PDAC Executive Board 2025-2026
Meet the Team
President
Dr. Ayan Chanda (He/Him)
Ayan is a postdoctoral research associate at the Charbonneau Cancer Institute in the Cumming School of Medicine. His research focus is on understand the mechanisms of oral cancer progression. He is originally from Kolkata, India where he completed his B.Tech. and M.Tech. degrees in Biotechnology. He moved to Canada in 2013 to pursue doctoral training in cancer biology at the University of Calgary. Outside work he likes to travel with his family and read fiction. This is his fifth year at PDAC where he works diligently and collaborates with other team members to make Postdoc life at the university marginally better.
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Responsibilities​
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Supervises and guides the affairs and actions of the PDAC Executive Council
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Conducts or oversees all negotiations done on behalf of PDAC or its members, including collective bargaining
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Chairs all meetings of the PDAC membership or Executive, unless delegated to another Executive Officer
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Acts as an ex officio member of all PDAC Standing or Working Committees
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Acts as the spokesperson for PDAC and its members
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Carries primary responsibility for ensuring the effective and efficient functioning of the Executive and the Association and the continuity of PDAC
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Presidency started on April 2025
Executive Director & Labour Relations Expert
Kim Smith (She/Her)
With 25 years of experience in Human Resources and Labour Relations, Kim has a proven record of driving best practices and fostering positive workplace outcomes.
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As PDAC’s Executive Director and Labour Relations Expert, she works with the University and PDAC members in a vital partnership that promotes fair treatment and constructive resolution of workplace issues under the collective agreement.
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Kim oversees PDAC’s operations to ensure continuity, with her primary focus on preserving the interpretation, application, and spirit of the collective agreement while ensuring fair labour practices between the University of Calgary, the Board of Governors, and Postdoctoral Fellows.
Vice President Communications
Dr. Shaelyn Xu (She/Her)
Shaelyn is a postdoctoral associate in the Parkins Lab in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases. Her research focuses on bacterial strain typing in a cystic fibrosis cohort and using a wastewater-based surveillance platform to characterize pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in marginalized populations. She completed her Ph.D. in Food Microbiology at the University of Alberta, where she served as Chair of the AFNS Graduate Student Association from 2020 to 2023. Outside the office her recreational passions include coffee arts and traveling. As VP communications, she aims to build a more connected and visible postdoc community by promoting events and professional development opportunities across platforms, ensuring postdocs are aware of available resources, and supporting the Executive team in organizing meaningful community-building initiatives.
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Responsibilities​
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First port of contact for the members of PDAC
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Responsible for communicating the affairs of PDAC and the Executive Council to the membership
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Manages the PDAC office email account and PDAC member mailing list
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Creates and disseminates the monthly PDAC newsletter
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Responsible for designing and updating the PDAC website
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Manages the PDAC social media accounts
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Advertises PDAC events and manages event registration
Vice President Operations
Dr. Samra Khan is a postdoctoral scholar in the Faculty of Social Work, specializing in simulation-based research. Her work centers on integrating cultural humility into mental health interventions, with a particular emphasis on improving care for marginalized populations through more effective and culturally responsive approaches.
She holds a PhD in Psychology, a master's in applied psychology (Clinical specialization), and a bachelor's in applied psychology. Originally from New Delhi, India, Dr. Khan has taught undergraduate students and practiced as a psychologist, bringing a diverse range of experiences that inform her research interests.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Samra enjoys playing basketball, reading, hiking, swimming, and watching action movies.
Responsibilities​
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Facilitating effective functioning of the Executive Council.
Vice President Internal
Dr. Tahereh Rashnavadi (She/Her)
Tahereh (Tara) is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Radiology at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary. Her research focuses on advanced neuroimaging and intracranial EEG-fMRI in drug-resistant epilepsy, with an emphasis on functional connectivity and brain networks analysis. She completed her PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Calgary, following dual master’s degrees in Information and Communication Technology and Biomedical Engineering.
Beyond academia, Tara enjoys spending time with her family, especially shopping with her kids, and playing badminton.
As VP Internal, she is dedicated to advocating for the postdoc community and ensuring their voices are represented across the university.
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Responsibilities
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Acts as the primary liaison between the PDAC Executive and the faculties, departments, institutes, and offices internal to the University of Calgary
Vice President External
Currently unfilled
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Responsibilities
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Is the spokesperson for the Association’s partners outside of the University, including other postdoctoral associations at provincial and national levels
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Ensures that the Association is forwarding opportunities for which Members might be eligible
Vice President Finance
Dr. Kasimuthumaniyan Subramanian (Kasi)
Kasi is an Eyes High Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Calgary. He holds a PhD in Materials Science & Engineering from IIT Delhi, where his research focused on multi-scale indentation and scratch behavior of oxide glasses, and a master’s degree in Materials Science & Engineering from IIT Bhubaneswar.
At the University of Calgary, Kasi’s research centers on high-entropy nanocrystalline coatings for wind-turbine applications, integrating advanced mechanical testing and microstructural analysis to develop next-generation wear-resistant materials.
As Vice President (Finance) of PDAC, Kasi brings a strong record of financial stewardship and strategic planning. He is committed to financial transparency and trust, publishing clear, quarterly financial summaries and hosting open finance Q&A sessions.
Through his combined experience in cutting-edge materials research, community engagement, and fiscal management, Kasi aims to ensure PDAC’s financial resources work harder for every postdoc.
Responsibilities​
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Conducts all financial transactions on behalf of PDAC
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Manages all of PDAC’s financial accounts including the maintenance and storage of financial records and the sharing of those records with members as needed
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Develop PDAC’s annual budget in consultation with other members of the Executive
Vice President Community Engagement
Dr. Nazanin Vaziri (She/Her)
Nazanin is a postdoctoral research associate at the Charbonneau Cancer Institute in the Cumming School of Medicine. Her research focuses on investigating genetic mutations associated with cancer, contributing to a deeper understanding of cancer biology. She completed her PhD in Medical Science at the University of Calgary, where she also gained valuable experience organizing science fairs and participating in outreach initiatives. These roles allowed her to connect with diverse audiences from students to faculty and the broader community while strengthening her communication and organizational skills. Outside of the lab, Nazanin enjoys traveling, listening to podcasts, reading, and playing golf.
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Responsibilities​
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Fosters community among postdoctoral scholars by organizing social activities and workshops, supporting the broader goal of community building.
Labour Relations Consultant
Terry Sway (He/Him)
Terry is the PDAC Labour Relations Consultant and is a valuable resource for the PDAC Negotiating Team.
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Terry has negotiated somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 collective agreements and has represented members in hundreds of grievances.
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1983 - Negotiator for first collective agreement at Westerra.
1989-90 - Bargaining Team NASA
1994-95 - Chair of collective bargaining for NASA,
1995 - Vice-President & Director of Labour Relations ACIFA
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In 2016, Terry was awarded the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) Donald C. Savage Award for his significant contributions to collective bargaining in post-secondary education.
