Postdoc Appreciation Week (PAW) 2026 is taking place from Monday 21 to Friday 25 September to celebrate the fantastic contribution postdocs and researchers make towards research and academic life. It's a special time to showcase, recognise, and celebrate their efforts, and thank them for all they do!

See the statements of thanks below from our academics to our postdocs for their valued contribution.

Faculty of Engineering and Design (FED)

Professor Mirella Di Lorenzo, Associate Dean (International):

I would like to say thank you my postdoc Jaya Umarani Sivakumar because of her work, dedication, and commitment to the group. Beyond her research contributions, she has brought positivity, a collegial spirit, and a smile, even in very tough times, that has made the working environment better for everyone. Her willingness to support colleagues, share her expertise, and help whenever needed has been greatly valued and appreciated. Thank you for everything you have done, Jaya, and for being such a wonderful colleague. I wish you all the best for what is coming next and I sincerely hope to collaborate with you again soon.”

I would like to say thank you my postdoc Nicola Antonio Di Spirito for placing his trust in my leadership and for choosing to join my team. His commitment and dedication are remarkable. Through his hard work, professionalism, and positive attitude, I have zero doubts he will excel in his Marie Curie. It is a privilege to work with him and to see the impact of his efforts. Thank you for your support, collaboration, and belief in our shared vision. I wish you every success in your future endeavours.”

Dr Despina Moschou, Department of Mechanical Engineering:

I would like to say thank you to my postdoc, Dr Sotirios Papamatthaiou, for his exceptional commitment and support during our recent clinical fieldwork in Cairo, Egypt. Months of complex preparation and logistics culminated in an intense and challenging trial, requiring us to navigate scientific uncertainty, demanding schedules, unfamiliar environments and cross-cultural collaboration. Throughout it all, Sotirios was extraordinarily resilient, adaptable and dependable, approaching every challenge with professionalism, good humour and a determination to find solutions. I could not have asked for a better colleague to have alongside me, and I am enormously grateful for everything he contributed to making the trial possible.

FED: Architecture and Civil Engineering

Dr Stephen Allen, Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering:

Donald has been doing a brilliant job on INBUILT - he joined the project part way through at a complicated point with short deadlines, and integrated very well and very quickly. He is professional, effective, and flexible when required. He contributes positively to the team and is ambitious in his research. In short, he is an asset to our team and university, thank you Donald!

Professor Susan Bernal Lopez, Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering:

I would like to say thank you the postdoc Xuhui Liang for his dedication and commitment to deliver excellent research for the projects funding his role. I deeply appreciate how receptive he is too feedback, and the kindness and compassion he has showed me as his line manager during mentoring sessions, where we have discussed the challenges and responsibilities of leading a research team. I am incredibly proud of all his accomplishments, including securing a Lecturer position elsewhere. He will be very much missed but I very much hope that the collaboration continues for many years to come.

I would like to say thank you to the Research Fellow, Ilda Tole, whose brilliance, enthusiasm, hard work enriches the research activities we develop in the team. She has been instrumental in building a nurturing and collaborative research environment, where technicians, students and postdocs alike are included in the decision-making process and work together towards achieving the team’s goals. She has been an excellent ambassador of our research in national and international forums, and she always brings new ideas to continue growing our research portfolio. I would like to congratulate Ilda for securing a very well-deserved Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowship. I am certain that this is only the beginning of a successful scientific career. It is a real privilege to work together.

I would like to say thank you to Marie Curie Fellow, Segundo Shagnay, for his resilience, commitment to his continued professional development and for being an active part of the research team. He is always willing to support others in every way he can. He is also very receptive to feedback and does his absolute best in everything he develops. His commitment and hard work do not go unnoticed, and he inspires others to continue trying even when things are not always easy to do.

