David Gau, PhDDavid Gau, PhD (pictured), a third-year postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, was honored by the Pitt Postdoctoral Association at the 16th Annual Postdoctoral Data and Dine Symposium. Dr. Gau, who is a member of McGowan affiliated faculty Dr. Partha Roy’s Cell Migration Lab, won the Postdoctoral Alumni Award.

The Data and Dine Symposium is a scientific poster session designed for postdoctoral fellows from across the University to showcase their research, as well as network and build connections with Pitt faculty and administrators.

Over 300 poster presenters and guests attended Data and Dine in Alumni Hall in the Connolly Ballroom, making this year’s event the largest in the Symposium’s history.

The Symposium honored Dr. Gau for his long-standing track record of representing various trainees at the University, including serving as the President of the University of Pittsburgh Postdoctoral Association (UPPDA) from 2019-2022.

During his tenure, Dr. Gau transformed the shared governance system at Pitt by successfully advocating for postdoc representation. This led to greater understanding about the postdoctoral population at the University and created more communication between postdocs and senior administration at Pitt. Dr. Gau also laid the foundation for improving benefits available to postdocs and standardizing postdoc salary to NIH standards. As a lecturer in the Department of Bioengineering and a member of the ad hoc Dependent Care Committee, Dr. Gau’s work advocating for postdocs continues.

The Postdoctoral Alumni Award is in recognition of Dr. Gau’s contributions to the Postdoctoral Association.

Congratulations, Dr. Gau!

Read more from the University Times and the Data and Dine Brochure.