PDA Executive Council
While all SFU Postdoctoral Fellows are considered members of the Postdoctoral Association, some of them take a more active role within the association. They represent the interest of Postdoctoral Fellows to the SFU administration, organize activities, and support Postdoctoral Fellows in other ways. The current elected members are listed below.
2026-2027 Executive Council
PDA Executive Council Co - Presidents
Dr. Ine Mylle,
Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology
Ine is a postdoctoral fellow in the Run Lab where she investigates breast biomechanics in physically active women with the use of wearable technology. Outside the (Run) lab, Ine is a real foodie and (more than anything) coffee lover. When not indulging her taste buds, you’ll most likely find her working out on the track or in the gym.
Dr Simran Agarwal,
School of Communication
Simran is a postdoctoral fellow working on an SSHRC-funded project examining emerging publisher-platform governance measures and their (un)intended consequences for journalism. She is interested in exploring the dynamic relationship between states and digital platforms in shaping free speech, while remaining attentive to the structural specificities of contemporary political systems. Simran's work contributes to broader debates on the platformization of culture industries, media regulation and censorship, and infrastructural governance in Global Majority contexts. In her free time, she loves being outdoors (whenever possible), especially reading or painting in the park, hiking, and birding!
PDA Executive Council Members
Dr. Antonio Patrón Castro,
Department of Physics
Antonio is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Physics at SFU, within Prof. David Sivak’s group. His research focuses on applying tools from nonequilibrium statistical mechanics and stochastic thermodynamics to study free-energy and information transduction in biomolecular machines, as well as designing novel feedback strategies for information engines that can be implemented experimentally. In his free time, he enjoys reading, playing guitar, and dancing Cuban salsa.
Dr. Eva Mackamul,
School of Computing Science
Eva is a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Computing Science specialized in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Her research focuses on user perception and interpretation of interfaces as well as their affordances and how they translate to discoverability and learnability. At SFU, she is working with Prof. Parmit Chilana on interactions with AI agents. In her free time, she enjoys good food and music, crafts, dancing and the outdoors.
Dr. Isabel Dove,
Department of Geography
Isabel is a postdoctoral fellow in SFU's Climate Research Lab, using Earth system climate models to better understand the climate impacts of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. She enjoys knitting and reading on rainy days, spending time outdoors on sunny days, and drinking tea whatever the weather.
Dr. Maisha Farzana,
Department of Biological Sciences
Maisha is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Biological Sciences at Simon Fraser University. Her research focuses on plant biotechnology, synthetic biology, and specialized metabolite biosynthesis, with a particular interest in developing gene editing and cell engineering platforms for berry crops. She works on advancing DNA-free genome editing approaches, with an emphasis on sustainable agriculture. She is passionate about bridging fundamental research and real-world applications through interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. Outside of research, Maisha enjoys exploring new places and cultures, visiting museums and art galleries, watching old films, and experimenting in the kitchen.
Dr. Josianne Owona,
Department of Chemistry
Josianne (Josi) is a postdoctoral fellow in the Computational Catalysis Lab, targeting electrochemical applications in advancing clean energy technologies such as fuel cells, electrolysers, and batteries. Electrocatalysis plays a vital role in enhancing the chemical reactions fundamental to these technologies. Her research focuses on modelling various catalyst properties to optimize the performance of the selective electrochemical oxidation of the greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide to valuable chemicals. Besides reading during the long bus ride up to SFU, she enjoys anything sport: soccer, running, biking, hiking, tennis, swimming, dancing, … you name it. If it’s outdoors and active you will probably see her.
These elected members are supported in their endeavors by a number of active members. We are always happy to welcome additional active members, so if you would like to contribute to the SFU Postdoctoral Association please be in touch with one of us or e-mail us at sfu_pda@sfu.ca.
As a Postdoctoral Fellowship can be over and done with in a relatively short time, from time to time Executive Council members move on to other challenges and places.