What attracted you to organizing a workshop on this topic?
We organized the fourth iteration of the Transatlantic ECI GPCR Symposium. As I participated in the symposium as a poster presenter and speaker before, it felt like the natural next step to organize it in the following year. G protein-coupled receptor research is a flourishing field with constant, exciting developments. All early career researchers should be offered the opportunity to hear about the latest science, present, and to discuss and network without the restrictions of fees and long-distance travel.
What experience have you gained in planning, organizing and running the workshop?
Overcoming the challenges of organizing a transatlantic event and managing location and time differences is rewarding and worthwhile. It required a lot of planning, changes of schedule, email communication, and advertising on social media. Organizing an event such as this is quite some work even if it happens entirely online, however, it is a lot of fun.
What was the most formative impression the workshop left on you?
The symposium focused on excellent science but also on the career aspects that could help early career researchers. The most formative experience was hearing established senior PIs talk about their early career stages. It was clear that they had learned a great deal from their experiences and were able to offer valuable insights to those of us just starting out. Maria Marti Solano, one of our keynote speakers, shared a simple yet effective strategy for preserving positive memories: a folder dedicated to keeping track of achievements like accepted journal articles. The atmosphere of the symposium was unquestionably supportive and friendly.
What impact did organizing the workshop have for you personally and for your doctorate?
The experience and the entry in my CV were undoubtedly beneficial, but organizing this workshop was especially helpful for networking. I met up with a few friends and also made some new contacts. After organizing the conference, I was invited to present my research in the GPCR Forum ECI Zoominar series, which I am looking forward to.
What tip would you like to give doctoral students for the organization of scientific events?
Schedule ample breaks. One or the other speaker will inevitably overrun their allocated time. In some sessions, discussions will be more intense than anticipated and need more time. To allow yourself to relax at least a little during the event, prepare for this by including buffer time. Social media platforms such as X or LinkedIn helped to spread the word about the symposium – one should invest time into designing advertising material and posting regularly so that as many people as possible can join and benefit.