Postdoc Success Stories: Dr. Rachel Neville was awarded the 2020 Outstanding Postdoctoral Scholar Award!

This spring, Dr. Rachel Neville was awarded the 2020 Outstanding Postdoctoral Scholar Award. This award recognizes her contributions in research innovation and productivity in the area of mathematics, teaching and mentoring, and leadership and outreach during her years as a postdoc at the University of Arizona. 

Since arriving in Tucson in 2017, Neville has focused on her research on topological data collected from around the globe -- using the geometric structure or “shape” of data to characterize complex patterns. Her work had her answering questions like “how ordered is it?” and “how does the orderedness change over time?”.  Some of the same patterns show up in different applications such as characterizing the roughness of melting snow or the patchiness of coral reefs.

In her time as a postdoc, Neville was mentored by Dr. Alan Newell in the Department of Mathematics. Under his mentorship, Neville was able to launch a peer mentoring program for first year women in STEM. She also enjoyed the freedom of conducting her own research while also maintaining a strong professional support system. Her support system, consisting of her mentors and other postdoc colleagues, has helped tremendously in her development as both a scholar and a teacher. 

In the upcoming Fall 2020 semester, Neville will begin her role as assistant professor at Northern Arizona University. To her fellow postdocs who are thinking about their future job prospects, she offers this advice: “Do some soul searching in your postdoc. Use this time to try new things. Think about your passions and values. Continue to learn about yourself, even if it's learning what you don’t enjoy or aren’t looking for!  Narrow your job search and figure out exactly what you’re looking for in your next position and be targeted and strategic. Build a professional network and ask them about their experiences in their positions. Focus on applying well to jobs you really want instead of panic-applying to everything you might be qualified for. Easier said than done, but it is important to remember you are looking for a position that you will be happy in.”

Congratulations to Dr. Rachel Neville on her award! We wish her all the best in her future endeavors!