The Research and Professional Development (R&PD) Subcommittee of CUPS organizes events for the professional and personal development of Columbia postdocs. Our main goal is to provide resources that supports the postdoc community in their current roles, as well as prepare those ready to transition in their career. We have events exploring diverse career options for PhDs, networking opportunities with professionals, panel discussions on women in science, immigration info sessions, talks promoting mental health and many more!
In the past year (2017-2018) we have successfully organized a Biotech Career Panel & Networking Session, a Women in Science Panel and an Immigration Info Session. We are also looking forward to organizing Careers Beyond the Postdoc – an informational session on non-academic careers with over 20 PhD professionals from a variety of career sectors.
The committee meets on a monthly basis and is recruiting new members! By joining this subcommittee you can i) get experience in a leadership role, ii) shape the career development opportunities available to Columbia postdocs iii) get support in implementing your own ideas, iv) make new connections in various professional fields.
We recently made the decision to endorse JoLS, Journal of Life Sciences, the first-ever peer-reviewed Open Access international publication run entirely by postdoc scientists. If you are interested in this initiative, please visit their website: http://www.journalofLifeSciences.Org

Subcommittee Members
Tuhin Roy graduated from North Carolina State University (NCSU) with an M.S. degree in Applied Mathematics and a Ph.D. degree in Structural Engineering & Mechanics in 2021. Upon completion of his graduation, he continued as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Dr. Murthy Guddati’s group at NCSU working on guided wave inversion for the estimation of arterial stiffness from Shear Wave Elastography. In January 2023, Tuhin joined Dr. Elisa Konofagou’s laboratory at Columbia University as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist. He is engaged in research focusing on two main areas: Harmonic Shear Wave Elastography, aimed at characterizing tissue stiffness for breast cancer detection, and Pulse Wave Inverse Problems, targeted at characterizing vascular walls to identify cardiovascular diseases. His research interests include acoustics, signal processing, finite element analysis, and optimization for biomedical applications.
Tuhin joined the Columbia University Postdoctoral Society (CUPS) in 2023 and currently serves as the Chair of the Research and Professional Development (RPD) Committee for the 2024-2025 cycle. The RPD Committee plays a vital role in supporting the postdoc community by providing resources to enhance their current roles and preparing them for future career transitions. The committee organizes a variety of events, including exploring diverse career options, networking opportunities with professionals, panel discussions on women in science, immigration info sessions, talks promoting mental health and many more.
After completing my PhD in Neuroscience, I began my postdoctoral journey at Columbia University in June 2023 as a Research Scientist in the Department of Neurology. My research focuses on investigating cognitive impairments, particularly language deficits, in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. This work aims to uncover the underlying mechanisms and improve understanding of how these impairments affect patients' daily lives.
After settling into this vibrant city, I sought opportunities to connect with others and expand my professional network. I began attending events organized by CUPS as a way to meet like-minded individuals and foster new relationships. These enriching experiences inspired me to take a more active role within the organization, and I soon joined the team as the Social Media Manager. In this capacity, I collaborate with colleagues to enhance community engagement and promote the society’s initiatives to support postdoctoral scholars at Columbia.