About us

Krithika Karthigeyan

Postdoctoral Associate
Pediatrics

As postdocs, we make a significant contribution to the exciting and groundbreaking research happening at Weill Cornell. We do this while living in one of the highest cost-of-living areas in the world, with immigration uncertainties for international postdocs, and inadequate housing access among many other issues. Although these pressures make it increasingly difficult to recruit postdocs, Weill Cornell has chosen not to compensate us fairly for the important work that we do. I strongly support the formation of a postdoc union at Weill Cornell so that we can bargain for equitable pay that matches our contributions, among other improvements for postdoctoral associates in our community.

Jonathan Ma

Postdoctoral Associate
Biochemistry

As a researcher I investigate how macrophages transform into foam cells during the development of atherosclerosis. I relocated from Toronto, Canada to New York City with the intention of advancing my career in academia. However, insufficient help with often complex and unfamiliar visa procedures can cause stress and financial costs that make focusing on research much more difficult.Through the establishment of a union, we can collectively advocate for more support for international postdocs when we first arrive in NYC, so we can adjust to our new home and excel in our research and scholarly pursuits. I fully support the unionization of postdoctoral fellows at Weill Cornell Medicine so we can more effectively address visa issues, discrimination, and inadequate rent support in this vibrant city.

Chelsea Crooks

Postdoctoral Associate
Pediatrics

As a researcher who focuses on vaccines for pregnant people and their infants, I care deeply about ensuring that families are able to thrive. Currently, Postdocs are under financial strain to take care of themselves and their families and therefore be their full selves at work. We are highly skilled employees and conduct the research that moves research projects forward. In one of the highest cost of living cities in the world, we are under-compensated for our labor. Forming a union is the best way to collectively bargain for the improved working conditions, benefits, and salary that postdocs deserve. Investing in the academic workforce is critical to the future success of academia, and will create the conditions for postdocs of all backgrounds to access and thrive in academic research.

Juan Rodríguez Alcázar

Postdoctoral Associate
Pediatrics

As a foreigner young scientist, I came to Weill Cornell Medicine with the ambition to do great science and contribute to the scientific community. However, I’ve come to realize that the conditions in which postdocs work here make it challenging to achieve these goals fully. The low pay, high cost of living, visa uncertainty, and other factors can hinder our ability to focus on our research and achieve groundbreaking scientific discoveries. Therefore, I support the formation of a union at this institution to advocate for policies that improve postdoc working conditions, allowing us to concentrate on our research and achieve our full potential.

Fernanda Subtil

Postdoctoral Associate
Medicine

I moved to the U.S. as a postdoctoral researcher in 2022 because of the respect American institutions have world-wide. However, the lack of better opportunities and rights for postdocs has led to a trend of talented researchers moving away from academia. The massive gap in work-life balance and benefits between an academic career and industry in the US is staggering. I believe that having a union will provide more power to negotiate for a fair contract with the institution. When our efforts come to fruition, we would have contributed more to the scientific community than any paper could ever do in my opinion – as we would have provided a more attractive position so that young scientists can continue choosing academia.

Sara Bernardo

Postdoctoral Associate
Medicine

I love my job and the lab I work in. Despite this, I was raised with the saying “never settle, always try to make things better if you can”. I soon realised how many issues postdocs face, from visa issues to low salaries, and how difficult it is to be heard without the ability to represent ourselves effectively. Therefore, I fully support the unionisation of postdocs in WCM. In my opinion, this is the best way to fight for our rights and to improve our lives as postdoctoral fellows.

Valerie Vinette

Postdoctoral Associate
Microbiology & Immunology

With considerable increases in salary for postdocs at neighboring institutions beginning to take effect, WCM salaries and benefits are now lagging behind and are no longer competitive. With the high cost of living in New York City, this contributes to the difficulty in retaining postdocs at WCM, as do elevated childcare costs, housing difficulties, and lack of support with immigration visas concerns. Rectifying these pressing issues allow us to devote more of our energy to performing groundbreaking research. Based on my experience as part of the WCM PDA, first as a chair, and now as a co-president, I believe that we have reached a plateau in what can be done without the ability to bargain collectively with WCM. That is why I fully support our efforts to unionize.

Akshay Vishwanatha

Postdoctoral Associate
Medicine

As a majority-international workforce of researchers upholding the quality of WCM’s research, we encounter low salaries amid rising living costs, minimal parental benefits, immigration and visa complexities, and prolonged years of postdoctoral training with limited faculty prospects. While I have a supportive PI, many are not so lucky and receive minimal assistance to alleviate these burdens. This lack of support can adversely affect morale and research productivity, leading many postdocs and graduates to pursue opportunities outside academia. Establishing a postdoc union would enable us to negotiate improved salary and benefits reflecting current financial conditions, as well as streamline rules and regulations to facilitate a seamless transition for postdocs coming to the US, so we can concentrate on our primary pursuit: Scientific Research.

Irem Atasoy

Postdoctoral Associate
Anesthesiology

I believe that better science can be achieved with a healthier work environment and the ability to share ideas and concerns with transparency. However, right now the lack of stability and predictability we experience in our positions makes it more difficult to foster this kind of free and open environment. I support having a Union so we can build a stronger and freer voice to improve everyday lives as postdocs.

