Category: External Conferences & Events

LERU Talks: AI and research grants: Is the system doomed to collapse? 26 June

LERU Talks – AI and research grants: is the system doomed to collapse?

Increasingly advanced AI models are profoundly changing how researchers develop research grant proposals and how reviewers assess them. This is exciting but perhaps also threatening the system as we know. Join us for a discussion about what it means for universities, funders and research policy actors.

On Friday 26 June 2026, 13.15-14.15 CEST, LERU Talks is sitting down with two eminent experts:
·         Geraint Rees, Professor or Cognitive Neurology and Vice-Provost Research, Innovation and Global Engagement, University College London

·         James Wilsdon, Professor of Research Policy, University College London, and Executive Director of the Research on Research Institute (RoRI)
Moderator: Dr Katrien Maes, LERU Engagement Ambassador / EDI and sustainability specialist
The experts will engage on questions such as:
·         What kinds of challenges are arising from these developments?

·         Is the grant-funding system due for a complete overhaul?

·         How are universities and funders dealing with these challenges?
The discussion will be live-streamed via Zoom. The online audience will be able to submit written questions, which will be put to the speakers live. The link of the live stream will be sent to all registrants in due course.

This event is part of the LERU Talks series, an online interview and discussion forum connecting the worlds of universities and science policymakers, and bringing this interaction to a wide audience.

Visit the event webpage to learn more about the speakers

Register for the online LERU Talks event

Crick and Partner Universities PhD Student Summer Symposium at the Francis Crick Institute – 23 June 2026

PhD students from Imperial College London, UCL, King’s College London, and the Francis Crick Institute are warmly invited to attend the 2026 Crick and Partner Universities PhD Student Summer Symposium at the Francis Crick Institute.
This cross-institutional, student-led symposium offers an excellent platform for PhD students to present their research, discuss their science and network with fellow students across institutions.

  • Date: Tuesday, 23 June 2026, 09:30–19:00
  • Location: The Francis Crick Institute, London
  • Registration Deadline: 16th June 2026
  • Abstract Submission Deadline (for short talks and posters): 19th May 2026
  • Register for free and submit abstracts

Please note: ALL participants must register via Eventbrite — this includes those submitting an abstract. Submitting an abstract does not count as registration. Please make sure you complete both steps if you wish to submit an abstract for a poster/short talk!

Some symposium highlights will include:

  • Student talks across a range of bioscience disciplines
  • Keynote lecturefrom Dr Sander van der Linden, Professor at the Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge titled “Psychological Inoculation Against Misinformation”
  • Panel discussion on “Communicating Science in an Era of Public Mistrust”
  • Complimentary refreshments, lunch & pizza
  • Sciency badge-making social
  • Prizes available for best talk and best poster!

For any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at student-symposium@crick.ac.uk

 

The Green Science Festival (28 May)

The Green Science Festival is Coming to Imperial!

Imperial College London will be hosting a London satellite location for the Green Science Festival 2026, on Thurs 28 May.

We will be live streaming the Amsterdam-based festival throughout the day, as well as in-person discussion and networking sessions, creating an opportunity for colleagues across the UK to drop in, connect, and engage with the programme locally. It will be a full-day event focused on advancing environmental sustainability in research.

We warmly invite you to attend and invite your colleagues, from Imperial and beyond!

Please find the Imperial Festival programme attached, along with a flyer festival programme here: Green Science Festival 2026 – Green Labs NL

You can grab your tickets via Eventbrite: Green Science Festival 2026 – London Satellite (Imperial College London) Tickets, Thursday, May 28 …

Location: South Kensington campus – details will be sent via invite.

Tea, coffee and refreshments will be provided during breaks.

We hope to see many of you at Imperial for a day of sustainability, collaboration, and inspiration!

Event page: Green Science Festival | Events | Imperial College London

Young Geotechnical Engineers Symposium (22 & 23 June)

18th BGA Young Geotechnical Engineers Symposium

Held at Imperial College London, the Young Geotechnical Engineers Symposium 2026 (YGES 2026) brings together early-career researchers and professionals to discuss emerging challenges and innovative solutions in geotechnical engineering.

YGES 2026 provides an opportunity for young geotechnical engineers to present innovative research and engineering practice, promote dialogue between academia and industry, and strengthen professional connections supporting future collaboration and career development within the geotechnical community. Each session will be chaired by Imperial College London academics, who will provide personalised one-to-one feedback to presenters at the end of each session — offering a unique opportunity for direct engagement and professional development:

A Best Presentation Award will be presented to recognise outstanding contributions, based on both technical quality and presentation.

Download the flyer — FlyerYGES2026.

Call for Extended Abstracts

Extended Abstract (maximum 2 pages)
Authors are invited to submit an extended abstract of no more than two pages, including figures, tables and references. The document must follow the provided template.

Submission Deadline:   1st May 2026
Notification of Acceptance: 15th May 2026

Abstract submission is open!!! Please find the submission guidelines and template here.

Key Dates:

Extended Abstract Submission Deadline: 1st May 2026

Acceptance Announcement:  15th May 2026

Early-Bird Registration Deadline: 1st June 2026

Registration Deadline: 15th June 2026

Contact us

Do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions or concerns by filling out this form.

email: yges2026@imperial.ac.uk

British Hydrology Society – Early Career Symposium (29 & 30 June)

Hydrology in Service of Society – BHS Peter Wolf Early Career Symposium 2026

29–30 June 2026 at Imperial College London

In partnership with the British Hydrological Society, this year’s theme Hydrology in Service to Society explores how water science can respond to climate change, urbanisation and environmental pressures.