I would like to say thank you to KTP researcher Meenakshi Pokhriyal, for the exceptional work she is developing in a collaborative project with industry. It is truly impressive how she manages to balance the industry needs with the academic advise, for delivering tangible and meaningful results that will lead to real innovations. Her commitment to learn new concepts and processes, as well as to adapt constantly to the demands of the project are truly commendable and really appreciated. Meenakshi is an excellent ambassador of the University and the team in the company where she is based, and I am deeply grateful for her enthusiasm and all the opportunities she is opening for our team in the years to come.

I would like to say thank you to postdoc John Morley, who has recently joined the research team, and who has integrated so very well and is already making significant contributions to enable the development of excellent research. His ability to learn new and complex concepts at a really fast pace, and his enthusiasm and willingness to explore things, is truly inspiring and a motivator to push us to think outside the box. Thank you, John, for doing your best to materialise our research vision.

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS)

Dr Jeffrey Lambert, Department for Health

I would like to say thank you to my postdoc, Dr Atiyya Nisar, because she has made an outstanding contribution to our research and team within the Bath Mental Health Research Group. Atiyya has played a central role in delivering the ABC-UK trial, bringing organisation, initiative and genuine care to every aspect of the project. She is incredibly dependable, thoughtful and collaborative, and approaches challenges with positivity and a willingness to find solutions. It is an absolute pleasure to work with her.

Professor Yixian Sun, Department of Social and Policy Sciences:

I would like to say thank you to my postdoc Dr Yitong Ye because she is always very hard working, cooperative, and optimistic. Since joining my team two years ago, she has made remarkable progress in her own research while also making valuable contributions to the whole team. I'm truly grateful for having her as a co-author, team member, and friend. I look forward to producing more impactful research together and I am confident that she will be successful on the job market. Thank you Yitong and please keep going!

HSS: Psychology

Dr Charlotte Dack, Department of Psychology:

A big thank you to my postdoc, Dr Sarah Bennett, for all her hard work on the DWELL study here at Bath, which is co-creating an evidence-based intervention to support people experiencing diabetes distress. Since joining the team in November 2025, Sarah has made excellent progress with recruiting and interviewing participants, analysing data and leading co-design workshops with people living with type 2 diabetes. She is now working with a web company to turn this work into a prototype intervention. Sarah is proactive, thoughtful and always willing to get stuck in. We are very lucky to have her!

Professor Tom Freeman, Department of Psychology:

I would like to say thank you to a postdoc I work with, Dr Chloe Burke. She provides valuable contributions to our research through her original thinking, careful planning, and her dedication to engaging with different groups of people in our community. She is helping us to better understand and address drug use, to improve the lives of young people in our local region.

Professor Abbie Jordan, Department of Psychology

I would like to say thank you to my postdoc, Tris Agtarap, because she is always incredibly positive, practical, and willing to take on whatever needs doing. I am particularly grateful for her ability to think ahead and keep the Pain Portrait project moving forward, whether that is coordinating activities across work packages, spotting potential issues before they arise, or making sure things do not fall through the cracks. Tris is also incredibly thoughtful and inclusive, considering how to support the people around her. Her commitment to the project and to the team has made a huge difference. Thank you, Tris!

Professor Esther Walton, Department of Psychology:

I’d like to say thanks to Vilte Baltramonaityte for her never-ending enthusiasm for science and for supporting our team of students and doctoral candidate in their research studies. Vilte’s curiosity for unusual research keeps us open-minded and inquisitive. Thanks for all your help and support.

Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE, Department of Psychology:

I would like to say thank you to my postdoc, Mark Wilson, because he is so hard-working and committed to making a difference in tackling climate change through his research, whilst always having a smile on his face. He is a fantastic colleague, always keen to contribute to projects and happy to support others, both within the university and in partner organisations. Importantly, Mark has volunteered to take on coordinating and leadership roles, including developing a new partnership between Bath and the Tyndall Centre. All this, plus winning funding, supervising students, and writing loads of reports and papers, too! I’m very grateful for everything you do, Mark – thank you!

