UB Celebrates Excellence in Postdoctoral Research at 2011 Postdoc Research Symposium

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo's postdoctoral scholars and their contributions to research on campus will be celebrated June 7 from 2-6 p.m. in the Center for Tomorrow on the North Campus as part of UB's 2011 Postdoc Research Symposium sponsored by the UB Office of Postdoctoral Scholars.

"The symposium was established to allow postdoctoral scholars at UB to present and share their research with each other and to network with other postdoctoral scholars from around the university," says Marilyn E. Morris, associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral education in the UB Graduate School and professor of pharmaceutical sciences in the UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

More than 40 research projects by postdoctoral scholars will be exhibited at the symposium. Faculty will judge the posters and present awards for outstanding poster presentations.

At 2 p.m., Alexander Cartwright, UB vice president for research, will present the 2011 Distinguished Postdoc Mentor Award to Margarita L. Dubocovich, professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Only UB postdoctoral scholars can nominate mentors for this award, which recognizes faculty members who excel in mentoring postdoctoral scholars by teaching them and acting as advocates, advisors and positive role models. The winner is selected by a faculty committee.

Dubocovich, who came to UB to chair the department in 2008, is an internationally recognized expert in molecular pharmacology and drug discovery. She specializes in the neurobiology of the hormone melatonin and its receptors.

Following the Distinguished Mentor presentation, the keynote speech will be given by Venu Govindaraju, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the UB Department of Computer Science and Engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and founding director of the Center for Unified Biometrics and Sensors. He will talk about "Biometrics and Security -- New Research Challenges," discussing recent breakthroughs in the field as well as advances that he and his colleagues are now making at UB.

UB currently has approximately 275 postdoctoral scholars, most of whom are in the physical, chemical, biological, social and biomedical sciences and engineering fields. They work at units of UB, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, the Research Institute on Addictions and Hauptman Woodward Medical Research Institute.

UB Graduate School's Office of Postdoctoral Scholars, which was established in 2006, provides a formal communication link among postdoctoral scholars, faculty and administrators; it also offers scholars enhanced training opportunities through targeted seminar and symposia as well as social functions.

More information on the Office of Postdoctoral Scholars and links to open positions are at http://www.grad.buffalo.edu/postdocs/.