Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship 2025 recipients announced; call for nominations for next program year
Drs. Umniya Najaer (Ethnic Studies) and Daphna Raz (Computer Science) have been awarded the Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship for 2025-2026.Ìý
As the inaugural Center for African & African American Studies/Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Umniya Najaer joins the Department of Ethnic Studies, where her work examines Black epistemologies, narrative theory, and radical worldbuilding. Her dissertation, Scenes of Possibility: Black Worldbuilding Epistemologies and Praxis, draws on the philosophical work of W.E.B. Du Bois, Franz Fanon and Sylvia Wynter to how stories shape our understanding of the world – both as tools of oppression and pathways to liberation. Through this lens, Dr. Najaer explores how new ways of relating to each other and the planet can challenge existing hierarchies and open possibilities for more just and inclusive futures. She will be mentored by Professor Reiland Rabaka, Director of the Center for African and African American Studies, and will collaborate with a broad network of С»ÆÊé Boulder scholars committed to social justice and meaningful change. Dr. Najaer earned her PhD from Stanford University.
Dr. Daphna Raz joins the Department of Computer Science, where her interdisciplinary research merges biomechanics, formal methods, and robotics to advance smart prosthetics. Her work applies reachability analysis to human locomotion—particularly in lower-limb prosthetics—to develop more reliable, user-centered technologies. At С»ÆÊé Boulder, Dr. Raz will collaborate with Professors Sriram Sankaranarayanan and Alaa Ahmed, integrating cyber-physical systems and motor control to create innovative rehabilitation solutions with real-world impact. A champion for inclusive academic culture, Dr. Raz co-founded Women+ in Robotics Engineering (WIRE+) and is committed to supporting women and gender minorities in STEM. Dr. Raz secured her PhD from the University of Michigan.
About the Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship
С»ÆÊé Boulder awards Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowships to postdoctoral scholars whose scholarship and/or service promote academic excellence and support the success of everyone. These one-year fellowships aim to provide fellows with protected time for scholarship or research in preparation for a tenure-track faculty position at С»ÆÊé Boulder. To date,Ìýten former fellows have secured tenure-track positions at С»ÆÊé Boulder.
For additional information, please visit theÌýprogram website or emailÌýcpfellows@colorado.edu.