NextGen Association 2023 Ballot

Please enter your votes for chair of the NextGen Association for Postdocs and Graduate Students. Voting ends Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 11:59 PM. You can vote for up to four (4) candidates.

As a reminder: The two highest-ranking candidates will be offered the co-chair positions; the remaining candidates will be offered vice-chair positions. Each position is to be held for a one-year term.

👉 CAST YOUR BALLOT HERE: broad.io/NextGenBallot2023

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions at traineeaffairs@broadinstitute.org.

Yossef Baidi

My fellow trainees,

My name is Yossef Baidi and I am a third-year graduate student working in the Beroukhim Lab as part of the Cancer Program at the Broad Institute. Over the past year I have had the pleasure of serving as one of the chairs of the NextGen Association and if re-elected I want to make this next year even better for the trainee community! In June, NextGen hosted the first Trainee Prom at the Broad and it was a huge success with many of the trainee community showing up to celebrate with each other in the theme of the Roaring 20s! Also, throughout the year we have hosted Trainee Alumni Social Mixers to allow current Broad trainees to network with trainee alumni and to hear more about the different career opportunities they have pursued.

While we have accomplished a lot this past year, there is still a lot more I want to do to foster community among Broad trainees and to provide more resources/opportunities for us trainees to prepare for our next steps after working here. With regards to building community, the NextGen Association is working on the Trainee Retreat for next year which we hope will be bring the trainee community together for a day of discussions and seminars. And we are planning to have more regular events throughout the year, such as a trivia social and working with a local animal rescue to have a dog petting/adoption event, to allow trainees to stay connected. In terms of professional development, we are continuing our Facing Forward speaker series, where we bring in leading scientists to talk to trainees about the challenges they have faced and how they have dealt with them. And we are excited to bring in a former Broadie who is currently an industry leader to speak at this series early next year!

This past year has been amazing getting to connect with more of the trainee community here! If re-elected I look forward to continue advocating for all trainees and improving the trainee experience here.

Matthew Brown

Hi all! My name is Matthew Brown and I am postdoc working in the Greka lab as part of the Kidney Disease Initiative. During my time so far at Broad, NextGen has provided fantastic academic, social, and professional opportunities, enriching my postdoc experience. I’m excited about the opportunity to serve trainees at the Broad through NextGen and continue supporting the organization’s outstanding initiatives and events to positively impact every trainee. I aim to listen and convey the needs of both postdocs and graduate students along with advocating for initiatives to ease the strain of the increasing cost-of-living. I have previously had the privilege to serve as a NextGen vice chair and hope to continue representing and supporting trainees at the Broad. Thank you for your consideration!

Choah Kim

Hello! I am a postdoc in the Greka Lab here at the Broad Institute. Through working at the Broad the past five years, I have met inspiring individuals and attended career events and scientific talks hosted by groups like the NextGen Association that have enriched my experience as a trainee. As your representative, I would like to continue to expand opportunities for social and scientific networking as well as career development events to support postdocs and graduate students in planning for their next career stages. I have previously served in program leadership positions to organize events, gain feedback from participants, and find ways to support those in our organization. I look forward to having the opportunity to use these experiences to serve you all as a NextGen chair.

Ricardo Harripaul

The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard is a uniquely vibrant, collaborative, and diverse research institution. The cutting-edge science and the opportunity to make the world a better place through scientific advancement has attracted and motivated many of the brightest individuals through its doors. The importance of maintaining and improving such a unique enterprise cannot be understated in an ever-changing and adapting world. I am running as a NextGen Association co-chair to improve the policies and experience of graduate students and postdocs at the Broad Institute. I want to maintain the tradition of excellence while expanding our career opportunities, training resources and improving diversity, networking and inclusion.

I completed my Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and moved to the Broad during the pandemic lockdown. During my Ph.D., I served on several committees to improve computing knowledge through steering policies and developing educational workshops.

I have been at the Broad Institute for 2 yrs and three months as a postdoctoral fellow at the Stanley Center and Medical and Population Genetics. During that time, I have served on the Belonging@Broad Steering Committee, the LatinX Steering Committee. Harvard Postdoc Association and NextGen Association. I spearheaded the LatinX Speaker Series which has the goal of promoting young researchers and trainees to a larger audience while enhancing the diversity in genomics research and allowing greater networking. Through the Broad, I have taught middle school students science classes through a grassroots initiative. Some examples of initiatives I am involved with are the Salsa Classes and Off-site Salsa social events, Next Gen Prom, and René Salazar Speaker Series – now in its second year. My experience has come from organizing and planning multi-year series and large events which is a testament to the robustness of my commitments and activities. I strive to meet your needs as trainees and will encourage more engagement through town halls and feedback in different formats, encouraging better work life balance, networking and career development opportunities. I am also an American Society of Human Genetics Scholar and Policy and Advocacy Fellow. I interact with a larger network including industry partners.

