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Revitalized and Empowered: Early career scientists reflect on their ECSC4 experiences and the value of networking.

By August 8, 2022No Comments
Caption: View of the St. John’s Harbour from Signal Hill. Photo courtesy of Dr. Khushboo Jhugroo

MEOPAR was a proud sponsor of the 4th ICES-PICES Early Career Scientists Conference (ECSC4), which took place on the ancestral homelands of the Mi’kmaq and Beothuk peoples, on what’s now known as St. John’s, Newfoundland, from July 17-21, 2022. The conference enabled international networking and collaboration under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, with 100+ participants attending from 22 different countries. As part of this sponsorship, MEOPAR backed 20 Early Career Scientists in joining the 4-day event. This story highlights their experiences, contributions and takeaways. 

This conference is unique in that it was tailored to early career scientists, which, as Samantha Beal pointed out is crucial because “research and academia can be a field dominated by late-stage professionals and at times it can be challenging to form connections across the divide,” however this conference helped close the gap.  

Knowledge mobilization at the conference was multi-directional, where early career scientists (and their mid and senior career mentors) shared and learned from each other. Participants were able to connect with peers from different backgrounds and areas of expertise, on both national and international scales during workshops, plenary sessions, breaks, and excursions.  

The conference tone and programming emphasized equity, inclusiveness and diversity on all fronts and there was an array of themed sessions from ocean and ecosystem processes, to science communication and engagement, human-ocean interactions and advances in technology, and ongoing projects working towards a sustainable blue economy. 

“The inclusive and comfortable atmosphere at ECSC4 has inspired me to recreate that atmosphere on a smaller, day-to-day scale; in my interactions with current and future collaborators, and during workshops I am participating in or organizing” - Dr. Andrea Bryndym-Buchholz
“This served as a great start to the conference as it gave us an opportunity to meet many people without any strict timelines or agenda. As a result, in the following days it was easy to join anyone for meals or conversation. – Michael J. Allison

Hover over the images for more.

The presentations were great opportunities to raise awareness about researchers’ niche subjects. Eleana Karachaliou said presenting a poster facilitated opportunity to directly engage and communicate her science with people from a wide range of disciplines and gained valuable feedback.

Kicking-off the conference on the Sunday evening, MEOPAR hosted an engaging networking event which included a story telling session with a diverse panel of Early, Mid and Senior Career Ocean Professionals and social networking BINGO. 

Dr. Andrea Bryndum-Buchholz, a MEOPAR Postdoctoral Fellow and one of the panelists, shared that while she was initially nervous to sit on her first panel, discussing her personal journey and advice on networking, her feelings turned into new sense of empowerment, as her advice resonated with the audience which had similar, yet unique, experiences to share too.

 These feelings were echoed by many participants, where after MEOPAR’s session, were able to find comfort among the audiences of friendly new faces, and felt more confident too. As such, the group of early career scientists really appreciated the kick-off event as the relaxing, semi-informal structure, and conversational flow helped shape interactions and tone of the conference. 

For most, this was the first in-person conference and professional networking opportunity they have had since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and for some, since the started their post-graduate studies. Outside of the main plenary sessions, Early Career Ocean Professionals Canada (ECOP Canada) hosted a visionary workshop to engage ECS on the Ocean Decade Outcome Areas, identifying what our role to achieve the ocean we want.

“It was really re-energizing to attend a conference in-person after three years. The workshops were helpful for networking and connecting to other participants. […] This is one major component that I have been missing from virtual conferences and events over the past three years.” – Dr. Khushboo Jhugroo
“As this was the first time I ever presented at a conference, I could not have asked for a more positive, encouraging, and supportive environment. Despite being nervous for my talk, I was reassured just by looking out at the friendly and smiling faces that were cheering me on” -Amy L. Irvine 
“It was extremely inspiring to see a room full of ECOPs brainstorming ways to solve the many challenges facing the ocean and environment, and to later see them getting their hands dirty cleaning Topsail beach, hosted by ECOP Canada and the Surfrider Foundation Canada.” – Matt Miller

Rediscovering the benefits of going to conferences in-person, having the chance to practice and develop communication skills, and build confidence was incredibly valuable to the early career scientists.

"I learned that many early career scientists like myself struggle with self doubt, but that the most important thing is to be open to learning and admit that you cannot be an expert at everything, even late in your career. — Emily Cormier
"I find that sometimes, doing our work from our computers at a desk, it can be easy to lose focus of the broader issues at hand. The legacy of the Newfoundland cod fisheries collapse hung over the city and connected me to the stark realization that the work of the early career scientists will shape the working relationship we have with the ocean going forward." - Samantha Beal

As the conference came to an end, the participants left with a wider professional network, new friends and a renewed sense of inspiration, especially towards science communication and applied research.

“This conference gave me the opportunity to form long-lasting connections with researchers around the world to connect and collaborate. With passion, literacy, inclusivity, and innovative research on our world oceans, the folks I met at this conference gave me hope for an optimistic future.” - Natalie Benoit
“I left the ECSC feeling energized and excited to grow into my own as an ocean scientist. As the multitude of stressors impacting our oceans increase in number and intensity it is a relief to know that the next generation of ocean people seem capable of affecting meaningful and positive change” – Neha Acharya-Patel

 Learn more about the Early Career Scientists’ we supported here. 

About the Author

Written by MEOPAR’s Training Program Manager, Alexa J. Goodman (they/she). Alexa holds a Master of Marine Management and a Bachelor’s of Science in Marine Biology and Sustainability from Dalhousie University. They are passionate about doing good for our planet and its people by shifting awareness into action, and joined the MEOPAR team in May 2021 to equip the next generation of marine researchers with the knowledge and tools needed to excel in their careers. Alexa is an Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP), a published scientist and peer-reviewer, award winning environmental activist, youth mentor, and has been a driving force in managing abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear, also called ‘ghost gear’. Learn more about their work here.