PdOC 2015/16 Committee Skills and Experience

The following postdocs were elected to serve on the 2015-16 PdOC committee.   A brief summary of the skills/experience offered by each committee member is given below.  

 A full role description is available for each position. 

• PdOC President 
  Maya Ghoussaini
  "I have been involved with the PdOC society since 2010 and became president in 2011. During my tenure, the society has grown in size from ~ 600 members to over 1,840 members today. My goal is to ensure that the post-doctoral community in Cambridge is well supported and represented at the University and College levels. I currently chair the PdOC committee and represent PdOC and the post-doctoral researchers views and needs at several university committees including the Office of Post-Doctoral Affairs steering and management committees, the Accommodation Syndicate and the Clinical School committee. I have also guided the society through a period of formal recognition by the University and the establishment of the 'Post-doctoral staff coordinator' position and the 'Office for Postdoctoral Affairs' office"

• Vice President
  Adina Feldman
  "I have been the University Representation and Policy Officer in the PdOC committee since July 2014. During the last year I have worked on issues such as revising the constitution and representation of postdocs internally at the university and nationally in the UKRSA. PdOC helped me a lot with integrating into the Cambridge community when I moved here and I am passionate about supporting and developing the great work that is going on in our society.
  In addition, I have extensive experience with university representation from my time as a doctoral student when I was, among other things, a member of the committee of the Doctoral Student’s Association and the chair of my departmental Doctoral Student’s Committee. As an undergrad I was the full time Vice President of the Student Union which included representing >6,000 students in the university council."

• Treasurer
  Lorinda Turner
  "During my undergraduate degree I was acted as Treasurer for the Monash Science Society, a society of approximately 9000 undergraduate students that organised both academic and social events. In this role I was responsible for the society’s accounts and submitting tax returns each year. Following this I moved into the position of President where I oversaw the general running of the society, the orientation camps for incoming students, and organisation of the annual ball.  Throughout my honours and PhD years I supplemented my meagre student wage by working as a book keeper, where I looked after the accounts and prepared tax returns for several businesses."

• Membership Officer
  Paul Coxon
  
  "As membership officer I have tried to expand the reach of PdOC throughout the research staff community at Cambridge.  Ii also serve on the PdOC events subcommittee.  My aim, if elected to continue in the role will be to further broaden the engagement PdOC has with postdocs in smaller departments / Institutes, especially new arrivals at Cambridge."

• Social and Networking Events Officer
  Stephen Kell
  "I value PdOC's friendly, well-run and enjoyable events very highly and am very keen to see them continue.  I hope to contribute both in keeping up the good work and in creating an even more diverse range of events.
  I have a fair bit of experience organising and running events over the years, in various university societies and volunteering at the Cambridge Film Festival, among others.  I have also accumulated a fairly good knowledge of Cambridge and the local area.  I have already been participating in the PdOC events subcommittee, which I hope to continue to do in any case.

• Communications Officer (newsletter editor, joint position)
  Paul Bennett
  "I have been on the PdOC committee as the Communications Officer for the past year and would like to continue for the forthcoming year. During this past year, I have sent out the newsletter every second week (alternating with Severine Mollard), have attended PdOC committee meetings each month and have chaired quarterly PdOC Communications & Marketing sub-committee meetings. I am a member of the PdOC events sub-committee and therefore have direct contact to upcoming and planned events for inclusion in the newsletter and other social media."
  
  
• Communications Officer (newsletter editor, joint position)
  Severine Mollard
  "I really enjoyed being Communication Officer with Paul for the past year, and I try to do my best at each time I send the Newsletter. It’s such a positive experience to be able to connect with so many of you every two weeks. So, if you’re not bored by my writing style yet, I would be happy to continue to serve the PdOC society and be involved in the Committee."

• College Affiliations Officer
  Antonis Kanellopoulos 
  "Being a research associate for many years at different countries and universities has strengthened my intellectual and social skills. Over the last year as a member of the PdOC Committee I gained valuable experience on matters concerning post-docs at the University of Cambridge and associated institutions and more specifically on college affiliation issues"
  
  
• Marketing Officer
  
  

• Researcher Development Initiatives Officer
  Aamir Mukadam
  "I started as a Research Associate in the lab of Matthew Seaman in August, 2014. Prior to this I undertook my PhD in the lab of Geoff Butcher at the Babraham Institute. During my PhD, I was heavily involved in the student association at Wolfson College, Cambridge in my position as Treasurer, and was also involved in the annual June Event organising committee. These have been valuable experiences for me and will help me contribute to varied activities undertaken by the PdOC society."

• University Representation and policy officer 
  

• Welfare Officer
  Susanne Lager
  "Being a postdoctoral researcher in Cambridge offers tremendous opportunities, but in my opinion this must be balanced against other aspects of our lives outside academia.  Making the most of our circumstances is something we all try to do.  My interest in welfare originates form the experience of relocating my family to the UK, which has provided unexpected challenges.  As Welfare Officer I would like to continue the work of the previous Welfare Officer, advocating for the collection of general information concerning conditions of postdocs in Cambridge.  It is my sincere belief that in order to improve the postdoctoral situation we must first know what aspects are perceived to be in need of improvement.  With such information it will be possible to more thoroughly identify and advocate for concrete change.  Hopefully, this can be applied to the panoply of life situations experience by all, to the advantage of all."

• Committee Member (without portfolio, multiple positions) 
  Alice Hutchings
  "I have very much enjoyed my time as a Social and Networking Events Officer with PdOC. I now have other responsibilities within the university, which is why I am standing for a committee role without a portfolio. In this capacity, I will be more flexible to work on particular issues relating to postdocs for the Society, and to assist other portfolio holders where required."

Arne Jungwirth
" I have served as a student´s representative during my undergraduate time, being on different committees concerned with budgeting, teaching portfolios, and appointments, thus having experience in committee work within universities. I was also engaged in journal clubs in different institutes and would aim to organise some inter-disciplinary scientific exchange between PostDocs inspired by recent research papers from different fields."

Clare Simpson
"having previously been joint head of events, I have used my experience to coordinate with NVS over Christmas and Summer family parties and have organised the first PdOC Easter Egg hunt.  I hope to build upon this and my recent survey into what PdOCs with families want to work more closely with events and welfare to help PdOCs with these provisions"

Marko Tainio
" I am currently Welfare Officer in the committee. I would like to change to Committee Member position without portfolio because I don’t have enough time to lead welfare actions. As committee member I would support new Welfare officer in his/her actions, especially in family issues. I would also bring my charm to committee meetings and contribute to other committee works case-by-case basis."