ECLectic in Bilbao: Four days of training, science, and collaboration during Network Event 2
The second ECLectic Network Meeting & Training Event has just wrapped up, hosted by the Fundacion BCMaterials in the Leioa campus of the Universidad del País Vasco, right outside Bilbao, Spain. It was a fantastic opportunity to strengthen the network, share research progress, and provide valuable training for our Doctoral Candidates.
Over the course of four days, participants engaged in a blend of technical and soft skills training, scientific sessions, and networking activities that fostered collaboration across disciplines and institutions.
During Day 1 and Day 2 (April 1st and 2nd), the event was reserved for members of the ECLectic consortium. On the first day, the Doctoral Candidates took part in a series of seminars focused on creating written and visual content for effective scientific presentations and publications. The use of Artificial Intelligence was also investigated in this context, as speakers of some of the major publishing houses in the chemistry field were asked what the situation is at the moment and how to navigate it without abusing the use of this new technology. The day continued with an interactive session on communicating research to diverse audiences — from scientific peers to the general public. Participants explored various strategies for producing engaging social media content and enhancing their science outreach skills.
Day 2 was a busy day full of activities, as we both held our mid-term meeting, discussing the implementation of the project with the Project Officer from the European Research Executive Agency. Divided by work packages and guided by WP group leaders, DCs then presented updates on their individual projects, sparking insightful discussions on which technical solutions to pursue to advance in the project as a network.
Days 3 & 4 of the event (April 3rd and 4th) were dedicated to a Workshop on ECL, open to participants outside the ECLectic network. The workshop featured invited speakers from both academia and industry, creating a dynamic space for sharing insights, presenting recent breakthroughs, and engaging in hands-on training. It was a unique opportunity to deepen technical knowledge, foster collaboration, and connect with the broader ECL research community. During the poster session, junior researchers had the chance to exchange ideas with senior researchers and industry professionals, also gaining perspective on potential paths after the PhD.
🔗 The full workshop programme is available here: https://eclectic-dn.eu/workshop/
📷 Watch what happened during our 4 day event on our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/eclectic_mscadn/