Council Members

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.

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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.

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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.

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Dr. Vasudha Kapre received her Ph.D. (2024) and M.S. (2020) in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University and is currently a Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue. She earned her B.Tech. in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (2014).

Her doctoral research at the Composites Manufacturing and Simulation Center (CMSC), under the supervision of Dr. R. Byron Pipes, focused on additive manufacturing of fiber-reinforced composites, specifically studying pellet motion, melting, and fiber attrition during single-screw extrusion. As a postdoctoral researcher, she continues to advance additive manufacturing by developing simulations for high-performance, fiber-reinforced thermoset polymers and investigating their process–structure-property relationships. As a council member of the Purdue Postdoctoral Association (PPDA), Dr. Kapre works to enhance the postdoctoral experience through professional development initiatives, invited seminars, and collaborations across campus. Her broader interests include bridging academia and industry in advanced manufacturing and applying computational modeling to address complex engineering challenges. Outside of research, she enjoys gardening, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

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Dr. Karen Cardenas is a postdoctoral researcher in the Stahelin Lab at the BMCMP department. Her research focuses on understanding how enveloped viruses bud from host cells and the crucial role of lipids in these processes. By uncovering key lipid–protein interactions, her work aims to contribute to the development of novel antiviral strategies.

She is also passionate about strengthening the postdoc community by fostering collaboration, mentoring, and professional growth, and by creating spaces that promote networking and mutual support among researchers.

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Dr. Colton Fruhling received his PhD in physics and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln studying high-intensity laser-plasma interactions.  Since moving to ECE Department at Purdue University, his research has “miniaturized” to nanoscale laser design and nonlinear properties in nanofilms.  He has been an advocate for students, education and research serving as the department representative in the graduate student assembly at UNL and authoring  Op-eds promoting science.  He hopes to bring his experience and can-do attitude to help the PPDA and its members.

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Dr. Isabella Bramatti is a postdoctoral research associate in the School of Health Sciences, working in the laboratory of Dr. Aaron Bowman. At this Neurotoxicology lab, her research focuses on how environmental exposures impact neurodevelopment and contribute to neurological diseases. Isabella is an Italo-Brazilian who has earned her Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences both from the State University of Western Paraná (UNIOESTE), Brazil. She later completed her PhD in Toxicology at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon, Portugal. During her PhD years, she worked as a research fellow at MarLab-MARE (Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre), also focusing on Environmental Toxicology.

As a council member of the PPDA, Isabella is committed to promoting communication, collaboration, and inclusivity within the postdoctoral community, aiming to build a supportive environment.

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Dr. Bijuan Chen is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Physics at Purdue University, where her research focuses on pioneering new approaches in quantum sensing. She specializes in developing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center platforms and other quantum probes to investigate the properties of advanced materials under extreme conditions, with the goal of creating the next generation of highly sensitive quantum sensors.

As a selected member of the Purdue Postdoctoral Association (PPDA), Dr. Chen is committed to advocating for her fellow postdocs and enhancing the community through supporting professional development workshops and fostering inclusive networking events. She is passionate about clear and effective science communication and believes in building a collaborative and supportive environment for all researchers.

Outside of the lab, Bijuan enjoys channeling her energy into gym workouts, exploring trails through hiking, and finding new ways to communicate complex scientific concepts to broad audiences.