Postdoc LINK Research Symposium

Leadership, Innovation, Network, Knowledge

About Postdoc LINK

Postdoc LINK is Stony Brook University’s research symposium celebrating the work, ideas, and impact of postdoctoral scholars across disciplines. LINK stands for Leadership, Innovation, Networking, and Knowledge — the core values reflected in the postdoctoral experience and in the contributions postdocs make to the university’s research community.

The symposium brings together postdocs, faculty, campus partners, and university leaders for a day of research presentations, interdisciplinary exchange, professional connection, and recognition of postdoctoral achievement.

Event Details

The symposium will be held on Thursday, September 17, 2026 from 10 am to 2 pm in the Stony Brook Union Ballroom.

Whether you are presenting, nominating a colleague, supporting postdoctoral scholars, or attending to learn more about research across disciplines, Postdoc LINK offers an opportunity to celebrate the people advancing discovery at Stony Brook.

Agenda: Thursday, September 17, 2026

Time	Details	Location
9:30 am to 10 am	Coffee and Registration	Union Ballroom (Lobby)
10 am to 10:15 am	Welcome and Opening Remarks	Union Ballroom
10:15 am to 11 am	LINK Lightning Talks	Union Ballroom
11 am to 11:15 am	Break
11:15 am to 12 pm	Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sonali Majumdar, author of Thriving As An International Scientist	Union Ballroom
12 pm to 1 pm	Lunch and Poster and Networking Session	Union Ballroom
1 pm to 2 pm	LINK Innovation Showcase	Union Ballroom
2 pm to 2:15 pm	Break
2:15 pm to 2:30 pm	Awards and Closing	Union Ballroom

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sonali Majumdar

Sonali Majumdar

Dr. Sonali Majumdar is an international scientist, author, higher education administrator, and educator whose career has centered on innovation, problem solving, and preparing PhDs and postdocs for dynamic career paths. Born and raised in India, she began her career in healthcare as a clinical embryologist, where she was part of a small team of physicians and embryologists that built a new IVF center in Kolkata—an early experience with entrepreneurship in healthcare.

After moving to the United States, she earned her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Georgia and completed postdoctoral training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Her research has explored RNA-protein complexes across areas including CRISPR-Cas bacterial immunity, brain development, and cancer-associated mutations. She later transitioned into higher education administration to strengthen graduate and postdoctoral training, building professional development programs for PhDs and postdocs at the University of Virginia and now through GradFUTURES at Princeton University.

Her book, Thriving as an International Scientist, draws on her experience as a career educator and mentor to support international STEM PhDs, postdocs, faculty advisors, and managers with practical strategies for career success.

Postdoc Presenters

Meet the postdoctoral scholars sharing their research, ideas, and innovations at Postdoc LINK.

Stephanie Nehasil

School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences

"Finding right whales in a changing ocean: linking prey dynamics and survey effort"

Samantha Cobos

Neurobiology and Behavior

"Cogs in the Machine: How Throwing a Wrench in Gene Silencing Machinery Alters TDP-43-based Neurodegeneration in Drosophila melanogaster"

Alexandra Good

School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences

"Coral reefs catch diseases too: how to model an outbreak underwater"

Darla Migan

Philosophy

"Curating Contemporary Art as Public Philosophy"

John Chen

Neurobiology and Behavior

"Premotor control of preparatory activity in the gustatory cortex"

Alix de Jersey

School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences

"From discovery to cross-species validation: a pathway-level biomarker of plastic exposure in seabirds"

Zachary Hobel

Neurobiology and Behavior

"A novel basolateral amygdala to dorsolateral striatum projection modulates stimulus-evoked motor behavior"

Bahman Khalvatifahlyani

Pathology

"Comprehensive LC-MS/MS Profiling Enables Isomer-Specific Quantification of 4E- and 14Z-Deoxyceramides"

Yixin Li

Radiology

"Improving 3D Breast Imaging Through Advanced Computational Reconstruction"

Romario Matos

Microbiology and Immunology

"Age-dependent CNS cellular responses to Powassan virus infection reveal neurodegenerative signatures and APP/Aβ accumulation"

Mohammad Moniruzzaman

Psychiatry and Chemistry

"A Highly Efficient Desilylative 11C-Methylation Protocol of (Hetero) Aryltrialkoxysilanes Mediated by Fluoride and Palladium"

Swetha Murthygowda

Anesthesiology

"Early life social isolation primes flies for more rapid TDP-43 dependent neurodegeneration later in life"

Neetika Jaisinghani

Pharmacology

"Loss of riboflavin biosynthesis leads to accumulation of select aromatic amino acids and loss of infectivity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis"

Mason Youngblood

Institute for Advanced Computational Science

"Complexity and structure in nonhuman vocal culture"

Kanti Mihooliya

Medicine

"Fighting Drug-Resistant Klebsiella with Antibodies"

Jaclyn Mauro

Chemistry

"Catch-and-Release Radiolabeling: A Novel Strategy for PET Tracer Development"

Program Highlights

LINK Lightning Talks

Postdoctoral scholars will share concise research presentations designed for an interdisciplinary audience.

Poster and Networking Session

Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with postdocs, campus partners, and colleagues across disciplines.

LINK Innovation Showcase

Postdocs will present innovative ideas, technologies, or approaches with potential research, entrepreneurial, policy, or community impact.

Awards

Awards, sponsored by the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, will recognize outstanding postdoctoral achievement in research communication, innovation, poster presentation, leadership, and mentorship.