PAST WINNERS

• 2023

  CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS FOR BEST TALKS!

  

  Our best talk winners from the 2023 SBU  Postdoc Spotlight 1st Place Ankita Singh (right), 2nd Place Gabriel Matos (left), and 3rd Place Katherine Gallagher (middle)

  Award	Name	Graduate Program	Talk Video
  Award1st	NameAnkita Singh	Graduate ProgramMicrobiology and Immunology	Talk VideoFixing Leakage in the Gut
  Award2nd	NameGabriel Matos	Graduate ProgramMicrobiology and Immunology	Talk VideoStopping the Fungi Apocalypse
  Award3rd	NameKatherine Gallagher	Graduate Program IACS & SoMAS	Talk Video The Mystery of the Gap

  Location:  Wang Center Lecture Halls 2	Date: Thursday, November 16, 2023
  Spotlight Talks: 4:00 pm - 5:00  pm	Reception & Award Presentation: 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

  SPOTLIGHT AGENDA:

  4:00pm-4:15pm	Welcome and Overview	Lecture Hall 2
  	Celia Marshik, Dean, Graduate School, and Vice Provost, Graduate and Professional Education Miguel Garcia-Diaz, Interim Vice President for Research Kathleen Flint Ehm, Assistant Dean, Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs, and Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affair
  4:15pm-5:00pm	Spotlight Presentations	Lecture Hall 2
  	Moderator: Indhu Varatharajan, Postdoc, Geosciences Speakers: Ciro Riccio, Physics and Astronomy Mitu Sharma, Chemistry Katherine Gallagher, Institute for Advanced Computational Science & School of Marine and Atmospheric Science Gabriel Matos, Microbiology and Immunology Arshad Mehmood, Institute for Advanced Computational Science & Chemistry Atul Pradhan, Medicine Ankita Singh, Microbiology and Immunology
  5:00pm	Winners Announced & Award Presentation Wang Center East Hall

  SPOTLIGHT 2023 COMPETITORS:

  	Name	Department	Title and Videos
  	NameCiro Riccio	DepartmentPhysics and Astronomy	Title and VideosThe Crack in the Mirror
  	NameMitu Sharma	DepartmentChemistry	Title and VideosCan Chemistry Unlock the Treasure of Bountiful Crops?
  	NameKatherine Gallagher	DepartmentInstitute for Advanced Computational Science & School of Marine and Atmospheric Science	Title and VideosThe Mystery of the Gap
  	NameGabriel Matos	DepartmentMicrobiology and Immunology	Title and VideosStopping the Fungi Apocalypse
  	NameArshad Mehmood	DepartmentInstitute for Advanced Computational Science & Chemistry	Title and VideosPainting with Light: A Journey of Interpretation
  	NameAtul Pradhan	Department Medicine	Title and VideosTuberculosis: A Present Challenge
  	NameAnkita Singh	Department Microbiology and Immunology	Title and Videos Fixing Leakage in the Gut

• 2022

  CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS FOR BEST TALKS!

  

  Our best talk winners from the 2022 SBU  Postdoc Spotlight 1st Place Tianqi Xie (center)), 2nd Place Julie Burrill (right), and 3rd Place Raphael Lengacher (middle)

  Award	Name	Graduate Program	Talk Video
  Award1st	NameTianqi Xie	Graduate ProgramGeosciences	Talk VideoThe Impact of the Impact: What Does the Rock Say?
  Award2nd	NameJulie Burrill	Graduate ProgramAlda Center for Communicating Science	Talk VideoWhere is the DNA in forensic "Touch DNA?"
  Award3rd	NameRaphael Lengacher	Graduate ProgramChemistry	Talk Video The Search for Cancer – From a Needle in a Haystack to a Bright Flare

  Location:  Wang Center Lecture Halls 2	Date: Thursday, November 17, 2022
  Spotlight Talks: 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm	Reception & Award Presentation: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

  SPOTLIGHT 2022 COMPETITORS:

  	Name	Department	Title and Videos
  	NameAswathy Nair	DepartmentNeurobiology & Behavior	Title and VideosThe Rhythm of the Brain and Movement
  	NameAthmanathan Senthilnathan	DepartmentEcology & Evolution	Title and VideosWhat Can Plant-Soil Interactions Tell Us About Forests?
  	NameHassane Hamdaoui	DepartmentPhysics & Astronomy	Title and VideosLight Under the Spotlight
  	NameIndhu Varatharajan	DepartmentGeosciences	Title and VideosRecreating the Surface of Planet Mercury on Earth
  	NameJulie Burrill	DepartmentAlda Center for Communicating Science	Title and VideosWhere is the DNA in forensic "Touch DNA?"
  	NameKaushik Mitra	Department Geosciences	Title and VideosEarly Mars: Red & Dead or Green & Clean
  	NameRaphael Lengacher	DepartmentChemistry	Title and VideosThe Search for Cancer – From a Needle in a Haystack to a Bright Flare
  	NameTianqi Xie	DepartmentGeosciences	Title and VideosThe Impact of the Impact: What Does the Rock Say?
  	NameWenliang (Bill) Li	DepartmentPhysics & Astronomy	Title and VideosSeeing the Proton from Behind
  	NameZennur Sekendiz	DepartmentDept of Medicine, World Trade Center Health Program	Title and VideosUnderstanding the Change in the Minds of  911 First Responders after COVID 19

• 2021

  CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS FOR BEST TALKS!

