Eleven postdoctoral scholars have been selected to receive Outstanding Postdoctoral Awards, which honors those who have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments. They were recognized Sept. 21 during the Postdoc Appreciation Luncheon.
The 2017 honorees represent nine departments, divisions and schools across UAB.
Andrew Arrant, NeurologyExcellent Peer Award
Given to the postdoc who habitually extends their talents, patience and time to help other students or researchers
Andrew Arrant, Ph.D., Department of Neurology
“No matter what he is doing or how occupied he is, Arrant always makes time to help out other students and postdocs with any issues that come up,” one nominator wrote. “His attitude and patience with his peers, even down to the undergraduate student level, makes him approachable and dependable.”
Excellent Peer Honorable Mention
- Jada Vaden, Ph.D., Department of Neurobiology
“Jada goes out of her way to help all of the graduate students in the labs,” one nominator said. “She doesn't mind stopping what she's doing to advise others on designing experiments, putting together presentations, and even practicing those presentations. She left for one week, and the lab descended into chaos. She is pivotal to this place.” - Brandon Roberts, Ph.D., Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrated Biology, UAB Center for Exercise Medicine
“He has shown drive and dedication since first arriving at UAB,” a nominator said of Roberts. “However, that drive and dedication extends far beyond his own research pursuits. He is always willing to lend a hand, to help someone learn, to provide feedback and to aid in writing, etc. He does these things with no expectation of a reward or recognition; he is just a genuinely caring and helpful person.”
- Timothy Jarome, Ph.D., Department of Neurobiology
“Regardless whether they are at the undergraduate or graduate level, Tim treats all students as a peer,” one nominator wrote of Jarome. “He is very approachable and is always willing to go out of his way to help others. I have had more fun talking about our shared scientific interests with Tim than anyone else.”
Melike Dizbay Onat, CORD; Samir Rana, Cardiovascular DiseaseCommunity-minded Award
Given to the postdoc who is dedicated to filling the needs of a local, national or international community
- Melike Dizbay Onat, Ph.D., Center for Community Outreach Development (CORD)
Onat has directed, developed and taught in CORD’s summer engineering camps, and encouraged students from the Birmingham area to consider majoring in science or engineering when they begin college. She also is active in the GEAR UP program, facilitating physical science activities for Birmingham City middle schools.
“I believe more and more local students are interested and encouraged to study science and engineering at UAB or other universities because of Onat’s work and dedication,” said one nominator. - Samir Rana, Ph.D., Division of Cardiovascular Disease
Rana, a native of Nepal, is a founding member and former president of the UAB Nepalese Student Association, which helps students from Nepal find a community in Birmingham. He is a mentor to the organization and led fundraising campaigns for Nepalese earthquake and flood victims in 2015.
“Rana has been a good supporter for us Nepali students, as well as other international students on campus,” said one nominator. “He is a guide to all of us; we regard him as our brother.”
Mohamed M. Selim, Materials Science and EngineeringDr. Congeniality Award
Given to the postdoc who has a disposition so kind and pleasant, their presence brightens the atmosphere of the work environment
Mohamed M. Selim, Ph.D., Department of Materials Science and EngineeringSelim began working in the department when they were struggling to find funding, transitioning between department chairs and lab heads and struggling with morale. Since day one, nominators say he took on more responsibilities than his position required, including helping review papers, presentations and posters and testing data and company reports put out by students and faculty.
“I cannot picture Dr. Selim without a smile on his face,” a nominator wrote. “I can always count on him to give good feedback and constructive criticism, all with the goal of improving students’ skills, work product and happiness. You can tell he wants every student to leave the program becoming a better doctoral or master’s student than he ever was, and I can only imagine how great he was.”
Bryan Becker, NephrologyExtraordinary First-year Postdoc Award
Given to the first-year postdoc who has become an immediate asset to the lab
Bryan Becker, Ph.D., Division of NephrologyIn addition to his work as a postdoc at UAB, Becker sits on the Career Opportunities Committee within the American Physiological Society and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on both basic and advanced renal physiology. During his first year, Becker took a research project that had been floundering in the lab for almost a decade, generated new data and was published; he simultaneously had a study published in The American Journal of Physiology.
“In the decision letter, the editor even made a note that this was an extraordinary amount of data,” a nominator wrote. “It’s clearly impressive given that he worked on two publications during this first year.”
Hardest-working Postdoc Award
Given to the postdoc who puts in consistently great work, but whose dedication and skill is not necessarily represented with publications
Malgorzata “Gosia” Kasztan, Ph.D., Division of NephrologyKasztan has been a postdoc at UAB for almost three years and recently had a 16-page paper with an eight-page supplement published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. She has mentored several undergraduate and graduate students and recently was elected chair of the Trainee Advisory Committee for the American Physiological Society renal section.
“Gosia is one in a million,” a nominator wrote. “Her work is superb. Her attention to rigorous techniques and high ethical standards means that she puts in the extra time and effort to do it right.”
Jessica Scoffield, Pediatric DentistryMost-esteemed Postdoc Award
Given to the postdoc with an impressive number of peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and posters
Jessica Scoffield, Ph.D., Department of Pediatric DentistryScoffield has published a book chapter and four first-author papers during her tenure at UAB, including a recent publication in Plos Pathogens, which was featured by Nature Reviews Microbiology, National Institute of Dental Craniofacial Research Institute News and two second-author papers. She also is the recipient of a Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00) from the National Institutes of Health.
“She in an outstanding postdoctoral fellow and a role model for postdocs,” a nominator wrote.
Deborah Ejem, Nursing
The Dory Award
Given to the postdoc who, despite setbacks and obstacles in their project, has kept pushing until successfully finishing the work
Deborah Ejem, Ph.D., School of NursingEjem has received grants from both the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Nursing Research to explore the ways spirituality factors into relationships among patients with chronic illnesses, their caregivers and their clinicians. While working at UAB, she consistently overcame setbacks in her research due to serious health concerns on multiple occasions.
“Despite being in pain some days, she still shows up to work and performs well,” a nominator wrote. “Her efforts to persevere and still carry out her individual and team responsibilities are inspiring.”
