. Dr. Lee has been incredibly supportive, kind-hearted, and understanding during difficult times in my life. He of course gave me the time, space, and resources I needed to get back on my feet. But he also encouraged me to see science as a kind of escape during personal struggles. He helped me understand that the pursuit of scientific knowledge is a source of fascination and joy, which can be transcendent in times of difficulty. I am very thankful to have worked with Dr. Lee, from both a scientific and personal perspective, and I whole-heartedly endorse him as outstanding postdoctoral mentor."

In short, Dr. Lee exemplifies what it means to be an Outstanding Postdoc Mentor. Thank you for serving as a role model for faculty mentors at Duke University!

Outstanding Postdoc:

Dr. Duckett presented the award for Outstanding Postdoc to Dr. Sarah Longo from the Department of Biology.

Dr. Longo's PI, Dr. Sheila Patek, wrote: "One year ago, Sarah joined my lab as a postdoc on a Department of Defense, Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative grant. Being a postdoc on this grant is an unusual and, for most postdocs, a somewhat terrifying experience. This team effort spans seven labs and innumerable areas including biology, engineering, polymer sciences and physics. Sarah came from a 100% biology laboratory, never having worked on a cross- disciplinary team, and was dropped right into this hot-bed of technical and cross-disciplinary interactions. Within weeks of her arrival, it became clear that Sarah is a rare talent, not only as a gifted scientist, but as someone who joyfully engages with the discomfort of working across disciplines. A mere few weeks into her job, she arrived with a calm and curious attitude, and immediately meshed with one of the key attributes of the team, which is to have a small ego and a willingness to be totally out of one’s comfort zone. She can handle intense interdisciplinary exchanges, and, perhaps most importantly, members of the team immediately gravitated toward her insightful questions and curiosity. Sarah has developed a novel and exciting postdoctoral research project that involves real-time analysis of elastic energy release and measurements of the power density of biological systems, such as trap-jaw ants and snapping shrimp. Just in the span of the year, she has developed a new system that is likely to yield a series of high-profile papers. In all of the postdoctoral researchers in my lab to date, I have never had someone take such a deep dive into a topic, work tirelessly across disciplines, and emerge, in the span of just one year, with a new system, new insights, and ultimately a research program that will ground her own lab when she eventually starts her faculty career. There has been another remarkable aspect to Sarah's arrival in the lab - her effect on my lab members. She has been transformative for the people in my lab. She is curious about their projects, looks at details, and then dives in to help - whether with R coding, mathematical analyses of motion, or experimental rigs. She has such a delightful way of combining curiosity with rigor that the whole lab has been energized and excited. Sarah is a truly superlative postdoc."

A lab member writes: "As a recent undergraduate at my first job, I felt unqualified and awkward around the older students in our lab. However, as soon as Sarah started working with us, the whole dynamic changed. Sarah's easygoing nature, joyfulness, and ability to include everyone in a conversation made me feel like part of the lab. Sarah has also supported me when I face challenges. She has talked with me extensively about my research projects and gotten excited about the twists and turns they take. Sarah awes me by the time she puts in to learning new concepts and techniques and I aspire to be as motivated and knowledgeable as she is, although it seems like an impossible goal. She supports everyone and somehow does all of her own work excellently as well." A graduate student writes: "Despite her work on three projects, Sarah can always find time to sit down and help me. She is always there to listen and provide feedback on how to improve my methodology or suggest another research avenue to pursue. Sarah improves the quality of all research projects in the lab, not just her own."

A former undergrad who is now a grad student writes: "Sarah was an excellent mentor during my senior year as an undergrad and continues to mentor me as I begin my PhD program in Biology. Sarah has eased my transition by being patient and kind, while making sure my work is thorough and high-quality. I have had many graduate student and postdoctoral mentors, but Sarah has been the most effective, engaging, and influential mentor in developing my scientific curiosity and technical capabilities"

Dr. Longo's nominations demonstrate that she is truly an outstanding postdoc whose research successes are bolstered by her mentorship of others. We thank Dr. Longo for serving as a role model for postdocs at Duke University.

The faculty, administration, and staff of Duke University extend a hearty THANK YOU to all of our postdocs and postdoc mentors. We are proud to honor your achievements in research, mentoring, and teaching!

