Is There a Postdoc in the House?
EMSL celebrates 18 postdoctoral researchers supporting the user facility
Aishwarya Santosh Deshpande, a postdoctoral researcher in the Environmental Transformations and Interactions science area at the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, is one of the user facility’s 18 postdoctoral researchers. (Photo by Genoa Blankenship | Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory)
Among the 194 staff members at the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), there are 18 postdoctoral researchers working in biological, environmental, and computational sciences.
At EMSL, postdocs are scientists who have earned their PhD and are conducting research under the mentorship of a staff scientist. Most postdoctoral positions at EMSL are one to three years in length.
For the last 15 years, EMSL has joined the National Postdoctoral Association in recognizing the work of postdocs by celebrating their contributions in September.
As part of National Postdoc Appreciation Week (Sept. 16–20), EMSL is featuring three postdocs—Pranav Dawar, Aishwarya Santosh Deshpande, and August George. They conduct science in the user facility’s Functional and Systems Biology, Environmental Transformations and Interactions, and Computing, Analytics, and Modeling science areas.
Pranav Dawar
Functional and Systems Biology
How long have you worked at EMSL? What do your duties and responsibilities include?
I recently completed my first year at EMSL, PNNL, which has been a remarkable journey filled with opportunities to learn and gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art technologies. My research has centered on exploring plant–pathogen interactions at both tissue and single-cell scales, enhancing our understanding of the stages of disease development. In addition, I am focusing on introducing novel platforms to EMSL’s pipelines to quantify specific biomolecules with the aim of providing a comprehensive view of systems biology. I am also working to increase awareness of PNNL’s single-cell and spatial omics platforms within the plant science community.
What drew you to a career in science?
I did not always know I wanted a career in science and initially pursued medical school for some time. However, during my preparation for medical school, I was introduced to molecular biology and biotechnology. This field captivated me, as I realized that it would provide the flexibility to explore multiple questions from various perspectives, along with the freedom to pick and choose the most compelling inquiries.
What are the greatest challenges you have faced in your career path?
The greatest challenge I’ve faced is balancing the pursuit of innovative research with the pressures of funding and publishing while navigating the uncertainty and demands of a constantly evolving scientific landscape.
What is your goal for your scientific career?
At this early stage in my scientific career, I do not set broad overarching goals. Given the dynamic nature of science, I strive to remain flexible and adaptive, staying current with emerging developments while maintaining focus on the foundational motivations that originally inspired me.
What advice would you give a fellow postdoc or someone pursuing a PhD?
Stay curious and embrace challenges, as they often lead to the most meaningful discoveries. Build a strong network, seek diverse perspectives, and remember to balance passion with resilience.
What have you learned during your time as a postdoc at EMSL?
EMSL is renowned for its advanced research facilities and expertise in cutting-edge technologies, particularly in environmental and biological sciences. Being a member of a proteomics team, I have gained insights into EMSL’s state-of-the-art instrumentation and interdisciplinary research capabilities to explore various aspects of systems biology. Alongside making progress toward my research objectives, I have learned that patience, openness to collaboration, and a “can do” attitude would go a long way.
Aishwarya Santosh Deshpande
Environmental Transformations and Interactions
How long have you worked at EMSL? What do your duties and responsibilities include?
I have been at EMSL for almost a year now. I work on multiple research projects on soil microbial interactions, and my work includes wet lab work, bioinformatics analysis, writing, and attending meetings.
What drew you to a career in science?
I think my family background played a significant role in my decision to pursue a career in science. With both my parents and grandfather being doctors and the rest of my family having a strong scientific background, science was highly valued in our household. Throughout school, I discovered that not only was I skilled in science, but I also genuinely enjoyed studying it. From a young age, I knew I wanted to build a career in this field.
What are the greatest challenges you have faced in your career path?
The most significant challenge I faced during my PhD was when I struggled to achieve results from an experiment despite numerous attempts over the course of a year. However, this period taught me the value of persistence, and ultimately, I not only obtained the desired results but also managed to publish my findings in a prestigious journal.
What is your goal for your scientific career?
My long-term goal is to be involved in groundbreaking research that would result in solutions for society and the world at large. Specifically, I aspire to be a leading researcher in the field of environmental microbiology working on multidisciplinary approaches for environmental sustainability.
What advice would you give a fellow postdoc or someone pursuing a PhD?
Planning is crucial for successful research. Even when an experiment doesn’t work out, having a well-thought-out plan offers important direction. Setting clear goals for what you aim to complete each month or year can significantly aid in staying on track. This approach was instrumental in helping me write my thesis and complete my PhD within 5 years. But it’s also important to savor the journey, making sure to take breaks to relax and engage in your hobbies.
What have you learned during your time as a postdoc at EMSL?
I’ve learned the value of collaborative research during my time as a postdoc at EMSL. The expert guidance and advice I’ve received for my projects have been incredibly beneficial, and the assistance I got in different aspects of my work from team members significantly helped my projects.
August George
Computing, Analytics, and Modeling
