Council Members

Council Member | 08/2024 to present

Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
College of Science
curtis39@purdue.edu

Council Bio:

Dr. Philip Curtis is a postdoctoral research associate in the Language Learning and Meaning Acquisition Lab in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. His research focuses on how children learn to produce the many different sounds that are part of the language(s) they are acquiring and ways to support their development.

As a member of the Purdue Postdoctoral Association (PPDA), Dr. Curtis is committed to advocating for postdocs at Purdue and enhancing the academic, personal, and professional opportunities available to them.

President | 11/2024 to present
Vice Pressident | 02/2024 - 11/2024
Council Member | 08/2023 - 02/2024

Department of Chemistry
College of Science
hossai54@purdue.edu

Council Bio:

Dr. Md Iqbal Hossain is a postdoctoral fellow in the Claridge Lab. His research focuses on developing precision interfaces through topochemical polymerization, enabling the creation of 1 nm chemical patterns. These patterns allow for the engineering of soft materials beyond their inherent heterogeneity, facilitating the study of cell binding for regenerative medicine and the organization of nanowires for nanoelectronics.

As a member of the Purdue Postdoctoral Association (PPDA), Dr. Hossain is committed to amplifying the voices and needs of postdocs within the Purdue community and fostering communication with university administration. Through PPDA, he works to ensure fair representation of the Purdue postdoc community while enhancing the postdoc experience by providing opportunities for both social and professional development.

Council Member | 08/2024 to present

Industrial and Physical Pharmacy
College of Pharmacy
akchahal@purdue.edu

Council Bio:

Dr. Amanpreet Kaur is a second-year Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics (IMPH) at the College of Pharmacy. She has been a Purdue Postdoctoral Association (PPDA) council member since 2024. With over seven years of experience in pre-formulation, solid-state pharmaceutics, and pharmaceutical product development, Dr. Kaur focuses on advancing pharmaceutical formulations through cutting-edge technologies. Her current research at Purdue University, funded by the Gates Foundation, involves developing novel formulations of poorly water-soluble anti-infectives that pose a threat to global health. She is dedicated to translating scientific insights into real-world pharmaceutical solutions. In her free time, Dr. Kaur enjoys watching movies, listening to music, and practicing yoga and meditation daily.

Vice President | 02/2025 to present
Treasurer | 08/2024 to 02/2025
Council Member | 08/2023 to present

Davidson School of Chemical Engineering
College of Engineering
hkilari@purdue.edu

Council Bio:

Dr. Hemalatha Kilari is a postdoctoral research associate at CryptSYS Lab in the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering. Her research focuses on the design, control, and process intensification of batch and continuous crystallization systems for applications in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. By integrating model-based digital design and process analytical technology tools, she develops scalable and efficient manufacturing strategies aimed at producing high-quality materials, utilizing both experimental and computational approaches.

As Vice President of the Purdue Postdoctoral Association (PPDA), Dr. Kilari is committed to building a stronger, more connected postdoc community at Purdue by fostering collaboration, professional growth, and representation. She works alongside PPDA leadership to enhance professional development initiatives, expand networking opportunities, and create a more empowered, engaged, and connected postdoc network at Purdue.

Co-Public Relations Officer | 08/2024 to present
Council Member | 08/2023 to present

Community and Well-Being Learning Collaborative
John Martinson Honors College
hmosazad@purdue.edu

Council Bio:

Dr. Hossein Mousazadeh aims to advance the fields of Quality of Life, Well-Being, and Community Development through impactful interdisciplinary research and innovative education in sustainable development, community empowerment, and tourism. The central goal of his research is to promote health equity by addressing structural factors that influence community quality of life, well-being, and overall health outcomes. Dr. Mousazadeh strives to empower local communities and foster sustainable growth by integrating evidence-based practices with experiential learning opportunities. Passionate about creating inclusive environments, he seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice, addressing the diverse needs of individuals, families, and communities. Through collaborative teaching and research, he aims to cultivate future leaders who champion diversity, resilience, and meaningful contributions to communities. Dr. Mousazadeh are Faculty Affiliate, Institute for a Sustainable Future (ISF); Faculty Affiliate, Women's Global Health Institute (WGHI), at Purdue University.

Council Member | 08/2024 to present

Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics
College of Pharmacy
spetrova@purdue.edu

Council Bio:

Originally from Sofia, Bulgaria, Stella received her PhD in Chemistry from Virginia Tech. Then, she started a post-doc appointment at the Purdue Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics Department where she focuses on novel oral drug-delivery strategies for emerging therapeutics in collaboration with AstraZeneca and Pfizer. Prior to academia, Stella worked in industry as an R&D Chemist and Biomedical Engineer. She held positions as President of the Graduate Women in Chemistry (VaTech), co-founded and led the Chemistry Graduate Student Senate (VaTech), and is currently an Executive Member at Large for the ACS CELLulose Division.

As an elected member of the PPDA, she has worked diligently to advocate for and advance the needs of postdocs by leading and organizing major social events like the PPDA Christmas party, enabling professional development workshops, facilitating collaboration among external professional groups and the PPDA, and strengthening the PPDA organization to help sustain its future at Purdue.

Stella is passionate about animal conservation, sustainability, and leaving the world better than she found it. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis, hiking, and music.

Council Member | 08/2024 to present

Physics and Astronomy
College of Science
msamadda@purdue.edu

Council Bio:

Dr. Manalee Samaddar is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Physics, specializing in Biophysics. She began her journey at Purdue University as a Ph.D. student in 2017 and has been part of the Purdue community for over eight years. Her research focuses on applying spatial transcriptomic approaches to investigate various human diseases, combining principles of physics and biology to gain deeper insights into complex biological systems.

Dr. Samaddar joined the Purdue Postdoctoral Association (PPDA) out of a passion for fostering a strong postdoc community, advocating for their needs, and organizing professional development opportunities.

Co-Public Relations Officer | 08/2024 to present
Council Member | 08/2024 to present

Biological Sciences
College of Science
ttthach@purdue.edu

Council Bio:

Trung Thach completed his PhD in Structural Biology and subsequently joined Korea University as a research professor. Since 2017, he has been employed at the Pioneering BioNano Center as an NRF fellow and was a Principal Scientist then. His research, focusing on protein structure and engineering, has been supported by Brain Korea, the National Research Foundation, and the Imnewrun startup. In December 2021, he transitioned to the Department of Biological Sciences (Purdue University), as a postdoctoral researcher.

Secretary | 10/2024 to present
Council Member | 08/2024 to present

School of Materials Engineering
College of Engineering
thakur40@purdue.edu

Council Bio:

Dr. Anupma Thakur is a postdoctoral research associate in the School of Materials Engineering. Her research focuses on the design and engineering of two-dimensional materials for various applications, including clean hydrogen energy generation, carbon capture and utilization, chemical sensors, photo/electrocatalysis, extreme environments, and actuators.

As Secretary of the Purdue Postdoctoral Association (PPDA), Dr. Thakur is dedicated to building a more connected and empowered postdoc community at Purdue. She plays a key role in facilitating clear and effective communication among postdocs and with university administration. Through organizing initiatives, streamlining information, and advocating for postdoc interests, she works to strengthen representation and contributes to a more supportive and enriching experience for all postdocs at Purdue.