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2018 Outstanding Postoc Mentor Dr. Seok-Yong Lee with Vice Dean for Basic Science Dr. Colin Duckett and Director of Postdoctoral Services Molly Starback

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2018 Outstanding Postoc Dr. Sarah Longo with Vice Dean for Basic Science Dr. Colin Duckett and Director of Postdoctoral Services Molly Starback.

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Postdocs line up to get their official Duke Postdoc t-shirts.

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Before you get your t-shirt you must pet the postdoc pup, Genevieve!

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Spoons are ready for tasty Maple View Farm ice cream - this year's surprise flavor is Sweet Potato.

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It was a warm day, perfect for lemonade, ice tea, or Torch Pilsner.

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A large crowd on a sunny fall day.

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Outstanding Postdoc Award winner Sarah Longo showing off her outstanding labmates.

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Speaking of outstanding, how about a round of applause for the Huzzah Band!

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The Office of Postdoctoral Services and the Duke University Postdoctoral Association (DUPA) held the 13th Annual Postdoctoberfest Celebration on Friday, October 6, 2017, to honor the university's hard-working postdocs and their mentors. Postdocs, their families, faculty, and staff enjoyed hot and veggie dogs with all the fixings, local Foothills Brewery beers, and the music of the Huzzah Band. The giant bouncy race car was a hit with all the kids in attendance, as were the four flavors of Maple View Farms ice cream. Postdocs received an official Duke Postdoc t-shirt and enjoyed the warm fall weather. We gave ourselves a big round of applause in honor of our thirteenth anniversary!

Outstanding Postdoc Mentors:

Dr. Raphael Valdivia, Vice Dean for Basic Sciences, presented the award for Outstanding Postdoc Mentor to Dr. John Aldrich and Dr. David Rohde. Dr. Aldrich is the Pfizer-Pratt University Professor of Political Science. Dr. Rohde is the Ernestine Fried! Professor of Political Science. For the past 15 years, John and Dave have jointly run the "Political Institutions and Public Choice" (PIPC) lab, in which they bring together postdocs, graduate and undergraduate students, high school students, and faculty. Drs Aldrich and Rohde were nominated by numerous current and former members of the PIPC lab, and by the Chair of the department. Dr. Georg Vanberg, Chair of Political Science, wrote: "One aspect that consistently impresses me about Dave and John is the tremendous effort, care, and time they put into mentoring their postdocs. John and Dave are generous in sharing their intellectual gifts, expertise, and time with their postdocs to improve their work, and to embed them in networks that will be critical to their academic success. This is truly selfless work, not rewarded by any publication on their vita. Like many disciplines, political science suffers from an underrepresentation of women in faculty ranks, and - unfortunately - many women experience a lack of mentorship during their graduate school careers. Dave and John have focused on this issue and have been very active in providing. postdoctoral opportunities and outstanding mentoring to junior women in our field."

A current postdoc wrote: "Dave and John believe that the laboratory-team model of research and teaching, prevalent in the natural sciences and rarer in the social sciences, is a valuable and effective model for training students in political science. Individually, Dave and John are exceptional mentors. Dave takes obvious joy in mentoring students and scholars. His door is always open and I consistently walk out of his office with greater clarity of thought than when I entered it. John is unfailingly committed to his students’ personal and professional success. More than once, he’s told me that his favorite part of his job is mentoring PhD students and postdocs. I have learned more in the space of a single conversation with John, than I have over semester-long courses. For me, being a postdoc in the social sciences could have been, as it is for many people, an isolating experience. Because of Dave and John, my experience has been anything but isolating. John and Dave have provided support and encouragement beyond what I imagined possible when I accepted this position. I am overjoyed to acknowledge all the good Dave and John have done for me and their other postdocs."

A former postdoc, now Assistant Professor, wrote: "As a postdoc, it's hard to imagine a better environment to work in than PIPC. Individually, the position gave me crucial time to work on my research, but the space itself also created a vibrant environment for curious researchers to come together. John and Dave have been incredible mentors to me and many others. One reason is they lead by example. They show you, rather than tell you, academic lessons and life lessons. I am so grateful for their continued encouragement and support."

Another former postdoc, now Assistant Professor, wrote: "The names John Aldrich and Dave Rohde are recognized throughout the discipline for the enormous impact they have had on the study of American politics. What may be less appreciated is their deep commitment to the development of postdocs. Their kindness, generosity, and patience helped me (and countless others) to become the scholar I am today. They always made time to meet with me, and always offered sage advice. The PIPC program is an open, welcoming environment for fostering Scholars. While John and Dave's scholarly accomplishments are awe inspiring, they pale in comparison to their kindness and generosity. I am profoundly thankful for these years of mentorship and friendship."

