Category: Master’s Students

Our experience of the Early Academic Talks (EAT)

By Clara Finnigan, Postgraduate Student, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction

Research is all about collaboration and communication. However, it can be daunting to meet new researchers, especially those outside of your immediate environment. We set up Early Academic Talks (EAT) to provide a space for Imperial Early Career Researchers (ECRs) to connect and present their research, helping break down barriers for collaboration and communication. Our fourth EAT session took place on Thursday, 24th of April.

This talk series is a cross-sectional initiative, aiming to oGer the opportunity for ECRs to meet and learn about the research at Imperial in a friendly and informal environment. These events take place every month and have 2-3 ECRs presenting the research they carry out at Imperial. It was a great event in which we saw a high turnout, with the talks stimulating excellent discussions between researchers. The students and postgraduates also enjoyed the post talk social with food and drinks in the Wolfson Canteen in the Commonwealth Building.

“I found this was an amazing opportunity to practice my presenting skills and to share my next career steps as a post-doc” – Iona Davies

The importance of communication between researchers cannot be emphasised enough. Here at Imperial, essential research is happening every day but not everyone always knows about it. EAT provides the space to disseminate knowledge and build networks with other Imperial ECRs. The series helps with presentation practice, as feedback is provided in a friendly and supportive environment. The series also supports researchers to communicate their work in an accessible way to allow it to be understood across the different disciplines here at Imperial.

Here are examples of some talks we have had in the past:

  • Rutian Ding, MRes Clinical Research – “Applying metabolomics strategies to assess postprandial variability in response to two extreme diets in people at risk of cardiovascular diseases.”
  • Jia Jun Lee, PhD – “Skin wound healing models – potential targets for diabetic wound healing.”
  • Iona Davis, Post-doc – “Investigating pancreatic and CNS GIPR signalling; Implications for the treatment of metabolic disease.”
“I learnt new tools and techniques for illustration for presenting academic research such as BioRender. Moreover, meeting new connections is one of the highlights from EAT!” – Onyinye Eze

The event series so far has provided a platform to practice presenting academic work and critically analyse research in a friendly space, fostering an interdisciplinary and collaborative environment. Personally, through the series I have further developed my presenting skills and ability to discuss my PhD project in more depth and answer more challenging questions from my peers. This has simultaneously facilitated broadening my Early Career Researcher network. We hope to see more of you ECRs at our next event!

Next Event: 29 May 2025, 16:10 – 17:00 – SB Seminar Room 10A, Conference Room, Hammersmith Campus.
Event Details https://linktr.ee/earlyacademictalks

A huge thank you to the Early Career Researcher Institute as our sponsors for this talk series!

! Look out for our fliers around the Hammersmith Campus !

 

From Labs to Lunch: How the I&I PhD Networking Event Brings Us Together

By Sophie Ball and Katrina Fordwor, Department of Immunology and Inflammation

PhD students can easily get caught up in their projects, labs and work and not have the opportunity to network with other students, whether these students are from the same floor or other labs. The department for Inflammatory and Infection is spread over multiple floors, so it is easy for students to become siloed and not to interact with one another across the whole of their PhD. This is why we set up a monthly initiative to bring PhD students together in a relaxed setting. The Graduate School has granted us the opportunity to fund a monthly lunch. These events to allow PhD students to network in a casual setting, while being fuelled with some well-deserved food.

Collaborations between labs is a massive part of research, building a career and the general life of a scientist. This event was created exactly for that purpose, to allow students to gather in a communal space and interact with different labs. Having this event with lunch provided a relaxed atmosphere that allowed conversations to flow to discuss their current projects, career aspirations and identify future collaborators. I personally felt this event was a great way to speak to other students in the department and learn about the research going on, on floors just above me.

The I&I PhD Student Networking event is scheduled at lunchtime once a month, normally on the first Friday, and lasts for about an hour. This event is scheduled to continue for the remaining of the academic year, allowing these new connections to strengthen and possibly allow new research collaborations to develop. Moving forward, I hope this initiative continues to grow with this event’s participants reaching out to other students who missed out. It has the space to expand to a larger event with guest speakers and themed discussions but for now, it provides a simple yet effective way for PhD students to mingle and strengthen the academic community we are trying to achieve here at Imperial.