Faculty of Science

Professor K. Ravi Acharya, Department of Life Sciences:

It has been a genuine pleasure to work with Dr. Kyle Gregory over the past eight years, first as an outstanding PhD student and subsequently as a highly productive postdoctoral researcher in my group. Throughout this time, Kyle has developed into an accomplished structural biologist, demonstrating scientific rigour, intellectual curiosity, technical excellence and a strong commitment to research. He has been a key member of the group, contributing significantly to our research programmes while generously supporting students and colleagues. Beyond his scientific achievements, Kyle is a dependable, thoughtful and highly collegial researcher whose professionalism, collaborative spirit and positive contribution to the group are greatly valued. I would like to say thank you to Kyle!

Dr Caroline Ang, Institute for Mathematical Innovation (IMI):

I would like to say thank you to the fantastic IMI Mathematical Innovation Research Associate team: Ben Ashby, Alex Belozerov, Dan Burrows, Beate Ehrhardt, Fillipe Georgiou, Abdalaziz Hamdan, Laura Hattam, Laura Oporto Lisboa, Kate MacKenzie, for the enthusiasm, creativity and hard work that you put into applying your mathematical expertise to diverse and wide-ranging academic and industrial problems. You are a joy to work with and so generous about sharing your time and knowledge with our partners and with each other. Thank you also for your professionalism and exceptional communication skills. You are the reason for IMI’s success.

Professor Philippe Blondel, Department of Physics:

I would like to say thank you to my postdoc and research colleague Ben Dell, for his efficient support and participation in our international project, and for integrating so well in our group.

I would like to say thank you to my postdoc Julian Hofstadler because of the generosity he brings to the group. Julian's research sits at the interface of probability, statistics and numerics, but what strikes me most is how he works with others — moving easily between the mathematicians, nuclear engineers and medical physicists on our grant, and really listening to each. He has been generous with his time, mentoring our early-stage PhD students with real care and stepping in to cover undergraduate teaching when colleagues needed help. He does this without fuss, and our group is better for having him.

Dr Ruth Bowness, Department for Mathematical Sciences:

I would like to say thank you to my postdoc James Doran because he brings enormous care, thoughtfulness and persistence to everything he does. I hugely value both his independence and his willingness to question results rather than simply accept them. He is also an incredibly supportive and collaborative colleague, always generous with his time and ideas. It has been a real pleasure to see his confidence and expertise grow.”

Professor Alex Cox, Department of Mathematical Sciences:

I would like to say thank you to my postdoc, Cameron Smith, because he is a highly capable, thoughtful and dependable researcher whose work consistently strengthens our research programme. He combines intellectual rigour with excellent judgement and approaches every challenge with enthusiasm and professionalism. Cameron has also stepped up to co-supervise students, providing dedicated support, constructive guidance and valuable mentorship. His willingness to invest in the development of others, alongside his research achievements, makes him an outstanding colleague and an important contributor to a positive and collaborative research culture.

Professor Tiffany Taylor, Department of Life Sciences

I would like to say thank you to my postdoc Roselyn Kaondera-Shava because of the commitment, enthusiasm and care she brings to her research. I particularly appreciate Roselyn's willingness to get stuck into difficult problems, learn new things and keep pushing the work forward. She is also a warm, supportive member of the team and contributes enormously to the positive and collaborative culture of our group.

Dr Catherine Tooke, Department of Life Sciences:

I would like to say thank you my postdoc Harry Morgan because he's been a fantastic addition to my group. He is always willing to collaborate and help others, is incredibly driven, enthusiastic, and a talented researcher. Harry is highly proactive and a true problem-solver. He has a brilliant ability to take my ideas and turn them into solid solutions and tangible outcomes. Despite only being in my lab for a few months, he has already made a great impact. Thank you Harry, for all the work you do and for creating a fantastic environment in the lab!

Professor Kit Yates, Department for Mathematical Sciences:

I want to thank my postdoc Yueyi Cai, whose ambition, hard work and warmth make a real difference to our lab group. She sets an example for everyone around her, and I'm very grateful to have her on the team.