Dr. Josephine Chileshe is a dedicated postdoctoral scientist at VIDO, focusing on the development of immunodiagnostic tests for animal TB in Canadian Wood bison in Dr. Jeffrey Chen’s research group. In her role as the Managing Director of the SPS, she is responsible for the general operation of the Society, fosters collaboration, and advocates for the interests of postdoctoral researchers at the University of Saskatchewan. Her academic journey includes earning a 2021 Ph.D. from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, where she identified immunological biomarkers for detecting Mycobacterium bovis infection in African rhinoceros. Following this, Dr. Chileshe spent 18 months at the University of Cape Town, South Africa establishing a quail biopharming platform with a novel expression regulatory system. Dr. Chileshe's research focuses on innovating immunodiagnostic tools for animal TB in wildlife, with a primary focus on enhancing animal health and contributing to the conservation of endangered species. Embracing interdisciplinary approaches, she recognizes the transformative power of knowledge sharing. Beyond academia, Dr. Chileshe finds joy in traveling and immersing herself in different cultures. Her diverse experiences and expertise shape her holistic approach to research and life.
Dr. Francisco Silva is a postdoctoral fellow at the Toxicology Centre, focusing on the specific mechanism of toxicity of stormwater compounds using next generation in vitro and fish embryo test systems in Dr. Markus Hecker laboratory. The Dr. Francisco Silva’s academic journey includes a PhD degree obtained in 2023 from Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil , where he worked with pollutants generated of forest fires from Amazon rainforest. During the PhD period, Dr. Francisco Silva made part of his thesis as a visiting research student at Toxicology Centre between 2021 and 2022. As a postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Francisco Silva has collaborated with different research groups in Canada, supervising master’s and PhD students as well as, research groups from other countries such as Brazil, France, India, and Australia. Despite the academic life is a great pleasure to Dr. Silva, his life includes exploring different places, learning different cultures, and developing networks to improve not only academic life but also improving as professional and human being.
Saurabh Biswas is a sustainability scientist and energy systems engineer studying societal transformations and sustainable development linked to energy transitions. His research explores the energy-poverty nexus among marginalized and vulnerable groups of people. He has worked collaboratively with community organizations, grassroots entrepreneurs, university partners and international development agencies in seven countries to co-develop research-based programs to leverage renewable energy technology for local sustainable development. Prior to USask, Saurabh worked at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, conducting multi-disciplinary research for the US Department of Energy. He has taught courses on energy justice and grassroots energy innovation at Portland State University and Arizona State University. Saurabh holds a PhD in Sustainability from Arizona State University (USA) and Masters in Energy Systems Engineering. He is the co-founder of the open knowledge repository on community energy initiatives ‘Let Communities Lead’. Saurabh joined CASES in August 2023.
Dr. Tamanna Jahan is a postdoctoral fellow in Plant Science, working in Dr. Bunyamin Taran's research group to improve the quality of chickpeas. Her current research focuses on enhancing phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) and increasing chickpeas' tolerance to abiotic stress. Additionally, she aims to boost disease resistance and elevate the nutrient content, particularly iron, in chickpea seeds. Dr. Jahan is also passionate about teaching. Before pursuing her PhD in Plant Science, she worked as a lecturer at two leading private universities in Bangladesh, where she taught undergraduate and graduate courses in biotechnology. In Canada, she expanded her teaching experience as a sessional lecturer, teaching assistant, and guest lecturer in the Plant Sciences and Biology Departments. She further honed her skills with training from the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness at the University of Saskatchewan between 2016 and 2022. Outside of her academic pursuits, Dr. Jahan enjoys spending time with her family. She loves reading detective novels, relishing the unraveling of mysteries. Recently, she has developed a strong interest in Pilates and incorporates it into her daily routine. She also enjoys cooking and exploring various diets.
Maria Eugenia Rodriguez (Maria) is a current postdoctoral fellow in the department of Animal and Poultry Science. She was born and raised in Ecuador, South America, and came to pursue her graduate studies at the University of Saskatchewan. Her research focuses on feed evaluation, feed processing, and feed technology in ruminant nutrition. During her studies, she learned about new technologies and applications in the fields of animal feed, such as the utilization of Synchrotron facilities for agricultural research. Additionally, she had the opportunity to share her work at conferences and research papers. Maria is eager to keep learning and searching for new opportunities. She sees herself working in a collaboration between research, academia, and extension in her future professional endeavours.
