The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Postdoctoral Association (MSK-PDA) represents Research Fellows, Research Scholars, and Research Associates throughout the Center. Our Executive Council is made up of a group of postdoctoral researchers who are elected every year.
Since 2005, we have worked to enhance the quality of the postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan-Kettering and taken on a leadership role in addressing the many issues confronting the postdoctoral community. We are dedicated to encouraging communication within the postdoctoral community and representing the interests of postdocs to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering faculty and administration.
We work closely with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, serve as members of the Research Fellow Advisory Council, and develop collegial relationships with other postdoctoral associations in the New York City area to help meet the needs of the postdoctoral community.
What we do
Community Building
Fostering networking within the postdoctoral community is fundamental to improving the quality of life and enhancing professional development for postdocs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. Since we began we’ve been providing opportunities for Memorial Sloan-Kettering postdocs to connect with each other and with postdoctoral researchers from The Rockefeller University and Weill Cornell Medical College (aka the Tri-Institutions) through social events, sports and activities, and fundraising initiatives. We have also been instrumental in developing and providing resources that foster communication among postdocs within Memorial Sloan-Kettering, as well as increasing interactions with external social and professional associations.
Advocacy
We advocate for internal policies that promote positive change in the postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, collaborating with the leadership of the Office of the Postdoctoral Affairs. We also participate in the Research Fellow Advisory Council, which drives career development programs and improves policies for postdoctoral training, compensation, and benefits.
Executive Council
| Office | Name | Laboratory | Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Samantha Sheppard | Powell | Radiation Oncology/Molecular Biology |
| Vice President | Rohit Prakash | Jasin | Developmental Biology |
| Communications Chair | Laura Eccles | Powell | Radiation Oncology/Molecular Biology |
| Treasurer | Can Pham | Hsieh | Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program |
| Events Coordinator | Kamlesh Yadav | Sawyers | Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program |
| Events Coordinator | Francesca Cavallo | Jasin | Developmental Biology |
| Events Coordinator | Angela Rose Brannon | Berger | Pathology |
| Sports Coordinator | Akiko Inagaki | Petrini | Molecular Biology |
Sports Activities
We organize intramural volleyball, soccer, and bowling teams, which are in part supported by the institution. We also offer opportunities to participate in yoga and meditation programs.
Social Events
We host social activities and events throughout the year, such as picnics for postdocs and their families.
Fundraising/Charity
We organize a team that participates in Cycle for Survival, an annual indoor cycling event that raises funds for research on rare cancers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. We also have a knitting circle that meets regularly to work on hats and scarves, which are donated to a shelter for the homeless.
Town Halls
We regularly organize town-hall-style meetings on a variety of topics of interest to the postdoc community, such as immigration, housing, and benefits, during which members of the administration provide the latest information on these important matters.
Contact Information
If you would like to get involved, you can contact us by e-mail at pda@mskcc.org. We also have groups on Facebook and LinkedIn. We urge you to join these social networks so that you can get the most-timely information about our activities and programming.
