NYU’s Innovation Postdoctoral Associate
New York University’s Innovation Postdoc-in-Residence program is designed to cultivate a new generation of postdoctoral associates who bridge the gap between academic research and industry innovation. This two-year program, one year based at NYU New York and the second at NYU Tulsa, equips participants with the business and entrepreneurial skills and the interdisciplinary experience necessary to translate cutting-edge research into real-world applications.
Postdoc Associates will engage in an innovation challenge and professional development experiences that foster interdisciplinary collaboration, support cutting-edge innovations, and connect their work to the broader community. This unique program is open to all current PhD students, including international students, who will defend their dissertation by August 2026.
Program Goals
The Innovation Postdoc-in-Residence program is designed to:
- Equip Postdoctoral Associates with the experience necessary to bridge research and industry needs through tangible entrepreneurial skills
- Provide industry experience through a combination of academic and employer engagement opportunities
- Foster collaborations across disciplines to translate research into innovative and commercially impactful solutions
- Support the transition from research activities to industry applications
- Seek to support pathways for long-term employer-sponsored work and residency opportunities
Inaugural Innovation Postdoctoral Associates
Ken iiyoshi
Ken iiyoshi received his BS in Computer Engineering from New York University Abu Dhabi in 2020. He is working toward his Electrical and Computer Engineering PhD from NYU Tandon School of Engineering, funded by NYU Abu Dhabi’s Global PhD Student Fellowship. As an Innovation Postdoc, his work will focus on translating his research in soft haptics and soft robotics into industrial applications in Tulsa. Learn more about Ken’s work at keniiyoshi.com
Ken says, “I am excited and honored to pursue this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, continuing to further NYU’s global vision, as well as setting the stage for many future NYU PhDs to integrate in the Tulsa community!”
Kaushik Sunder
Kaushik Sunder is a fourth-year PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering at New York University. His work centers on designing biomimetic nerve-guide conduits combining fish-skin-derived collagen methacryloyl and chitosan methacrylate hydrogels with DLP 3D bioprinting and electrospun PCL for enhanced mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, and nerve regeneration. He has presented his findings at international conferences and is currently preparing his dissertation defense. Read about Kaushik’s work at www.linkedin.com/in/kausun
Kaushik is “honored to follow in my father’s Tulsa footsteps from 1983 (he was a University of Tulsa alum); I’m eager to join the Innovation Postdoc-in-Residence program at NYU Tulsa and help drive the next wave of biomaterials breakthroughs in the community he helped shape.”
See Program Details for more information on the program structure, awards, compensation and allowances, and terms and expectations.
See How to Apply for application requirements and instructions.
Contact us at InnovationPostdoc@nyu.edu