More than 90 Research Column members, junior scientists and NAD fellows gathered for the NAD Spring Retreat May 8-10 in Aarhus.
NAD fellow programme and community building for junior scientists
On Monday, the NAD fellows shared experiences from their first lab rotation with each other, discussing their learnings and findings. In the afternoon, we were joined by junior scientists from across the country for a session about the PhD journey. Three junior researchers shared their experiences and advice from life as a PhD student, offering tips on how to navigate different supervision styles, establish collaborations and handle the challenges that comes with carrying out a PhD project.
We also hosted a social event on Monday and a more structured forum on Tuesday to encourage networking between junior scientists and investigate how they can get involved in and benefit from NAD activities.
Bridging the seniority gap
Tuesday’s programme was all about facilitating networking across seniorities. In the morning, Associate Professor Lise Degn (Danish Centre for Studies in Research and Research Policy, Aarhus University) led a session on authorship expectations in the context of PhD supervision. The participants discussed the challenges and dilemmas surrounding authorships from the perspective of both PI’s and junior scientists.
The final activity of the day was a poster session with amazing presentations by junior scientists and NAD Fellows. The room was buzzing with scientific conversation and great vibes!
Keynote presentations
We had the pleasure of hosting two keynote speakers at the NAD Spring Retreat. Professor Vijay Tiwari (University of Southern Denmark) gave a presentation titled “Deciphering gene regulatory mechanisms underlying brain development and its disruption in neurological disorders”, and Professor Per Borghammer presented his research on Parkinson’s disease in a presentation titled “Body-first vs. brain-first Parkinson’s disease – a new disease model to explain motor asymmetry, non-motor subtypes, and dementia.”
Future NAD activities
During the retreat, Research Column members were tasked with drafting proposals for PhD courses and other activities (e.g. symposia, workshops or similar) within the columns. The newly established Education and Training Committee will evaluate these proposals on their upcoming meeting.
Thank you to all participants for three wonderful days in Aarhus – we hope to see you again soon!
See pictures from the retreat below.