 

 

Life Sciences – Living Planet Data Challenge

By Agnes Szwarczynska, PhD Researcher at Schroeder Lab at Silwood Park

Recently, I came across a Nature article titled “Reproducibility trial: 246 biologists get different results from the same data sets.” It got me thinking — what if Imperial students, with expertise spanning from animal communication to microbial science, took on the same challenge? That’s how The Living Planet Data Challenge was born — an exciting three-day event that, for the first time, brought together master’s and PhD students at Silwood Park to tackle a real-world data problem.

In the first week of February, participants applied their skills in data analysis, coding, and research to address a question at the intersection of ecology, evolution and environmental conservation. The primary aim of the challenge was to foster problem-solving skills in a fun and inclusive environment — free from the pressure of grades. But despite its playful nature, it turned into something students could proudly add to their CVs. It also provided a chance to practice presenting methodologies and refine communication skills ahead of thesis vivas. For me, it was a big lesson in leading an event and everything that comes with it — securing funding, managing logistics and fostering engagement.

The event kicked off on Tuesday, February 4th, with participants tackling a problem using a publicly available dataset from eBird, a citizen science database with avian occurrence data. The challenge was set within a hypothetical scenario: as Tunisia’s newly appointed Environmental Officers, students had to assess whether the avian conservation program launched in 2017 had achieved its goals. AI tools were permitted, but participants had to justify their usage, adding an extra layer of challenge that required teams to critically evaluate their methodological choices.

[slides from the presentations of a) Jinxuan Cui, Xinting Cheng, Vicky Lin b) Yolanda Qian, Kotaro Kuroda, Rahim Dina c) Nathan Clark, Scott Tytheridge d) Saskia Pearce, Nia Potapova, Georgina Chow]

Using the eBird dataset, teams defined “success” in different ways — some focused on species diversity trends, while others analysed geographic distribution and changes in range sizes or simulated population numbers under various scenarios. From the organiser’s perspective, it was fascinating to see how different teams set out to solve the same problem by adopting very different strategies.

Over the next three days, five teams brainstormed ideas, analysed data and prepared their final presentations. Each day, they were provided with vegan and vegetarian snacks to fuel their creativity. More than just an academic exercise, the challenge served as a platform to refine scientific communication, encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange. With the two £150 prizes in vouchers for sustainable shops, teams were motivated to demonstrate that their approach was the most scientifically robust.

On the final day, teams presented their findings in 10-minute presentations, followed by a Q&A session with a panel of postdoctoral researchers. The prize in the master’s students category was awarded to Saskia Pearce, Nia Potapova and Georgina Chow for their ability to create a well-structured, compelling story and its critical interpretation. In the PhD category, the prize went to Nathan Clark and Scott Tytheridge for accounting for data collection biases and conducting a robust analysis that considered both the short- and long-term effects of the intervention.

Here, I want to thank all the teams for their hard work and determination! Special thanks to Dr. Ambre Salis, Dr. Vivienne Comyn-Platt and Dr. Balig Panossian for assessing the presentations and providing detailed feedback and to Stanislav Modrak for help with the event organisation. Lastly, this event would not have been possible without the funding provided by Imperial’s Early Career Researcher Institute, whose support brought the Living Planet Data Challenge to life.

School of Public Health Harmony Night: A Melodic Celebration of Culture and Community

By Sunyuntao Xu, MSc Epidemiology, Academic Representative, School of Public Health

On June 4th, 2024, we hosted the inaugural School of Public Health Harmony Night Karaoke party at Kungfu Restaurant. This vibrant social event, organized by the School of Public Health, brought together postgraduate students for an evening of singing, dining, and networking. This student-led initiative aimed to strengthen community bonds and promote well-being, encouraging cultural exchanges and interpersonal connections beyond the academic setting.

Karaoke is an entertainment culture that originated in East Asia, gaining immense popularity in China, Japan, and Korea. Over time, this engaging pastime has spread to Europe and America, thanks to cultural mixing and globalization. The School of Public Health is a wonderfully diverse department, with students from all around the world. As student representatives, our goal was to
find the best social activity to enhance this multicultural atmosphere within our department.