My future plans are for more outreach activities with the Broad in underserved and diverse communities that would otherwise not have access to large scale research institutions and more professional development opportunities. I would also like to promote more integration and networking between the different research agencies in the area.

With my leadership experience at different levels of academia, industry, and international research communities, I am qualified to serve as a co-chair in the NextGen Association. I hope I can serve as your representative.

Thomas Hercher

As elected chair my goal will be to build on and expand the existing infrastructure at Broad to improve the postdoc level communication between labs. This will permit us to benefit from the Broads collaborative culture and community for the rest of our career’s.

By using the resources available to the NextGen association I believe we can identify ways to help both wet and dry lab scientists tackle the obstacles preventing us from forming connections that we will be able to draw on in the future.

I am French-German and currently a wet lab postdoc, starting my third year of research at the Broad. As an international I have a deep appreciation for the cultural diversity of our community. Although primarily based at the Broad I am regularly at MGH and hope we will be able to build on the cross-community integration already present in many Broad labs.

I was taught that it is our duty to improve our institute for the coming generations of postdocs, as past members of the NextGen organisation paved the road we are on currently. I hope you will trust me with your vote.

Edgar Alejandro Llamas Mejia

Hola, Broad Institute community! I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to run for the NextGen Association leadership position and be part of the ongoing journey to enhance our training environment. It’s been an incredible experience at the Broad so far, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the academic and social events organized by the NextGen association.

My vision for NextGen involves (1) creating programs that empower trainees to tackle industry and academic challenges head-on (i.e., career coaching), (2) fostering a sense of community where academic trainees can collaborate, socialize, and maintain their passion for science, and (3) promoting economic sustainability by organizing seminars that educate individuals on seizing opportunities in Massachusetts, such as affordable housing, investment strategies, opening bank accounts, savings, and 401k plans.

As a postdoctoral scholar, I’ve previously helped organize seminars (e.g., the Rene Salazar Speaker Series, LatinX), professional development courses (e.g., storytelling course, industry), and networking events (e.g., Broad salsa class, LatinX, and Broad Prom as NextGen advisor). I’m committed to building on the strong foundation laid by our past chairs and continuing to organize social and career development events.

The Broad Institute is a beacon of collaboration and diversity. I’m running for Co-Chair of the NextGen Association to preserve and fortify this unique environment. Your trust is deeply appreciated, and together, we can make the Broad Institute an even better place for all of us!

Guilia Monti

Hello everyone! My name is Giulia Monti and I’m a postdoc in the Greka lab as part of the Kidney Disease Initiative. In less than a year since I joined the Broad, I’ve come to truly embrace the privilege of being part of such a vibrant and stimulating community. I had the pleasure to participate in several events organized by NextGen association, and I was really inspired by the passion and commitment of the people working for offering us trainees multiple opportunities for social engagement and career growth. This reminded me how much I love bringing people together and creating a positive vibe. During my PhD, I had the privilege of serving on the committee responsible for coordinating a scientific event focused on fostering networking and enhancing presentation skills among the graduate students. Now, I hope to continue to channel my dedication to connect fellow trainees here at the Broad by running as Co-Chair at NextGen, and I aim to support the long-lasting tradition of inclusivity and collaboration that characterizes the Broad community.

In my vision, NextGen is the perfect environment where all trainees can find support, opportunities for meeting new people and for professional development. If elected, I would like to assist NextGen in organizing more social gatherings, as well as initiatives that bolster professional development including cross-disciplinary networking meetings, skill-building workshops, and stress managing seminars. My goal is to be a proactive advocate for the Broad trainee community, actively amplifying their voices.

Thank you for your consideration!

Petra Palenikova

Hi all! My name is Petra Palenikova and I am a second year postdoc at the Stanley Center and NNF Center for Genomic Mechanisms of Disease. Broad is an exciting place to work with almost unlimited resources, but it also comes with its challenges and pressure to perform well. I am running for the post of NextGen co-chair as I truly believe that the NextGen Association for Postdocs and Graduate Students plays an important role in building a positive work environment and fostering connections and friendships between all trainees. I joined NextGen as one of the vice-chairs last year, and it has been a pleasure and a privilege to serve on this committee, having an opportunity to contribute to the planning of social and career development events. I would like to continue to do this work and listen to the needs of our diverse community, from pointing new Broadies to useful resources for settling in, to planning career development events that help in deciding about moving to the next career stage in academia or industry. Being an international postdoc I would like to focus on helping build resources for the international community of postdocs, whether you plan to stay in the US long term or return to your home country afterwards. I would be honored by the opportunity to represent you as a co-chair on NextGen in the upcoming year. I am always happy to meet and get to know other postdocs so don’t hesitate to reach out.

