Hear from fellow postdocs who have successfully managed their green card applications, whether by selecting a law firm, through company sponsorship, navigating the process independently, or exploring other options. They will share their experiences, decision-making strategies, and information every postdoc should know before embarking on this journey. NPA resources on how to choose a lawyer and what information to consider will also be shared at the session. Panelists for this session include Elham Javed, Ph.D., Qi Gao, Ph.D., and Ayantika Sen Gupta, Ph.D.

Speakers: Elham Javed, Ph.D., Thomas Jefferson University, Qi Gao, Ph.D., Merck, Ayantika Sen Gupta, Ph.D., Stowers Institute for Medical Research

Javed has been in the United States for the past 12 years and has transitioned from F1 to H1B and now almost to permanent residency. Javed is currently a fourth year postdoctoral research fellow at Thomas Jefferson University, along with being the 2024-2025 vice president of communications of the Jefferson Postdoctoral Association and the chair of International Committee at the NPA.

Gao is currently an associate principal scientist, Merck & Co. She obtained her doctorate in chemistry from University of Georgia with a focus on developing NMR approaches to study glycoproteins. She joined Merck in 2017 after the doctoral study as an analytical scientist. Her technical expertise involves utilizing NMR and other analytical tools to characterize diverse drug modalities to advance novel therapeutics discovery and development.

Gupta is currently a postdoctoral research associate at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. She obtained her doctoral degree in 2018 from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research and her research currently focuses on the effects of human centromere variations on chromosome function and related disorders.