When: March 12, 1 pm Eastern
As you prepare for the next step in your professional career, ECPS will help guide you with our panel discussion webinar, “What I Wish I Had Known When I Started My Postdoc.” In this webinar, a panel of postdocs will share their experiences and give students a chance to get their questions asked. Panelists will go over topics including picking a lab, mental health, organizing work-life balance, lessons they’ve learned, and tips and advice on how to navigate the world of postdocs. This panel targets those thinking about doing a postdoc and those about to start one. Come prepared with questions for our panelists!
Sponsored by The Early Career Plant Scientists (ECPS) Section
Speakers:
Shirsa Palit
palit@cshl.edu
I am Shirsa Palit, currently a postdoctoral researcher at Cold Spring Harbor Labs, where I explore the intricate crosstalk between plants and their environment. My fascination with plants stems from my upbringing, where I was surrounded by lush greenery and developed an inherent connection with nature from an early age. Growing up in an environment where I always had a green thumb, I witnessed firsthand the resilience and adaptability of plants. Despite my background in nanotechnology during my master’s studies, this deep-seated connection with nature ultimately drew me towards studying the complex interactions between plants and their surroundings.
This fascination led me to pursue my doctoral studies, where I delved into understanding the roles of secretory peptides in plant development. My academic journey has taken me on a transformative path from the bustling streets of Kolkata to the tranquil landscapes of Pune, with enriching experiences in Bangalore and Allahabad along the way. It’s been a journey filled with diverse perspectives and invaluable learning opportunities, shaping my understanding and passion for scientific inquiry.
Outside the realm of academia, I cherish moments of quiet reflection and creativity. Writing, reading, and immersing myself in the beauty of nature through photography are my sanctuaries, offering balance and inspiration amidst the rigors of scientific inquiry.
Jason Lynn
Dr. Jason Lynn is interested in small RNA biology and its role epigenetic regulation and inheritance. He earned his PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from Florida State University where he identified chromatin interacting proteins of the maize b1 paramutation control locus with Dr. Karen McGinnis. He then started a postdoc with Dr. Rob Martienssen at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory where he earned an NSF fellowship to study how small RNAs regulate stress memory in plants. Jason has also advocated for postdoc issues as chair of the CSHL Postdoc Liaison Committee and developed mentorship and professional development programs for early career researchers as part of the Maize Genetics Cooperation Membership Committee.
Mark Minnow
I am Dr. Mark A.A. Minow and I have been in love with plants my entire adult life. I received my BSc in Plant Science at the University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada), before staying in Guelph to complete my PhD with Dr. Colasanti, studying maize flowering time and Arabidopsis epigenetics. During grad school, I had the pleasure of TAing all of Guelph’s lab-based Botany courses, where my enthusiasm for plants helped me engage other students in plant biology. I am currently a post-doctoral fellow in Bob Schmitz’s lab at the University of Georgia, where I am using single cell genomics to unravel the trans regulatory relationships between genes in the maize genome. I was the post-doctoral representative on the Canadian Society of Plant Biology’s (CSPB) executive board from 2022-2024. I have a good understanding of a diverse range of topics in plant biology, (anatomy, genetics, genomics, physiology, evolution, and horticulture), and I pride myself on my independence, patience, friendly attitude, and original ideas.
Meenu Singla
I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate with Prof. Roger Innes at Indiana University Bloomington. My current research focuses on the roles of extracellular RNAs in regulating plant-microbe interactions. Upon discovering the presence of diverse RNAs on the leaf surfaces, we hypothesized that these extracellular RNA functions in cross-kingdom RNA interference to protect plants from pathogens and to optimize the plant microbiome. I am currently investigating whether leaf surface RNAs help structure the microbial communities of the phyllosphere and whether certain microbial effectors could potentially regulate RNA secretion to avoid dysbiosis. I completed my Ph.D. degree in Plant Immunity under the supervision of Dr. Lionel Navarro at IBENS, Paris, in 2019. I elucidated the role of plant-encoded artificial small RNAs in targeting virulence genes of phytopathogenic bacteria, which lack a conventional eukaryotic-like RNAi machinery. I have always been intrigued by the arms race between plants and their interactions with pathogens and wonder what role the secreted RNAs might play in this warfare. I am currently serving as Assistant Features Editor with two prominent journals, The Plant Cell and MPMI. When I am not thinking about plant-pathogen interaction, I am either engaged with my soon-to-be five-year-old toddler or trying to cook new cuisines for my family.
Joe Crawford
Joe Crawford is a post-doc scientist at the University of Illinois. He is interested in physiological traits that determine water use efficiency in C4 crops. He has used a wide range of tools to investigate these questions around water use efficiency and enjoys developing new tools for research.
Moderator:
Taylor Scroggs
Taylor Scroggs is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Georgia in Dr. Brad Nelms lab. Taylor is vice chair of the early career plant scientists’ section at ASPB. Her research uses a workflow to systematically explore transcription factor function with a focus understanding transcription factor induced reprogramming in maize. Beyond science, Taylor likes to run, garden, and sit in the sunshine.
This is an ASPB or ECPS membership only event. Log in before registering.
Not a member yet? JOin ASPB or the ECPS section before registering.
For questions, please contact info@aspb.org.
