Tag: Doctoral Students

Research Computing Showcase Day 2026 (21 April)

You are invited to Research Computing Showcase Day 2026 on Tuesday 21 April 2026, 10:00–15:00 (BST) in LT200 and foyer, City & Guilds Building, South Kensington Campus, with an option to join online.

The event will highlight research enabled by Research Computing Services (RCS), including RSE projects, sensitive data platforms, and new services such as HX2 (HEX-HTC) and HX3 (HEX-AI). The day will feature talks, demos, and opportunities to meet RCS staff, fellow researchers, and external partners (e.g. Intel, Lenovo, NVIDIA).

Call for abstracts

We invite submissions from researchers using RCS facilities or support.

  • Abstract deadline: 16 February 2026
  • Notification: by 06 March 2026

Registration

  • In-person (South Kensington): register by 14 April 2026
  • Online: register by 21 April 2026

For queries, please contact e.lumley@imperial.ac.uk

Supporting Disabled and Neurodivergent Researchers at the Library Survey

To better understand the role of the library in supporting disabled and neurodivergent students and researchers, I am gathering feedback on the current library adjustments and identifying any gaps in how this information is made available, as well as any suggestions for additional support the library could implement.

Could you please complete this short (5 question) survey sharing your experience of library adjustments or support? It will be helpful for us to know your experience, even if you haven’t received any adjustments or support or haven’t been assessed by the Disability Advisory Service.

Imperial Fungal Science Network – Seminar Series 2026/ECR Talks: (19 Feb 2026)

 

 
 

We warmly invite you to attend the Imperial Fungal Science Network Seminar on

 

🗓️ Thursday 19th February, 12:00 – 13:00

 

📍 G47 Flowers Building, South Kensington Campus, Armstrong Road, London SW7 2AZ  3A on map

 

in-person (walk in; refreshments from 11:30am)
or online (via Teams)

 

no registration required

 

  

 

 

Microsoft Teams Need help?

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 337 087 815 982 04

Passcode: eg6Rc99x

 

 

>click here – live event info IFSN Seminar | 12noon Thurs 19 Feb | ECR Talks
Biotechnology and engineering

 

 Louis Cohen (Stanley Lab, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London)
“Mycorrhiza-on-a-chip” – developing microfluidic systems for studying root-fungal symbioses
The relationship between plant roots and mycorrhizal fungi is ancient and laid the foundation for terrestrial life on earth. Today, this relationship underpins agricultural yields and ecosystem stability. How individual mycorrhizal fungal hyphae initiate a symbiosis-specific response from plant hosts is still largely unknown. Microfluidic technology is a useful tool to engineer custom simplified microenvironments to monitor these pre-symbiotic interactions in real time, and gain insights into the mechanisms that drive symbiotic crosstalk.

 
Pathogenesis of fungal diseases

 

 Dr Lauren Dineen (Armstrong-James Lab, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London)
Exploring tRNA diversity in yeast using machine learning and direct RNA sequencing approaches
Up until recent decades, tRNA were thought to be passive molecules in translation. We now know that tRNA are important regulatory molecules that influence translation dynamics and other cellular processes. Despite leaps in the field, significant gaps in knowledge of fundamental tRNA biology remain. I will talk about my recent work focused on tRNA diversity within the Saccharomycotina yeast subphylum using both computational and direct RNA sequencing approaches.

 

 
Ecology, evolution and the environment

 

 

 Dr Marco Balducci (Savolainen Lab, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London)
Can symbiosis underpin local adaptation?
Using metabarcoding and meta-transcriptomics, we examine how Howea palms and their arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities vary with host identity and soil environment. Metabarcoding reveals that AMF community composition is structured by both host species and habitat, while meta-transcriptomic analyses show coordinated shifts in fungal function, stress tolerance, and cross-kingdom gene co-expression across soils. Together, these patterns suggest that environmentally structured plant–microbiome interactions contribute to local adaptation in a natural system.

 

 

 

 

Imperial Fungal Science Network leadership team

From Bench to Business: Making IP work for you (25 Feb 2026)

From Bench to Business: Making IP work for you

How do academics and researchers make IP work for them? Learn how to start with the end in mind, prioritise what’s valuable and protectable, ensure your intellectual property is investment-ready, and what makes a good licensable technology.

Our panel of patent attorneys, academic entrepreneurs and industry experts will share expert guidance in a dynamic panel discussion format. The event will be followed by a networking lunch. Read more and register.

Event date, time and location

LT300, City & Guilds Building, Imperial College London (South Kensington Campus)

25th February, 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm (followed by a networking lunch)

Race Equality Charter (REC) Student Survey (open until 01 March)

Complete the REC Student Survey here

The survey should take less than 10 minutes and you have the chance to be entered in a prize draw for one of five £50 Love2Shop e-Gift cards which can be used in over 45 online high street shops.