We’re inviting early career researchers to share their work…spanning catchment to coast, groundwater to glaciers, modelling to monitoring, nature-based solutions to engineered infrastructure, and data science to decision-making.

📝 Submit your abstract by 1 June

Details and submissions: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdRQb1qJPYsVAf-0PkyAHSVi6h6qbfzvNbJHVWPKuUAiNRhw/viewform

Cancer Research UK Postdoc Futures Conference (24 September)

Cancer Research UK are inviting all cancer non-clinical postdocs, regardless of funding source, to a one-day event on 24 September in Manchester, designed to empower you to take the next step in your career.

Explore career opportunities both within and beyond academia, learn about their training and funding programmes and pick up practical tools to help you build a fulfilling career in cancer research.

You’ll also connect with the wider cancer postdoc community, take part in roundtable discussions and join talks covering career progression, common challenges and potential solutions.

Register now: https://cruk.ink/4tS7Ai5

Londonomics Deep Dive: Xenium spatial transcriptomics with 10x Genomics (21 May 2025)

We are thrilled to host Roman Laddach, a bioinformatician from 10x Genomics, who will lead a deep dive into Xenium analytical workflows. Given the technical focus on cell segmentation, quality checks, and cell type annotations, we believe this would be of great value to the ECR community.

Event Overview

  • Topic: Interactive session on Xenium bioinformatics workflows and troubleshooting.
  • Date & Time: Thursday, 21 May 2026 | 1:15 PM – 3:15 PM
  • Location: Auditorium 2, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Rd, London
  • Features: Live Q&A, code signposting, and a networking session with refreshments.

Registration & Requirements

  • Essential: Attendees must bring a fully charged laptop.

Note: Due to high demand and limited capacity, we ask that anyone unable to attend cancels their spot early to allow those on the waitlist to join.

Black and Minority Ethnic Early Career Researcher Conference (10 July 2026)

Invitation: Black and Minority Ethnic Early Career Researcher (BME ECR) Conference

Friday, Jul 10, 2026 from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm

Location: Great Hall King’s College London

Registration and programme on Eventbrite

We would like to invite you to attend the 10th BME Early Career Researchers  (BME ECR) conference at the Great Hall King’s College London.

Our highly anticipated 10th BME ECR Conference is taking  place on Friday, 10th July 2026. This event is set to be a remarkable gathering, bringing together a diverse group of BME emerging researchers and senior academics  from various disciplines celebrating the achievements of the past 10 years and looking to the future.

Attendees can look forward to a day themed: Recognition, Reflection and Renewal, where we will be hearing 10 Impact studies and through a panel discussions learn in dept what worked for them.

In addition to the formal presentations, the conference will host a series of future-focused conversations designed to inspire innovative thinking and collaboration among participants. These discussions will form a vision workshop where the findings will shape the future of BME ECR conference and network.

Networking opportunities will be plentiful, offering attendees the chance to connect with peers, establish new relationships, and exchange ideas with like-minded individuals who share a passion for advancing the academic careers of BME early career researchers.

Whether you are an BME early-career researcher looking to expand your knowledge, or an academic interested in the future of BME Research, this conference promises to be an invaluable experience. Mark your calendars and prepare to engage with a vibrant BME ECR network.

Please feel free to register here – THE 10TH BME ECR CONFERENCE Tickets, Friday, Jul 10, 2026 from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm | Eventbrite<https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-10th-bme-ecr-conference-tickets-1981558459695>

 

Postgraduate Pedagogies Symposium (01 July 2026)

The Postgraduate Pedagogies Symposium is a one-day event taking place on 1 July 2026 hosted hybrid at LSE, aimed at new and continuing Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) with an interest in postgraduate pedagogies and teaching practice.

The symposium will feature a keynote presentation, a themed panel, and author presentations. Its main aims are to create a space for sharing practice, reflection, and research on postgraduate pedagogies, to connect GTAs with colleagues involved in pedagogical development, and to encourage cross-institutional dialogue. We will also be launching Volume 6 of Postgraduate Pedagogies during the symposium, and we warmly welcome attendees to join us for this special occasion.

If you are interested in attending or presenting your work, please register here to join us! More information regarding symposium themes and proposal guidelines can be found at the registration link.

Call for STEM Principal Investigators: Improving Postdoc Recruitment – Residential Session

📢 Calling all UK-based STEM Principal Investigators
Would you like to improve postdoc recruitment and explore the impact of AI with other PIs across UK Universities?

We’re now hosting an in-person, two-day Practice Studio in Cambridge on 29th and 30th June 2026, where we’ll work with Principal Investigators to explore two key questions:

⭐ How can the UKRI Narrative CV be improved for postdoc recruitment?

⭐ What impact could AI have in reducing the time needed to longlist Early Career Research candidates?

The Practice Studio will build on the results that the ARRC Team have produced from the 3-year randomised controlled trial at the University of Cambridge, examining the use of Narrative CVs in STEM postdoc recruitment. The results show mixed Principal Investigator views, suggesting a need for more effective recruitment approaches.

The Outputs from the Practice Studio will inform a Policy Brief aimed at improving Early Career Researcher recruitment.

🧳 We will cover your travel, accommodation, and subsistence and you will enjoy a dinner at one of the Cambridge Colleges!

👉 If you are interested, please sign up now by completing the Expression of Interest form here https://lnkd.in/eX3s7mtp