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<font size="4"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black; font-weight: bold;">Standing for PDA Orientation Committee Chair</span></font></p>
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<font size="4"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black; font-weight: bold;">Aaron
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black; font-weight: bold;">Persad</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;">: I am an
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;">NSERC</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;"> Postdoctoral Fellow in
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;">MechE</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;"> working on 2D membranes for Space Sciences. When I first joined MIT as a
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;">Postdoc</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;">, I remember being overwhelmed of all the
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;">Postdoc</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;"> programs available at MIT that popped up from a Google search. I faced challenges with navigating housing, health plans, and even email
subscription lists (and perhaps you have too). I still feel overwhelmed, even after spending a full year here at MIT, and I feel like I am missing out on many potentially beneficial programs. As the PDA Orientation Chair, I want to understand all of the programs,
services, support, and networks available on and off campus to MIT </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;">Postdocs</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;">.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>I will do my best to communicate that information to our members in a succinct, up-to-date and efficient way. I have experience leading orientation activities during my grad school and
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;">Postdoc</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;"> years at the University of Toronto (Mechanical) including open house events for undergrads and grads (5 yrs), mentorship programs for undergrads
(5 yrs) and </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;">Postdoc</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;"> advocacy (1 yr) for more conference/travel awards and opportunities for teaching. It would be my pleasure to be the PDA representative
that incoming MIT </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;">Postdocs</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: black;"> first meet at their orientation.</span></font></p>
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