  

  Our best talk winners from the 2021 SBU  Postdoc Spotlight (From left to right) 1st Place Ethan Cline, 2nd Place Olivia Swanson and 3rd Place (tie) Kim Berghaus and  Kristian Hajny

  Award	Name	Graduate Program	Talk Video
  Award1st	NameEthan Cline	Graduate ProgramPhysics and Astronomy	Talk VideoHow Big is the Proton?
  Award2nd	NameOlivia Swanson	Graduate ProgramNeurobiology and Behavior	Talk VideoThe Science of Feeling Full
  Award3rd (tie)	NameKim Berghaus	Graduate ProgramYang Institute for Theoretical Physics	Talk Video Making Light of Dark Energy
  Award3rd (tie)	NameKristian Hajny	Graduate ProgramSchool of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences	Talk Video Understanding New York City CO2 From Above

  Location: Zoom                                       Date:  Thursday, February 25, 2021                               Spotlight Talks: 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm 

  SPOTLIGHT 2021 COMPETITORS:

  	Name	Department	Title and Videos
  	NameLaurel Yohe	DepartmentEcology and Evolution	Title and VideosHow Dinosaur Brains and Bat Noses Can Save the World
  	NameKristian Hajny	DepartmentSchool of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences	Title and VideosUnderstanding New York City CO2 From Above
  	NameOlivia Swanson	DepartmentNeurobiology and Behavior	Title and VideosThe Science of Feeling Full
  	NameEvgeny Amelchenko	DepartmentAnesthesiology	Title and VideosThe Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Mice living in an interesting or a boring cage differ in aggressiveness
  	NameJonas Nascimento Conde	DepartmentMicrobiology and Immunology	Title and VideosWhy Don’t You Bleed to Death When You Get COVID-19?
  	NameNeetika Jaisinghani	DepartmentPharmacology	Title and VideosDecoding the Exterior of a Deadly Bug
  	NameRebecca Adikes	DepartmentBiochemistry and Cell Biology	Title and VideosMigration & Division: A Cells Balancing Act
  	NameKim Berghaus	DepartmentYang Institute for Theoretical Physics	Title and VideosMaking Light of Dark Energy
  	NameEthan Cline	DepartmentPhysics and Astronomy	Title and VideosHow Big is the Proton?

• 2019

  CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS FOR BEST TALKS!

  

  Our best talk winners from the 2019 SBU  Postdoc Spotlight 1st Place Paola Cepeda (right), 2nd Place (tie) Kevin Sackel (center) and Hillary Schiff (right)

  Award	Name	Graduate Program	Talk Video
  Award1st	NamePaola Cepeda	Graduate ProgramGraduate School & Linguistics	Talk VideoUntying the (K)not: Understanding Negation
  Award2nd	NameKevin Sackel	Graduate ProgramMathematics & Simons Center	Talk VideoPutting the Pieces Together
  Award2nd	NameHillary Schiff	Graduate ProgramNeurobiology & Behavior	Talk Video You Are What You Ate

  Location:  Wang Center Lecture Halls 2	Date: Thursday,  November 14, 2019
  Spotlight Talks: 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm	Reception & Award Presentation: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

  SPOTLIGHT 2019 COMPETITORS:

  	Name	Department	Title and Videos
  	NameKasturi Banerjee	DepartmentInfectious Diseases	Title and VideosProtect the Sick from Getting Sicker!
  	NameSomanon Bhattacharya	DepartmentInfectious Diseases	Title and VideosOld But Deadly – A Tale Of Elderly Yeast
  	NamePaola Cepeda	DepartmentGraduate School and Linguistics	Title and VideosUntying the (K)not: Understanding Negation
  	NameMariano Guardia Clausi	DepartmentRadiation Oncology	Title and VideosA Game-Changer in Brain Cancer Treatment
  	NameChristina Joselevitch	DepartmentNeurobiology and Behavior	Title and VideosHow Do Brain Cells Talk?
  	NameDiane Kim	DepartmentPsychiatry and Behavioral Health	Title and VideosTowards Understanding Suicide
  	NameYedukondalu Neelam	DepartmentGeosciences	Title and VideosWhat is the Earth's Inner Core Made Up Of?
  	NameKevin Sackel	DepartmentMathematics and Simons Center	Title and VideosPutting the Pieces Together
  	NameHillary Schiff	DepartmentNeurobiology and Behavior	Title and VideosYou Are What You Ate
  	NameGurtej Singh	DepartmentSurgery	Title and VideosPlastic Surgery – We're Cutting Edge
  	NameYingchao Su	DepartmentBiomedical Engineering	Title and VideosNever Go Back to the Hospital
  	NameStalin Vilcarromero	DepartmentInfectious Diseases	Title and VideosThe Real Threat for the Hispanic Workers in Suburban Areas of Long Island: Social Barriers and Lyme Disease

• 2018

  CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS FOR BEST TALKS!

