October 23–24, 2025
Application deadline: July 7, 2025
Location: The Ohio State University Columbus Campus
We are thrilled to host the inaugural Buckeye Neuroscience Graduate Invitational, an event dedicated to showcasing the cutting-edge neuroscience research of senior graduate students worldwide. This is an exciting opportunity to present your innovative research and engage with the vibrant neuroscience community in the Department of Neuroscience at The Ohio State University.
The two-day event will include research talks given by the invited graduate students, one-on-one meetings with Department of Neuroscience faculty, visits to laboratories and core facilities, and opportunities to socialize with our local trainees and faculty through poster sessions and social events. This gathering is a great platform for networking and collaboration and an opportunity to learn about our supportive environment and dedicated efforts in the mentoring and career development of postdoctoral researchers. We invite you to be part of this exciting experience and explore the beauty of our campus and Columbus.
Thursday, October 23
Taxi/Uber/Lyft to Biomedical Research Tower (BRT) - 460 W 12th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210
- 4:45p.m.: Arrive at the BRT -Tanasia Harris will meet you in the lobby
- 5:00 – 6:00p.m.: Campus Tour by Lindsay Milich, PhD – Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Neuroscience
- 6:00 – 7:00p.m.: Cocktail Hour, 105 BRT
- 7:00p – 8:00p.m.: Dinner, 115 BRT
Friday, October 24
- 8:30a.m.: Arrive at Biomedical Research Tower, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210, Room 115.
- 8:30 – 9:00a.m.: Welcome Breakfast
- 9:00 – 9:10a.m.: Welcome and Overview: Philip Popovich, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Neuroscience
- 9:10 – 9:30a.m.: Office of Postdoctoral Affairs Overview: James Gentry, MA, Director of Postdoctoral Affairs
- 9:30 – 9:40a.m.: Break
- 9:40 -11:10a.m.: Morning Talk Facilitator: Elham Asghari, PhD, Post Doctoral Scholar, Department of Neuroscience
- 9:40 – 10:10a.m.: “Combining neural progenitor cell transplantation with rehabilitation to improve motor function after spinal cord injury” – Vipin Jagrit
- 10:10 -10:40a.m.: “Hardwired by Hardship: A Stress-Sensitive vmPFC–BLA Circuit Fuels Adolescent Avoidance Following Early Adversity” – Caitlin Goodpaster
- 10:40 -11:10a.m.: “Studying Impulsivity as a Potential Intersection Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Suicidality” -Victoria Stiritz
- 11:10 – 11:20a.m.: Break/Talk Feedback Session
- 11:20a.m. – 12:05p.m.: Postdoc Roundtable Discussion lead by Lindsay Milich, PhD and Maria Balch, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholars, Department of Neuroscience
- 12:05 – 1:00p.m.: Lunch
- 1:00 – 2:00p.m.: Afternoon Talk Facilitator: Debasish Roy, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Neuroscience
- 1:00 – 1:30p.m.: “The astrocyte syncytium regulation of neuronal excitability and neurovascular coupling” – Danica Bojovic
- 1:30 – 2:00p.m.: “Gulf War Illness is a Prolonged Early Phase Tauopathy Regardless of Toxicant Exposure.” – Kendra Case
- 2:00 – 2:15p.m.: Coffee Break/Talk Feed-back Session
- 2:15 – 3:30p.m.: Current Trainees Poster Session
- 3:30 – 5:45p.m.: One on one Faculty Meetings /Laboratory Tours
- 5:45p.m.: Taxi/Uber/Lyft back to hotel
- 6:45p.m.: Taxi/Uber/Lyft to dinner
- 7:00 – 8:50p.m.: Dinner: Marcella’s – 615 N. High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215
- Reservation Name: OSU BuNGI
- 8:50 – 9:00p.m.: Closing Remarks: Philip Popovich, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Neuroscience
Saturday, October 25
- Taxi/Uber/Lyft to airport: submit receipt to Tanasia for post-travel for reimbursement.
- Depart Columbus
Why attend?
Present your innovative research, engage with the vibrant neuroscience community, and learn about our supportive environment and dedicated efforts in the mentoring and career development of postdoctoral researchers.
Who should apply?
Post-candidacy senior graduate students in the neuroscience field.
Who’s selected?
Up to 10 candidates will be selected to attend this all-expenses-paid event at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Why join Ohio State as a postdoc?
- Highly competitive salary and benefits
- Moving allowance
- Faculty mentoring committee
- Internal grant review committee
- Internal funding opportunities
- Post-doc association and professional development resources
- Agenda with more information to come.
Past Attendees
Those pictured in the photo from L to R: Irvin Garza (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center), Moriah Weese-Myers (University of Cincinnati), Mia Pacheco (Texas A&M University), Shelby Reid (Texas A&M University), Yourself Aljohani (Georgetown University), and Olivia Vanegas (University of Connecticut).
“I most enjoyed the diversity of talks and topics, which kept the sessions engaging and provided broad insights into various areas of neuroscience. The interactions with faculty and postdocs were incredibly valuable for networking and exchanging ideas, and the poster session by postdocs was a particular highlight, showcasing exciting, cutting-edge research and facilitating rich scientific discussions.”
–Yousef Aljohani, Georgetown University
“I appreciated the chance to connect with various members of the department, not only through the one-on-one sessions but also during the cocktail hour, meals, and poster session. What I valued most was gaining a well-rounded view of OSU’s Neuroscience department through insights from faculty, staff, and trainees alike.”
–Olivia Vanegas, University of Connecticut
“I loved the supportive environment. The postdocs present at the event were really welcoming and provided a lot of useful information during the campus tour. I also really enjoyed how the dinners provided additional opportunities for networking and for getting to know the OSU Neuroscience faculty.”
–Mia Pacheco, Texas A&M University