Several group leaders from UPSC shared their experiences with the participants of the symposium at a panel discussion highlighting different academic journeys (photo: Anne Honsel).
End of March, the UPSC Early Career Plant Scientists Symposium took place. Six talented young researchers from around the globe were visiting UPSC, presented their research and got to know the research environment. Feedback from the participants highlighted the welcoming atmosphere and the stimulating interactions with group leaders and postdoctoral researchers.
The two-day event, held on 26-27 March, was filled with scientific and networking activities. The first day commenced with a scientific session where invited early career scientists presented their research, and several UPSC group leaders provided a brief overview of their work. This was followed by a matchmaking event with individual discussions between UPSC group leaders and the invited researchers, aimed at exploring potential collaborations.
“Our goal is to build connections with promising young scientists selected based on their application and their qualification to apply for one of the competitive European postdoctoral fellowships,” said Stephan Wenkel, one of the organisers of the symposium. “UPSC is a unique and encouraging place to work. It is a very supportive and collaborative research environment, and Umeå offers a fantastic quality of life, something that people often do not expect so far north.”
Building connections with young scientists and showcasing UPSC
On the second day, participants joined a workshop on European Union funding opportunities, organised by Umeå University's Research Support and Collaborations Office. This workshop provided information about available European research grants and insights into grant writing, which was highly appreciated by the young researchers. After lunch with postdocs from UPSC, the programme continued with a guided tour of the UPSC facilities.
“UPSC is well equipped with cutting-edge research facilities, providing an excellent environment for conducting plant and especially tree research,” explained Laura Bacete, another organiser of the symposium. “We wanted to showcase UPSC but also give constructive feedback to the participants on their research, helping them refine their ideas and approaches and support them in their careers.”
Annika Johansson is presenting the Swedish Metabolomics Centre to the participants of the UPSC Early Career Plant Scientists Symposium (photo: Anne Honsel).
After a panel discussion highlighting different academic journeys, the event concluded with a Pizza and Ping-Pong evening in the UPSC lunchroom, where the symposium participants could mingle informally with the UPSC staff. In response to a survey after these two intense days, feedback from all six participants was very positive.
When asked if the symposium fulfil their expectations, all six participants agreed. One participant responded: “Yes, everyone was very welcoming and the interactions with PIs and other post docs were very stimulating. The workshop was very helpful and detailed.” Another participant commented: “Yes, I found a suitable researcher to talk about my research plan and obtained helpful information on the application for the Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship.”
Engagement with Group Leaders was greatly appreciated
Overall, the opportunity to engage with group leaders was greatly appreciated by the participants. When asked which part of the programme was the most useful, one participant wrote: “I would say the one-to-one discussions with the PI. In general, their availability and their disponibility to discuss and share their personal experiences.” Another participant emphasized that “being able to have open conversations about careers with different people throughout the symposium was very useful.”
Most of the participants are considering applying together with one of the UPSC group leaders for a European fellowship, although some pointed out that they need more time. When asked if they had any additional comments or suggestions for the organisers of the symposium, one participant commented:
“I was truly touched by the warm welcome! However, one thing that felt a bit disappointing was how short the time was to learn about the PIs' work. A two-minute pitch felt too brief - but I understand that time was limited. Regardless, I’m really grateful for this opportunity!”
“This is the third time in a row that this symposium has been organised, and it is great to see that it was so well-received by the participants,” said Kelly Swarts, the third organiser. “We will now go through the feedback from the participants and discuss with the UPSC group leaders how to proceed next year and and what improvements can be made.”
The symposium finalised with a pizza & ping-pong event in the UPSC lunchroom (photo: Anne Honsel).
More information about the UPSC Symposium for Early Career Plant Scientists
For questions regarding the symposium, please contact:
Laura Bacete
Umeå Plant Science Centre
Department of Plant Physiology
Umeå University
Email:
https://www.upsc.se/laura_bacete
Kelly Swarts
Umeå Plant Science Centre
Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Email:
https://www.upsc.se/kelly_swarts
Stephan Wenkel
Umeå Plant Science Centre
Department of Plant Physiology
Umeå University
Email:
https://www.upsc.se/stephan_wenkel