A multidisciplinary research showcase brought together early-career researchers in a half-day of talks and networking sessions.

A multidisciplinary research showcase, consisting of talks from postdoctoral researchers and fellows from the Faculty of Natural Sciences (FoNS), was hosted at Imperial’s White City Campus on 16 November.

Early-career researchers gathered to network and share their work in a half-day of presentations. The FoNS Postdoc and Fellows Research Showcase followed on from a successful pilot year in 2022, and continued its mission to build inter-departmental research links.

“It was great to host our second FoNS Research Showcase at White City campus,” said Dr Ester Buchaca-Domingo, the FoNS Strategic Research Coordinator.

“Participants were able to do some networking during the coffee break while enjoying the amazing views from level 12 of the Sir Michael Uren Building Hub,” she said.

Hosted by the Postdocs and Fellows Committee from FoNS, the showcase not only allowed participants to build bridges with each other, but also practice conveying research to a non-specialist audience. 

From exoplanets to dementia research

Five-minute talks from the Departments of Physics, Mathematics, Life Sciences, Chemistry and the Centre for Environmental Policy gave a sweeping overview of the research landscape in FoNS.

Topics included research into combatting antimicrobial resistance at the Crick Institute and the measurement of space weather.

Their talks were easily accessible no matter the background of the public. Dr Davia Prischich Department of Chemistry

Dr Davia Prischich, a research associate from the Department of Chemistry, helped chair the sessions. She said she was impressed with the clarity of presentations: “Their talks were easily accessible no matter the background of the public.”

Dr Ning Dong is an ecologist at the Department of Life Sciences who works on plant and ecosystem functions in response to global environmental changes by combining  ecological strategies and models development.

She said that the research showcase has already yielded a potential collaboration opportunity.

“I actually met a visiting professor,” she said, “There’s a potential collaboration that could apply our model to his research work in agriculture.” 

Dr Dong also said that it was valuable to be able to meet other researchers across Imperial in an informal and inclusive setting.

“There’s the science aspect, and the other is about getting advice and ideas about our careers going forward,” she said. 

“As someone who entered FoNS after spending most of my time in Engineering departments, it amazes me how broad the research is in the Faculty,” said Dr Daniel Mehlig, a research associate at the Centre for Environmental Policy. 

Breaking down research siloes

Multi-disciplinary research showcases give a unique opportunity to seek collaborations across expert groups, and build networks for researchers at similar career stages.

Dr Devkee M. Vadukul, a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Chemistry in Dr Francesco Aprile’s group, gave her talk on her current dementia research into protein aggregation.

“Some of the techniques I heard about could be applied to the work we are doing, potentially inspiring novel research avenues and collaborations for our group,” she said.

FoNS plans to continue organising an annual research showcase for postdoctoral researchers and fellows.