Early Career Researcher Initiatives
The SBIC ECR committee has been collaborating closely with biological inorganic chemistry conference organizers to identify ways in which to further support ECRs through conference presentations and networking opportunities.
Below are representative examples of our activities to date:
18th European Biological Inorganic Chemistry Conference (EuroBIC-18), 12-16 July 2026, Groningen, The Netherlands
The SBIC ECR Committee organised two dedicated events during the 18th European Biological Inorganic Chemistry Conference (EuroBIC18), in collaboration with the EuroBIC18 Organising Committee and with the support of the SBIC Council:
- A SBIC Early Career Researcher Symposium featuring nine oral presentations from ECRs selected from abstracts submitted to EuroBIC18
- A Professional Development and Networking Dinner for 35 early-career researchers. The evening featured informal networking and discussion, allowing participants to engage directly with experts from academia, publishing, and industry.
 Maria Firmino (Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB NOVA), Portugal)
I would like to thank the organising committee of the SBIC ECR Symposium. As a final-year PhD student, it was amazing to participate in some oral presentations and see my colleagues on the same stage, showcasing their work in the field. I also attended the dinner, which was absolutely amazing. Being able to discuss future career steps with sponsors and researchers in different positions really helped me to consider all the possibilities for my future in this field. Thank you, it was amazing!
 Florian Altes (Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau, Germany)
Presenting my research as a selected speaker at EuroBIC18 in Groningen was a valuable opportunity to share my work with an international audience, receive constructive feedback, and expand my professional network. The SBIC ECR dinner provided a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere to connect with fellow early career researchers and gain insight into different career paths and perspectives. Overall, participating in these events was highly beneficial for my scientific and professional development, and I greatly appreciated the opportunity to be part of such a supportive and inspiring community. I would highly recommend these events to other early career researchers.
21st International Conference on Biological Inorganic Chemistry (ICBIC-21), Long Beach, California, 28 July – 1 August 2025
Following a fruitful collaboration with the ICBIC-21 Local Organising Committee, the SBIC ECR Committee was delighted to host our Inaugural SBIC ECR Symposium dueing this international conference. Titled ‘Empowering the Next Generation of Biological Inorganic Chemists, it provided a unique platform for ECRs (PhD students and postdoctoral fellows) to present their research to an international audience, identify and recognise outstanding ECRs through a prize competition judged by senior researchers in the field and facilitate networking among ECRs and established scientists in a supportive and engaging environment. Thirteen ECRs presented their research and four of these were selected to present their work during the ‘Emerging Researcher 1.0 Session’ in the main ICBIC-21 programme.
In addition, all symposium speakers received a certificate to recognise their achievements and a book from the Metal Ions in Life Sciences series, generously provided by CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group, which has been electronically or physically delivered to the speakers.
 Zahra Aghaei (University of Kansas, United States of America)
Participating in the SBIC ECR Symposium was a truly valuable experience, as it gave me the opportunity to present my research for the first time outside of my university. The supportive environment allowed me to share my work with an international audience, receive constructive feedback, and connect with both peers and established scientists. This experience not only strengthened my confidence in giving talks but also broadened my perspective on the field of bioinorganic chemistry and inspired new directions for my research.
 Hugh Bloomfield (University of Auckland, New Zealand)
I attended the 21st International Conference on Biological Inorganic Chemistry, held in Long Beach, California in 2025. I was invited to speak at the SBIC Early Career Researcher Symposium held during the conference, where I presented some of the work undertaken during my doctorate. This was my first oral presentation at an international conference, having previously only presented at national conferences and symposia. The breadth of knowledge, experience, and interests stood out to me both in the questions following my talk, and in the research presented by other speakers during the ECR symposium. The invited speakers were from all over the globe, which was a delight to experience during the unpredictable times the scientific community is currently facing. Thank you to the organisers for giving me this opportunity to present my research on the world stage, and for ensuring this excellent symposium ran as smoothly as it did.
 Tzu-Yu Chen (North Carolina State University, United States of America)
Participating in the SBIC ECR Symposium at ICBIC21 was an incredibly valuable experience. The symposium provided me with a welcoming platform to present my research, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and connect with peers and senior scientists in the field. The feedback I received has given me new perspectives on my work, and the networking opportunities have helped me build relationships that I believe will support my growth as an emerging researcher. I am very grateful to SBIC for supporting early-career scientists in this way.
17th International Symposium on Applied Bioinorganic Chemistry (ISABC-17), 15-18 June, 2025 Uppsala, Sweden
The SBIC ECR Committee collaborated with the Local Organising Committee which resulted in one ECR oral presentation included in each of its many programme sessions.
Link to ISABC-17 website may be found here: https://www.isabc2025.com/
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