The SPH Harmony Night was more than just an evening out; it was a carefully curated experience designed to enhance community well-being. By stepping away from the rigours of academic pursuits, this event offered a refreshing break that fostered mental and emotional well-being.  Participants had the opportunity to engage in cultural sharing through music and cuisine, enriching their understanding and appreciation of diverse backgrounds. The informal setting encouraged
students and staff to build lasting professional connections, enhancing their future careers and research collaborations.

We strategically scheduled the event after our research project background presentations, aiming for everyone to relax and celebrate the accomplishment of this milestone in our master’s program. Participants contributed songs in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Mongolian, and Yi, significantly enhancing cultural communication among students. Everyone immersed themselves in enjoying the collision of different traditions and forms of vocal arts, and surprisingly we got a chance to see many excellent singers in our community. This event highlighted the power of music  and social interaction in bridging cultural divides and fostering a sense of community. As the organiser of this event, it was heartening to see everyone enjoying delicious food and drinks while singing their hearts out. The SPH Harmony Night not only strengthened our community bonds but also promoted well-being and cultural exchange, making it a memorable evening for all.

Comments From Participants:

  • “Togetherness in class, academically, is good, yet togetherness outside class is also important! A sharp heart is a sharp mind. Thank you, team.” – Naesilla (MSc Epidemiology)
  • “I enjoyed the event last night, had lots of fun with my course mates and enjoyed spending time with them outside of the academic environment.” – Bridget Pickard (MSc Epidemiology)
  • “It was fantastic. I had such a great time with my colleagues, and it was great to see everyone outside academic settings. These moments brought us closer and made our time at Imperial much more enjoyable. Thanks to everyone who participated!” – Xiaoming Xu (MSc Health Data Analysis and Machine Learning)
  • “It seems everyone enjoyed themselves. And the interactions between students of different majors just created interesting connections. It was a successful event and thanks to the organisers.” – Yiying Meng (Master of Public Health)

This event played a multifaceted role in enhancing both soft skills and community spirit within the School of Public Health. By breaking down barriers, fostering interpersonal connections, and encouraging creative expression, karaoke significantly contributes to a positive and productive research culture. It also provides valuable networking opportunities. We hope to make this event an annual tradition, offering more enjoyable cultural experiences for students in the future.

Acknowledgement: Thanks for the help from the Graduate School for providing financial support this this activity, and thanks to the School of Public Health Epidemiology course team for providing information circulation support. 

Vaccine Chronicles: Experiences from Imperial’s Vaccine Student Research Network Seminar

On January 15th, we had the pleasure of hosting the Vaccine Bioscience Seminar, part of the Winter Seminar Series. This was the first event we organised—a kick-off for the Vaccine Student Research Network. Our aim was to provide an interdisciplinary perspective on vaccine research for postgraduate students and offer a first glimpse into the breadth of science taking place at Imperial.

While the COVID-19 pandemic now seems to be behind us, this seminar helped us to reflect on these years and the crucial role of vaccine technology. Throughout the afternoon, we discussed public health and pandemic management through various lenses.

The event drew big name speakers, each of whom contributed a significant piece of a big-picture discussion. To start, Dr. Ferdinando Insalata presented the mathematical foundations of the SIREN study, a unique and powerful UK-led clinical study that helped inform policymakers about COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness. Then, Dr. Zoltán Kis shared insights into building sufficient production capacity for the next pandemics. Zoltán introduced digital tools to facilitate knowledge sharing among vaccine developers and manufacturers. His vision of distributed manufacturing to enhance vaccine supply in low- and middle-income countries was undoubtedly inspirational for many of us. Following this, we had the chance to listen to Dr. Simon Barton from the NHS, who delivered a thought-provoking talk on how we can learn from the HIV experience for future vaccine development. He emphasised the essential role of public health behaviours in limiting transmissions. In a hopeful concluding note, Prof. Robin Shattock showcased in his keynote presentation the potential of self-amplifying RNA technology to address many unmet medical needs. At the end of the sessions, Imperial students seized the opportunity to discuss the future of vaccine research with our panel of experts: upcoming vaccines in clinical pipelines, future regulatory challenges, and improved vaccine accessibility.

Overall, we are proud to have organised such an event, attracting over 100 attendees from various departments. We all felt that we learned something valuable about vaccine technologies and vaccine innovations. It was wonderful to see how the UK ecosystem, especially the diverse Imperial community, is a vibrant place for concrete and impactful vaccine research. We are now even more excited about our upcoming seminars organised for the large postgraduate student’s community from across four faculties at Imperial. We are also looking forward to inviting you to our annual conference in September. Stay tuned and check out our network’s website!

