The 1st national Student Summit for Research and Career Development for PhD:s and postdocs in organic chemistry, life science and medicinal chemistry took place in Gothenburg on 23-24 May 2024.

The event was arranged by the Division of Organic Chemistry of the Swedish Chemical Society, Kemisamfundet. The lunch-to-lunch program was comprised of a combination of presentations, workshops, poster sessions and social activities. Invited speakers were Giulia Bergonzini (AstraZeneca);  Francisco Salvà Serra (RISE); David Bliman (IRLAB Therapeutics AB); Felix Gnerlich (Ribocure); Jasmin Mecinovic (SDU Denmark);  Magnus Johansson (AstraZeneca); and Ruben Ragg (Wiley-VCH).

The first day concluded with a panel discussion about career development and opportunities in industry and academia. Participants in the discussion were Giulia Bergonzini, Director of Chemistry (AstraZeneca), Anna Said Stålsmeden, Section Manager Product Chemistry (Nouryon), Julia Grönros, Project Director (Ribocure), Alesia Tietze, Associate Professor (Gothenburg University), and Charlotta Lindvall Blom, Patent Consultant in Life Science (Bergenstråhle & Partners).

How did the event turn out?

– The event went very well and fulfilled all our expectations! We received 45 registrations, and an average of 40 people attended the event each day. The response from attendees and invited speakers was very positive, says Luisa Beyer, PhD at the University of Gothenburg and Head of the Organization Committee.

What were the highlights?

– Highlighting one specific program point is rather difficult since the program was diverse, featuring inspiring talks from people in industry and academia. There was a workshop on research innovation and utilization, a talk on grant and career opportunities from the grant and innovation service of Gothenburg University, a session on preparing your CV and technical interview, and a talk about how to get published in 2024 and beyond.

– However, one program point that stood out was the panel discussion on career development and opportunities. It provided great insights into diverse career paths and encouraged young researchers to ask important questions on a more personal level. The discussion continued during the meeting’s dinner, which was a perfect networking opportunity.

Why do you think such a meeting as the Student Summit is needed?

– Such meetings are important on different levels. They provide a perfect opportunity to connect with other young researchers within Sweden, discuss science, learn about professional development, and expand our networks with advanced researchers from both industry and academia. Additionally, they offer a chance to put our lab work into perspective and start thinking about the future steps in our careers.

What was it like to arrange the meeting?

– Arranging a meeting like this was challenging. There were many considerations I hadn’t thought of initially, but I also learned a lot. It was exciting to contact other PhD students within Sweden to build a strong organizing team and then connect with our invited speakers. Seeing the event grow from an idea to an actual event with a confirmed program was a great feeling!

– I am very grateful to the whole organizing team, the participating speakers, the attendees, and, of course, the sponsors who made the event possible.

The Student Summit is planned to be a biannual event.

Organization Committee Student Summit 2024:

Luisa Beyer (University of Gothenburg, Head of Organization Committee)

Alejandro Díaz (Uppsala University)

Flavia Ferrara (Chalmers)

Ellymay Goossens (KTH Stockholm)

Leonard Schilling (Lund University)

Piera Wiesinger (SLU Uppsala)

The meeting was sponsored by AstraZeneca, Chemistry Europe, the Swedish Chemical Society (Svenska Kemisamfundet), and Gothenburg University. Attendance was free of charge for members of the Swedish Chemical Society.