Nine Postdocs Honored with Achievement Awards
September 19, 2025
By Katya Hrichak
Selected from a highly competitive pool of nominees, nine postdoctoral scholars were honored with Postdoc Achievement Awards during Cornell’s celebration of National Postdoc Appreciation Week, held from Sept. 15-19.
Cornell employs more than 700 postdoctoral scholars across nearly 90 departments where they contribute to the university’s research, teaching, and extension missions.
The Postdoc Achievement Awards recognize individuals who have made contributions to the Cornell community and show a commitment to promoting inclusion at Cornell and in society. Winners were nominated and endorsed by faculty, staff, and graduate and undergraduate students in one or more categories.
The 2025 award recipients are:
- Achievement Award for Excellence in Community Engagement: Bailey Flynn (Brooks School), Jennifer Grauer, Ph.D. ‘24 (natural resources and the environment), and Heather Kim, Ph.D. ‘24 (mechanical and aerospace engineering)
- Achievement Award for Excellence in Leadership: Lucinda Li (School of Integrative Plant Science), Inbal Ravreby (psychology, Klarman Fellow), and Bec (Rebecca) Schmitt (molecular medicine)
- Achievement Award for Excellence in Mentoring: Adam Beard (population medicine and diagnostic sciences), Shawna Cook (Baker Institute for Animal Health), and Bryan MacNeill (ecology and evolutionary biology)
“Receiving this award is a great recognition of the work that I’ve put in to both my postdoc and doctoral work here at Cornell and means that there is a whole team of people who appreciate it,” said Grauer. “I am so touched by everyone’s support and overjoyed to see that I have made a positive impact in the communities and ecological systems where I work.”
Cook similarly appreciates the acknowledgement of the impact she’s had on those she works with.
“I am truly honored to receive this award,” said Cook. “Mentorship has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career so far, and it means a lot to know that my efforts to support and inspire students are recognized. I have been fortunate to have wonderful, supportive mentors to help me through my academic journey, and I aspire to do the same for others.”
For Schmitt, the award expresses appreciation for the ways in which postdocs contribute to life at Cornell beyond their appointments.
“Receiving the Postdoc Achievement Award for Excellence in Leadership is a tremendous honor. This recognition affirms the importance of developing non-technical skills that are often underemphasized in academic research environments,” said Schmitt. “I’m deeply grateful to be recognized for contributions beyond research, efforts that reflect my commitment to building a more welcoming and supportive environment.”
Award recipients were recognized during a Postdoc Appreciation and Awards Reception, held on Sept. 18.
“Postdocs are an integral part of the campus community,” said Christine Holmes, director of postdoctoral studies. “They play an important role in every aspect of Cornell’s mission, and these awards are one way we like to recognize and celebrate them each year.”
The Postdoc Achievement Awards were established in 2018 and are awarded annually to postdoctoral scholars at Cornell.