In short, Drs Aldrich and Rohde exemplify what it means to be an Outstanding Postdoc Mentor. Drs Aldrich and Rohde, we are very pleased to present you with this award. Thank you for serving as a role model for faculty mentors at Duke University!

Outstanding Postdoc:

Dr. Lawrence Carin, Vice Provost for Research, presented the award for Outstanding Postdoc to Dr. Okan Yurduseven from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The award was accepted by Dr. Yurduseven's wife, Olena Aleksandrova and colleague Dr. Jonah Gollub. Dr. Yurduseven was nominated by his PI and many of his labmates.

Dr. Yurduseven's Pl, Dr. David Smith wrote: "Since Dr. Yurduseven started working at Duke University in May 2014, he has co- authored 41 peer-reviewed scientific papers, including 24 journal articles. Of those, he is the first author in 12 of these articles. Moreover, he has published 18 conference papers (first author in 10) and filed four provisional patent applications. In recognition of his efforts, he was invited to deliver an invited speech at the University of Cambridge on behalf of the Duke Metalmager research group. Particularly impressive is that Dr. Yurduseven has chaired two sessions at the European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP 2015); two sessions at the IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation (AP-S 2016); and three sessions at AP-S 2017. He will also deliver an invited talk at the European Microwave Week, again on behalf of the Duke team. Okan is an outstanding postdoctoral associate not only in his research activities but also in his mentoring. Despite his extremely busy research schedule, he always finds the time to help students. As an example, in his first year of postdoctoral appointment, he was approached by a graduate student who had no background in the field that he would be conducting his PhD. Under his guidance, the student published 4 journal papers with Dr. Yurduseven before the end of his second year. I have supervised many, many postdocs; Dr. Yurduseven is truly exemplary, and easily the best in terms of being able to address the design of an entire system. It is rare to find one individual who can manage all aspects and not be overwhelmed. Dr. Yurduseven is such an individual."

Another member of the group wrote: "Besides his outstanding research skills and publication achievements, Dr. Yurduseven is an enthusiastic mentor and easily approachable to students. He encourages initiative and asks tough questions with the purpose of encouraging students to think deeply about the problems at hand. He works as an equal with his colleagues and is always ready to transfer his experience and learn from others. I believe that academia needs more scientists like Dr. Okan Yurduseven"

A graduate student wrote: "Okan is the best mentor, and here is why. Okan says firstly, there is no such thing as talent, here is hard work, and many failed attempts resulting in one successful attempt. So, the more we try, the higher our probability of success. Second, any plan is flexible - if one thing does not work out, another may. Third, when a task seems impossible it can be split into sub-tasks. This simple strategy works for me because it allows me to keep my focus and achieve results. Okan also teaches me to do everything in a quality way. By quality he means the highest level I can achieve, so I can answer positively to the question of whether I have done all I could today. Importantly, our communication is a two way street - “We get smarter by teaching others”, he says. I consider myself lucky to be working with Okan"

Dr. Yurduseven, these nominations demonstrate that you are truly an outstanding postdoc whose research successes are bolstered by your mentorship of others. Thank you for serving as a role model for postdocs at Duke University.

The faculty, administration, and staff of Duke University extend a hearty THANK YOU to all of our postdocs and postdoc mentors. We are proud to honor your achievements in research, mentoring, and teaching!

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2017 Outstanding Postdoc Mentor Dr. John Aldrich with Dean for Basic Sciences Dr. Raphael Valdivia and Director of Postdoctoral Services Molly Starback.

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Accepting the 2017 Outstanding Postdoc Award on behalf of Dr. Okan Yurduseven, his wife, Olena Aleksandrova, colleague Dr. Jonah Gollub with Vice Provost for Research Dr. Larry Carin and Director of Postdoctoral Services Molly Starback.

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May I have your attention please! Anastasia Maddox from the Office of Research Support.

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A great crowd gathered on a warm fall day.

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Time to cool off with an adult beverage.

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Enjoying two scoops of tasty Maple View ice cream.

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Heating things up with the Huzzah Hot Jazz Band.

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The bouncy Race Car will be ready to drive again next year.