The Imperial Vaccine Student Network Committee

(Authors: Simon Daniel and Tom Kitto)

Non-academic Careers Event for MRes students

I’m on the MRes in Biomedical research course and many, if not all, of the career talks, resources and email adverts are all veering towards academia. Not to say this isn’t a good thing, many of us want to go down the academic route. However, my fellow reps and I have identified that there is a sizeable proportion of our course who do not want an academic career or are yet to be successful in securing one.

With that in mind, we planned a careers event and an informal reception not catered to academia. We scouted and contacted people from our course and allied courses who are in industry, public health, or alternate careers such as consulting. This led us to our 6 brilliant panellists who happily came to our event to share their wisdom and inspire us.

Post-panel we had a reception where we all drank, ate, and mingled with our panellists as well as each other.Networking
Thirty-one students attended the event and kindly provided us with feedback post-reception. All students were grateful to find out more about other career pathways and are now feeling more hopeful about their futures.

Quotes from our peers included: “It was really interesting to know the various sectors you could go into after graduating from the course” “I loved how honest the speakers were about struggles in their career journey and it gave me a lot of confidence going forward in my career”

Our degree provides us with many transferable skills which can allow us to break into many other sectors outside academia; however, this can be challenging if this field is unknown! My fellow reps and I, with the support of our course management team, were honoured to be able to give our peers a space to open the discourse whilst having fun.Careers Event

 

The SynBIC goes to the Isle of Wight

By Javier Cabello Garcia, PhD Student, Department of Bioengineering

After a really tough year, the members of the SynBIC decided to organize a trip to bring back together PhD and Master’s students. This way, we could give a proper welcome to the new arrivals in the team! After thinking about what the best place for our meet and greet would be, we reached the logical conclusion that there is no better place than a garlic farm! So, we headed to the Isle of Wight to visit its garlic farm and the island surroundings.

SynBIC

The day trip to the Isle of Wight took place on Friday 2nd of July, 2021. Our voyage started at 8.30 when we got a coach from Victoria station. During the 2 hours trip, we hang out talking with each other and playing card games. Once in Portsmouth, we walked to the port where we rode the hovercraft that brought us to the Isle of Wight. The hovercraft was an experience itself! You do not fly over the water every day.

Hovercraft

Later that morning, a bus transported us to the Isle of Wight garlic farm, a place of international renown. There, we enjoyed lunch (always respecting current COVID restrictions!). We visited the farm afterwards, taking a stroll through the garlic while listening about all the different garlic variants that they grow.

garlic farm

After that, we took a bus back to Ryde beach. This bus also happened to be a tourist bus, so we could quickly see other attractions of the isle of Wight, like the big cat sanctuary or the vineyard. The discovery of the latest caused a small mutiny among some members of the expedition, that questioned why we went to the garlic farm instead of the vineyard (Author’s note: Even when garlic is far superior). After putting down mercilessly the insurrection, we arrived at Ryde beach where we hiked and carried out some team building activities. There, we had some time to know each other better and give a warm welcome to the newcomers! We even had some time to talk about our current projects, which sparked some collaborations between the members of the centre!

SynBIC

After a full day of activities, we took the hovercraft back to Portsmouth, where we took the coach back to Victoria. On the trip back, some were chatting, others fast asleep, but most of us were simply watching Spain obliterate Switzerland in the Euros! 

The atmosphere in the trip back was completely different from the outbound journey. We were more talkative, and the groups mingled together. So I guess the trip was a success! We had a great experience meeting new people and participating in the activities. New arrivals could introduce themselves and get to know their new lab mates. On the other hand, senior members were able to reencounter in a more relaxed and ludic environment. At the end of the journey, we all had a clearer idea about other members’ research and who they are outside the lab. Additionally, the experience increased our sense of belonging to a group. Everybody (even the vineyard insurgents) concluded that the trip was a great experience from a professional and personal point of view. 

And of course, we especially acknowledge Imperial College London Graduate School for sponsoring our day trip to the Isle of Wight. Their funding has been vital for the PhD and master students at the SynBIC!