The survey contains 20 multiple choice questions and is open to every student at Imperial, from all ethnicities. The more responses we receive, the better we can form a picture of how Imperial is supporting our students from Minority Ethnic backgrounds, where we can do better and what further initiatives we can explore in future.

The last REC Student Survey took place in 2019 and directly informed the launch of the Presidential scholarships for students of Black heritage, The Imperial as One Media Academy which delivers expert communications training for minority ethnic staff and students, the Shifting the Lens photo series inn partnership with the Royal College of Art. More information on many other projects Imperial has committed to as part of its race equality work, along with additional information is available on the REC Student Survey webpage.

Thank you in advance, your survey answers are very much appreciated and will help us shape a more equitable and inclusive university.

Doctoral Student Spring Welcome – 26 March 2026

Join us for ECRI’s Doctoral Student Spring Welcome 

Thursday 26 March, 2-4pm, South Kensington Campus 

The Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) would like to invite you to our Doctoral Student Spring Welcome!

What to expect 

  • A welcome from ECRI, including an overview of the support available to you  
  • An introductory talk from the Imperial College Union (ICU) on what they offer and how to engage with them 
  • A Q&A panel of current doctoral students to answer your questions 
  • Tea, coffee and cakes and the opportunity to meet other students 
  • Information to take away from Imperial’s support services 

Find out more on the event page. 

Register now 

All doctoral students are welcome and the event is especially helpful for those who have recently joined or missed the PGR welcome events in October. 

To register and secure your place, simply book via Inkpath using your Single-Sign-On. 

We look forward to welcoming you and helping you make the most of your doctoral journey at Imperial! 

Black in STEM: Dr Faith Uwadiae – 19 Feb, 6-8pm

Black in STEM: Dr Faith Uwadiae 

Date: Thursday 19 February

Time: 18.00 – 20.00

Location: Skempton 301

 Please register your attendance

Are you a Black Imperial student interested in scientific research and how it can be more inclusive? Join Black @ Imperial and the Black Doctoral Network for an inspiring and informative conversation with Imperial alum Dr Faith Uwadiae and current PhD researcher, Maya Thabal Herron. This event will also include an audience Q&A and informal networking over pizza and Afro-Caribbean snacks.

Dr Uwadiae completed her PhD in biomedical research in 2018. Currently she works at the Wellcome Trust as an Ecosystems Manager where she leads on work to support Black-led initiatives that enhance the careers of Black-heritage researchers.

Dr Uwadiae will be interviewed by Maya Thabal Herron. Maya is currently researching smart textiles and soft sensing systems at Imperial. She also chairs the Black Doctoral Network, a community of Black heritage PhD researchers at Imperial College dedicated to supporting one another throughout the doctoral journey and beyond.

Please ensure that you register to ensure that there is enough catering for everyone.

Shape Your Library’s future with The Great Library Survey

Library Services are excited to launch The Great Library Survey which is now open. This initiative is a key opportunity for us to hear directly from you – our users, whether you are a student or a member of staff.

Your insights are essential to our planning. This survey is your chance to tell us what works well, what could be improved, and what new services you would like to see.

The feedback we receive will directly shape our Library Services Strategic Plan, helping us continue to support excellence in learning, teaching, and research.

The survey will take about 10–15 minutes to complete. As a thank you for your time, you will have the option to enter a prize draw to win one of fifty £20 shopping vouchers. Additionally, for every response, Library Services will contribute to planting trees through the World Land Trust.

Help us shape your library’s future – complete The Great Library Survey now.

Effective Speaking 2: succeeding at the ESA viva (19 Feb – 12 Mar 2026)

Our Effective Speaking courses for doctoral students provide practical training in successful oral communication.

The sessions give you the space to rehearse speaking activities such as presentations and vivas, as well as the day-to-day interactions of academic life. The aim is to upgrade your oral communication through intensive practice, directed peer review and detailed feedback. Courses run for 4 weeks (90 minutes once a week) and are delivered on campus at South Kensington.

Effective Speaking 2: succeeding at the ESA viva Thursday 19 February to Thursday 12 March, 14.00 – 15.30

To prepare doctoral students who have completed at least 5 months of their programme for activities in the run up to their Early Stage Assessment (ESA).

You will focus on:

  • speaking about your research area and identifying connections with the research of others
  • discussing gaps in the literature and outlining methodologies you plan to adopt
  • giving a detailed technical explanation of your work
  • practising answering questions

Reserve your place by filling out the registration form. (ES2 registration opens Monday 26 January)

Further information: Technical speaking for doctoral students