Postdoctoral Award Winners

3 Minute Research Competition

The 3 Minute Research Competition is a research communication exercise where postdoctoral scholars have 3 minutes or less to present their work and its impact to a diverse group of audience members. Modeled after the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition for graduate students, the exercise develops overall communication skills and competencies in the explanation of your research in layman's terms.

    • 2021:
      • Androu Raafat F. Abdalmalak
      • Christina Vanden Bosch der Nederlanden
      • Gabriel Varela Mattatall
      • Jenny Liu
      • Neciula Gomes
      • Nichole Scheerer
      • Paul Sheppard
      • Rachel Plouffe
      • Tam Thanh Tran
      • Zhandong Huang
    • 2020: No awards due COVID-19 pandemic.

    • 2019:
      • 1st Place: Dr. Molly Driediger (Occupational Therapy)
      • 2nd Place: Dr. Roya Tadayon (Biochemistry) 
      • 3rd Pace: Dr. Diana Yae Sakae (Robarts Research Institute)
    • 2018:
      • 1st Place: Dr. Sarah Patterson (Sociology)
      • 2nd Place: Dr. Kyriakos Manoli (Chemical and Biochemical Engineering)
      • 3rd Pace: Dr. Roberta Mafettone (Chemical and Biochemical Engineering)
    • 2017:
      • 1st Place: Dr. Andrew Pon (Physics and Astronomy)
      • 2nd Place: Dr. Mark Tovey (History)
      • 3rd Pace: Dr. Pierina Cheung (Psychology)
    • 2016:
      • 1st Place: Dr. Chloe Hamza (Education)
      • 2nd Place: Dr. Emma Homes (Psychology)
      • 3rd Place: Dr. John Kelly (Anatomy and Cell Biology) 

Postdoctoral Scholar of the Year Award

This award will recognize a Western Postdoctoral Scholar who has shown exceptional commitment and potential as an emerging scientist. The Postdoctoral Scholar of the Year stands out among his/her peers for excellence displayed in research, leadership, service, outreach, and/or teaching.

      • 2021: Dr. Eric Wilkey (Brain and Mind Institute), Dr. Kasey Van Hedger (Brain and Mind Institute), and Dr. Mariya Goncheva (Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
      • 2020: No awards due COVID-19 pandemic
      • 2019: Dr. Roberta Bgeginski (Kinesiology)
      • 2018: Dr. Ahmed Elshaer (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
      • 2017: Dr. Björn Herrmann (Psychology, Brain and Mind Institute)
      • 2016: Dr. Lorina Naci (Brain and Mind Institute)
      • 2015: Dr. Aydin Behnad (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

 

Postdoctoral Supervisor of the Year Award

Recognition will be given to Postdoctoral Supervisors who have demonstrated exemplary support for postdoctoral scholars at Western by going above and beyond supervisory expectations. These mentors have given their time and put forth extra effort to ensure a successful experience for postdoctoral scholars.

      • 2021: Dr. Alison Allan (Anatomy and Cell Biology), Dr. Matt Davison (Dean of Science), Dr. Michelle F. Mottola (School of Kinesiology and Anatomy and Cell Biology)
      • 2020: No awards due COVID-19 pandemic
      • 2019: Dr. Trish Tucker (School of Occupational Therapy)
      • 2018: Dr. Dale W. Laird (Anatomy and Cell Biology)
      • 2017: Dr. Miriam Capretz (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
      • 2016: Dr. Shannon Stewart (Faculty of Education)
      • 2015: Dr. Daniel Ansari (Canada Research Chair in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience)

 

Award for Administrative Excellence in the Support of Postdoctoral Scholars at Western

Recognition will be given to an administrative/support staff member in the Western community who has given their time and put forth extra effort to show exemplary support of postdoctoral scholars.

      • 2020: No awards due COVID-19 pandemic
      • 2019: Dr. Jane Rylett (Physiology and Pharmacology)
      • 2018: Dr. Brock Fenton (Biology)
      • 2017: Dr. Melvyn Goodale (Brain and Mind Institute)
      • 2016: Dr. Andrew Watson (Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry)
      • 2015: Helen Kerr (School of Occupational Therapy) 

 

The Postdoctoral Association at Western's Postdoctoral Mentor of the Year Award

This award will recognize a Western Postdoctoral Scholar who has shown exceptional commitment to mentorship of graduate students. The Postdoctoral Mentor of the Year stands out among his/her peers for excellence displayed in service and mentoring to a grad student and/or their research group. This need not be limited to work in a lab, but may encapsulate any postdoc who has given outstanding support and mentorship to a graduate student, in any capacity.

      • 2017: John Kelly (Anatomy and Cell Biology)
      • 2016: Dr. Taylor Kohut (Psychology)

Research is Beautiful Award Competition 

This award provides funding support provided by PAW for the postdoctoral scholar whose art submission of 'Beautiful Research', broadly defined, receives the most number of votes during the Postdoctoral Research Day Forum. 

      • 2018: Hiroyuki Igarashi (Robarts Research Institute)
      • 2017: John Kelly (Anatomy and Cell Biology)

 

Updated June 8, 2021