Emilie Khalfallah

Postdoctoral Associate
Radiology

As a queer immigrant postdoc who comes from a country with a strong positive history of unionizing, I have experienced first-hand in my home country the benefits of having a union that protects not only my rights as a worker but my sense of agency in any decisions affecting my work environment. I want to ensure that my postdoc experience is equally positive and rewarding and forming a union is one step to achieving that.

MARIELA CORTÉS LÓPEZ

Postdoctoral Associate
Medicine

I joined Weill Cornell in 2022 to pursue my scientific interests and the opportunity to work in a stimulating scientific environment. Although New York City offers all that and more, I initially had concerns about the high cost of living in the city. Drawing from my experience during my PhD in Germany, where I learned the importance of advocating for fair contracts in science and the significance of improving work conditions alongside our scientific endeavors, I made the decision to help organize the union. My aim is to support efforts to improve salaries and benefits for all postdocs. Despite being a renowned institution, Weill Cornell currently lags behind other institutions in NYC when it comes to fair working conditions for its postdoctoral community. I hope that our collaborative effort contributes to creating a more equitable and supportive environment for all postdocs in our community.

Caitlin Williams

Postdoctoral Associate
Pediatrics

The wages offered by Weill Cornell are not sufficient for supporting a family in New York City, nor do they reflect the extensive academic training and expertise of a postdoctoral position. As a mother and a scientist I believe it is crucial to support our positions with comprehensive wages and benefits such as access to low cost childcare. By forming a union, we can have a bigger voice as researchers to advocate for these and other policies.

Marie Parsons

Postdoctoral Associate
Medicine

As the previous co-president of the Weill Cornell Medicine Postdoc Association, I support the effort for postdocs to unionize. In my efforts as co-president, I aimed to advocate and stand up for postdocs, to create a community that is inclusive, welcoming, and supportive. However, in my experience postdocs seldom got a seat at the table and were often an afterthought in many decisions that impact our lives and wellbeing. Now is the time for change, to implement solutions and for postdocs to have a greater say in issues that affect our working lives, including salaries, immigration issues, housing and childcare costs and mental health care, among many other issues.

Shadi Azam

Postdoctoral Associate
Population Health Science

After moving to the U.S. last year after 18 years living in Finland, I realized that there is a massive gap in work – life balance and benefits between the academics and scientists in industry. Since I joined Weill Cornell Medicine, I have advocated for our rights and well-being as researchers – and I’m confident that we could do even more to enhance the everyday lives of postdocs if we had the ability to negotiate as equals with the Weill Cornell administration through a union.

Zuhal Eraslan

Postdoctoral Associate
Dermatology

I support unionizing to have a bigger voice for postdocs to address insufficient financial support from the institution. Unfortunately, postdocs are often underpaid, although we work long hours and significantly contribute to science. With the strength of unity, we can speak with one voice as postdocs in order to raise standards and improve the quality of life of researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Sahar Jalal

Postdoctoral Associate
Radiology

As the Weill Cornell Medicine PDA co-president co-founder of the anti-discrimination committee, I have experienced first-hand both the positive changes a university-sponsored postdoc organization can make, as well as the limits of our advocacy without the ability to bargain collectively with the Cornell administration. With a union, Cornell would have a legal obligation to negotiate with us over critical issues such as childcare, salaries, immigration, and a more inclusive environment for women and underrepresented folks in STEM, all of which directly affect our working conditions and well-being. I believe that now is the time to develop a long-term solution where the postdoc community has an equal say and greater agency in these and other areas.

Udayan Bhattacharya

Postdoctoral Associate
Pathology & Lab Medicine

I am a postdoctoral researcher investigating the role of a few proteins on Patient derived organoid and cancer cells plus normal cells. I moved from India to New York City four years back, right before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a family man with two kids, I have faced initial and continual hardships in NYC, the most expensive city of the world, due to WCM’s inadequate salary structure. Having a union would be important so that we can better our standard of living, as well as combat discrimination, and negotiate for improved benefits.

Shubha Bevkal Subramanyaswamy

Postdoctoral Associate
Medicine

While I am fortunate to have a supportive PI who values work-life balance and fair wages, I recognize that postdoc benefits and conditions vary across labs, and many are not so lucky. These variations can create major barriers to our ability to do quality research, as many of us are forced to deal with challenges like job insecurity, low pay, limited career prospects, and inadequate benefits without institutional support. I support a postdoc union to ensure equitable access to competitive salaries, respectful work expectations, and stronger support for housing and childcare, so we can focus on scientific creativity, research, and professional growth rather than budgeting.

Camilo Ferrer

Postdoctoral Associate
Neuroscience

As an international postdoc I’ve experienced the frustrations many of us face in terms of low salaries, high housing prices and lack of support from the institution, among others. We are often completely on our own and at the mercy of our PIs, hoping that they will treat us fairly and recognize our expertise, hard labor and scientific contributions. I strongly believe that we need better representation and a seat on the table to advocate for our needs and concerns. Therefore, I fully support unionization so that as a community we can have a voice and make a change for ourselves.