Join us for an engaging and inclusive masterclass designed to help early career academics navigate the complexities of an academic career. This interactive session will feature senior researchers sharing their career journeys, addressing both general and gender-specific challenges.
A dynamic panel discussion and group-based activities will provide deeper insights into overcoming barriers, developing practical strategies for progress and building resilience in academia. Diversity, collaboration and allyship are central to this session. This masterclass is open to everyone who wants to contribute to a more equitable academic environment.
Session Format
- Opening Insights
Hear from 3 senior researchers who briefly share a major challenge they faced during their careers and how they overcame it. - Breakout Discussions
Participants will join small groups to:
o Discuss their current challenges.
o Brainstorm potential solutions.
o Share ideas or programs they know of that support early career researchers.
o Suggest initiatives and future perspectives the ECSS could offer (e.g., travel or registration grants for parents, childcare support, focused mentoring). - Summary & Resources
We’ll reconvene to summarise key points and provide examples of existing programmes that support early career researchers, with a focus on initiatives for female ERCs.
Organised in collaboration with: Shona Halson, Anne Hecksteden, Florentia Hettinga, Dionne Noordhof, Maria Francesca Piacentini, Rebecca Randell, Bettina Wollesen.
Date: Tuesday, 7 July
Time: 09:00 – 10:30
Session room: 5BC
Please register for this Masterclass via the official ECSS Congress App as soon as it is released towards mid-June.
Assoc Prof Sabrina Forster
Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine
Saarland University
Saarbrücken, Germany
Dr Amelia Carr
Senior Lecturer and Honours Coordinator,
School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
Deakin University
Melbourne, Australia