Postdoc Features

Written by Leping Wang, Ph.D. Growing up, I moved frequently — across cities within China and eventually across national borders. I’ve always been fascinated by the different social realities I am exposed to in different parts of the world. Observing how different facets of identity such as gender, class, education,… Read More

Written by Heather Hartmann, Ph.D. Heather is a postdoc in the department of Biochemistry, where she investigates the role fatty acid binding proteins play in drug metabolism. Heather grew up in Wisconsin and California, but also spent time in Colorado during college. Heather attended college at the College of Wooster… Read More

Written by Mohd Khan, Ph.D. I’m excited to share a bit about my journey. I’m originally from Banda, Uttar Pradesh, India. Like many children, I grew up with encouragement from my family to pursue medicine. While I didn’t follow that exact path, their support planted an early seed that… Read More

Written by Chitrang Dani, Ph.D. Chitrang has been a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Biology at Vanderbilt since 2023, focusing his work on the evolution of circadian rhythms. Guided by curiosity and a sense of purpose, he has navigated both breakthroughs and inevitable missteps, finding growth through uncertainty. Originally… Read More

Written by Mahima Sharma, Ph.D. Sailing around the globe, sojourning in lighthouses and islands, inventing gizmos like they were a piece of cake – growing up, I lived in a world of books, and this was the life I conjured up for myself. Even though I wasn’t very sure what… Read More

Written by Angela Xiao, Ph.D. Hi! My name is Angela Ziyan Xiao. I joined Vanderbilt in August 2025 as a postdoc in marketing at Owen. I appreciate this opportunity to share some of my story with you. I am generally interested in human judgment and decision making and consumer psychology. Read More

Written by Ronald McMillan, Ph.D. As this month’s postdoc spotlight, I’m excited to share a bit about myself. I’m originally from Wilmington, Delaware, and I’m proud to be the first in my family to graduate from college. Like many kids, my mom encouraged me to become a medical doctor. While… Read More

Written by Lorenzo Gavassino, Ph.D. I am a mathematical physicist with Italian roots. This, in brief, sums up my biography. Now that’s settled, I imagine you, the reader, might be more interested in why I am passionate about math and physics, and what invisible drive leads me to pursue such… Read More

Written by Milene Fontes, Ph.D. My name is Milene Fontes, a woman scientist born in a small town in northeastern Brazil. Walking with my dog, exploring the city of Nashville, meeting friends, and cooking are my favorite hobbies in my free time. I enjoy the energy around the Vanderbilt campus,… Read More

Written by Andreas Mono, Ph.D. Hi there! I am a postdoc at the Department of Mathematics working under the supervision of Professor Larry Rolen since August 2023. Vanderbilt provides an excellent work environment, a fantastic community, and wonderful experiences since I have begun to work here. I am very delighted… Read More