  

  Our best talk winners from the 2018 SBU  Postdoc Spotlight 1st Place Lindsey Czarnecki (left), 2nd Place Steven Jaret (middle), and 3rd Place James Robertson(right)

  Award	Name	Graduate Program	Talk Video
  Award1st	Name Lindsey Czarnecki	Graduate ProgramNeurobiology & Behavior	Talk VideoThe Taste of Things to Come
  Award2nd	NameSteven Jaret	Graduate ProgramGeosciences	Talk VideoSurviving the Apocalypse: A Fossil Story
  Award3rd	NameJames Robertson	Graduate ProgramLaufer Center	Talk Video Better Living Through Computational Chemistry

  Location:  Wang Center Lecture Halls 1	Date: Thursday, November 15, 2018
  Spotlight Talks: 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm	Reception & Award Presentation: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

  SPOTLIGHT 2018 COMPETITORS: 

  	Name	Department	Title and Videos
  	NameMaryam Alavi	DepartmentMedicine	Title and VideosA Tiny Protein and One of the Most Common Cause of Cancer-Related Death
  	NameHarini Krishnan	DepartmentPhysiology and Biophysics	Title and VideosDancing with Single Molecules
  	NameCristina Lazzarini	DepartmentMolecular Genetics & Microbiology	Title and VideosThe Marvelous and Dangerous World of Fungi
  	NameSteven Jaret	DepartmentGeosciences	Title and VideosSurviving the Apocalypse: A Fossil Story
  	NameEvgeni Boriushkin	DepartmentMedicine	Title and VideosThe Growth of Blood Vessels as a Source of New Discovery
  	NameCarlos Perez Lara	DepartmentPhysics and Astronomy	Title and VideosThe Big Bang Experiment
  	NameHeidi Preis	DepartmentPsychology	Title and VideosImproving the Health of Teens Who Have Abortions
  	NameOumarou Njoya	DepartmentPhysics and Astronomy	Title and VideosNeutrinos are Tiny, Mysterious, and Everywhere
  	NameLindsey Czarnecki	DepartmentNeurobiology and Behavior	Title and VideosThe Taste of Things to Come
  	NameJames Robertson	DepartmentLaufer Center	Title and VideosBetter Living Through Computational Chemistry

• 2017

  CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS FOR BEST TALKS!

  

  Our best talk winners from the 2017 SBU  Postdoc Spotlight 1st Place Krupa Haranahalli  (left), 2nd Place  Diana Amorim (middle), and 3rd Place Maria Rosa (right)

  Award	Name	Graduate Program	Talk Video
  Award1st	NameKrupa Haranahalli	Graduate ProgramChemistry	Talk VideoKryptonite for Cryptococcus neoformans
  Award2nd	NameDiana Amorim	Graduate Program Physics and Astronomy	Talk VideoAccelerators of the Future
  Award3rd	NameMaria Rosa	Graduate ProgramEcology and Evolution	Talk Video Life in transition: Can feeding flexibility help marine animals in a changing environment?

  Location:  Wang Center Lecture Halls 1	Date: Thursday, November 16, 2017
  Spotlight Talks: 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm	Reception & Award Presentation: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

  SPOTLIGHT 2017 COMPETITORS: 

  	Name	Department	Title and Videos
  	NameLigia Diana Amorim	DepartmentPhysics and Astronomy	Title and VideosAccelerators of the Future
  	NameJozef Bodnar	DepartmentMathematics	Title and VideosStrings and doughnuts
  	NameEmiliano Brini	DepartmentLaufer Center	Title and VideosUsing physics and information to look at how proteins hug
  	NameVeronica Canoa Roman	DepartmentPhysics and Astronomy	Title and VideosThe First Second of the Universe
  	NameKrupanandan Haranahalli	DepartmentChemistry	Title and VideosKryptonite for Cryptococcus neoformans
  	NameHagit Hak	DepartmentBiochemistry	Title and VideosThere’s someone in my kitchen! How Agrobacterium hijacks plant cells for making food
  	NameSoumyadeep Mukherjee	DepartmentPublic Health	Title and VideosPosttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Among 9/11 Responders: An unfortunate legacy of getting bullied in childhood
  	NameMaria Rosa	Department Ecology and Evolution	Title and VideosLife in transition: Can feeding flexibility help marine animals in a changing environment?
  	NameKirsten Siebach	DepartmentGeosciences	Title and VideosReading the Martian Rock Record: Stories of a Previously Habitable World