Maria Virginia Ruiz Cuevas

My name is Maria Virginia, but for short I like to be called MaVi (it is much shorter). I was proudly born in the Colombian countryside and recently became a postdoc Broadie in the proteomics platform which makes me feel even more proud. Although I have only been here for a short time and although knock on wood because I don’t want to jinx it, I can say that so far, so good and even beyond! I am especially impressed and grateful for all the support the Broad offers to postdocs and graduate students through academic affairs and the NextGen partnership. That’s why I want to become more closely involved in NextGen as co-chair, as I want to contribute in return. I have always been involved in student associations and volunteered in organizing events for the associations or communities at large, so I want to continue this path at the Broad. I love meeting new people, helping to organize social events and developing new ideas on how we can all make life more fulfilling and keep the Broad a great and healthy place to work. I am particularly interested in mental health, work-life balance and how to figure out what the next most important steps in a career might be, all of which I would like to advocate for. Having said all this, I would be honored and even prouder to be elected co-chair of the NextGen Association, therefore, I would be grateful for your consideration!

Srijit Seal

Hi! I am Srijit, a graduate student transitioning into a postdoc at the Imaging Platform at the Broad Institute. My journey in academia and organizations has been shaped by a commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive community. Drawing from my experiences as Trustee and President of the Graduate Student Body at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge (UK), and as a Student Council Representative at the Chemistry Department, University of Cambridge (UK), I bring valuable skills in organization, communication, and advocacy to advance the mission of the NextGen Association.

I would like to share my vision for our community:

Engaging Events: I am committed to organizing larger and more vibrant outdoor and online events, with your input guiding our choices. From pizza nights to music and games, we will create opportunities for everyone to connect and have fun.

Prioritizing Mental Health: Your well-being is our top priority. I will maintain close collaboration with BroadLife to make sure that your mental health is never compromised, with support readily available to you.

Celebrating Diversity: Our community’s strength lies in its diversity, and I will work diligently to ensure that everyone feels at home and that we embrace and celebrate our cultural traditions together.

Enhanced Support: I understand the challenges many of us face, and I am dedicated to popularizing the benefits offered by the Broad that cater to your specific needs, ensuring that you have the necessary resources you need.

Effective Communication: We will establish regular and transparent channels, ensuring that your suggestions and concerns always hold a central place in our discussions.

I am excited to collaborate with all of you to shape the future of the NextGen Association. If you have any questions, or suggestions, or simply wish to connect, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at seal@broadinstitute.org.

Kayla M. Socarras

I am a newer postdoctoral fellow at the Broad who is running for the Next Generation Committee Co-chair. My time at the Broad started in January 2023 within the Medical Population and Genetics platform and the Translational Genomics Group. In my short time, I have seen how collaborative and innovative environment within the Broad. I was happy to discover that there were opportunities for trainees to branch out from their respective fields and learn more about what science has to offer. I have also learned that here in the Broad great strides were taken to make our community more inclusive and have opportunities reflective of the wishes of the trainees.

Before I joined the Broad, I completed my doctorate at Drexel University College of Medicine and saw a gap in some of the training opportunities and inclusion work for trainees. While I was working on my doctorate, I spent time as vice president of student organizations like the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Student Association and Biomedical Science Graduate Students for Diversity, where I facilitated an inclusive, safe, and collaborative environment for all graduate students to grow in their core competencies during the height of the pandemic. I also, spent time as a student leader for professional organizations such as the Black Microbiologist Association and the Eastern Pennsylvania Branch of the American Society of Microbiology to improve science communication, community service, and outreach within the greater Philadelphia area. These leadership roles allowed me to ideate, build, and run activities like workshops, panels, and presentations as well as create media for the scientific community and the general public. It has helped especially in communicating about science and misinformation to people of all ages ranging from children to seniors.

Though I am no longer a graduate student at Drexel, I still believe in connecting with the surrounding community, supporting trainees, and collaborating with others to make things happen. In the few months that I have been at the Broad, I had the opportunity to take part in NextGen meetings and work with the committee to plan and host the Trainee Prom in June. In these experiences, I learned what NextGen was like and how it integrated within the Broad trainee community. As a member, I want to help the NextGen Association in fostering a greater sense of community at the Broad. As a co-chair nominee, I want NextGen to continue to meet its goals of increasing diversity and inclusion as well as supporting trainees where they need it the most.