About Us

We are postdocs at Washington State University. We are working to form a union of fellow postdocs in order to improve the working conditions and research conditions at Washington State University. If you would like to find out more, please contact us at info@pduuaw.org.

Dylan Beal

Department of Entomology, Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center

I am a postdoctoral research associate at Washington State University in the Department of Entomology. I am based at the Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center where my research is focused on behavioral, biological, and cultural control methods for the management of Spotted Wing Drosophila, a major insect pest of cherry and berry crops. I believe strongly that science is improved when researchers listen to the communities and stakeholders that they work with and collectively incorporate community perspectives into research and extension outcomes.

Elizabeth A. Holdsworth

Department of Anthropology, Pullman Campus

I am a postdoctoral research associate in Anthropology at Washington State University. As a member of a graduate student employee union, I observed how unionizing and collective action enabled more creative, diverse, and ground-breaking science by adequately and materially supporting graduate student researchers and teachers. Through my work as a scientist and anthropologist, I know that all good societal change can only be achieved through collective action. Together we can improve working and living circumstances for ourselves and for the next generation of scientists.

Mustafa O. Jibrin

Department of Plant Pathology, Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center

Dr. Mustafa O. Jibrin is currently a post-doctoral research associate at the Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Wenatchee. Originally from Nigeria, Dr. Jibrin completed his Bachelors degree and MS from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. During his MS, he was a Norman Borlaug Fellow at the University of Florida, Gainesville and at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Tanzania. During this period, his research focused on molecular characterization of the bacteria that causes bacterial spot of tomato and pepper in Nigeria. He also led a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded grand challenge exploration project in Nigeria to improve women farmers access to improved farm labor. 1n 2015, he joined the University of Florida Gainesville where he graduated with a PhD in Plant Pathology in 2019. He then completed a 2-year post-doctoral study at the University of Florida Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, Miami before joining WSU. Dr. Jibrin is passionate about science, Africa, ending world hunger, and advocating for underrepresented population. His hobbies including soccer, tennis and traveling.

Azeza Falghoush

Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Pullman Campus

I am a postdoctoral research associate in the college of veterinary medicine at Washington State University. My research focuses on zoonotic bacterial diseases that infect and transmit between human, animal, and tick populations. As a vice president of the PRPA organization at WSU, I get to learn more about the postdocs’ needs and what are the challenges they have, and how that can influence their scientific production and research field in general. My personal perspective on forming a union is established by the fact that unions effectively define common concerns, and act visibly and in unison to address those concerns. To my understanding, a union is more of a protective, useful organization, which seeks basic rights that the union members deserve to have. It never means to cause a harmful action in any of the desired institutions. Therefore, we believe that (the postdocs union) when it is formed, would succeed in improving the life quality of our union members which will result in performing better research in all fields with more joy and appreciation in academia.

Kristopher Smith

Department of Anthropology

I’m a postdoctoral research associate in the anthropology department at Washington State University studying how different kinds of relationships can help or hinder collective action in communities. For many postdocs, their working conditions are entirely determined by their supervisor, which at times can lead to an exploitative work environment. I support a union at WSU because by working together we can ensure everyone has equitable access to the resources they need to succeed in their careers.