Dr José A. Horcajadas, CEO of several companies

Biopic: Earned his University degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in 1993 and PhD in the same University in 2000. He did his Ph.D. working on Virology with Dr. Margarita Salas, one of the most reputable scientists in Spain. After that, he moved to be the Scientific Director (CSO) of the Fundación IVI (Valencia) until 2009. He was one of the founders and CSO of iGenomix until 2011. He moved to the University in 2011 being full assistant Professor of Genetics at the Pablo de Olavide University in Sevilla (on leave of absence now). Since 2011 he has been the founder of several companies with technological base: Recombine Europe (2011), iGLS (2011), SINAE (2012), Fullgenomics (2018), Overture Life (2018), and HoMu Health Ventures (2018). He has studied the molecular basis of endometrial receptivity and other aspects of Reproductive Medicine, publishing around 60 scientific publications, 6 patents, and more than 15 books. He has worked at the University of Pablo de Olavide (Seville, Spain), University of Munich (Germany), University of Cambridge (UK), University of Rio Grande do Sur (Porto Alegre, Brazil), University of Valencia (Valencia, Spain) University of California San Francisco (USCF) (San Francisco, California) and Eastern Virginia Medical School (Norfolk, Virginia), these last two in the United States.

Abstract: You might well wonder whether entrepreneur simply means “a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money” or whether it carries an additional connotation of far-sightedness and innovation. The answer, perhaps unsatisfyingly, is that it can go in either direction. For me, being an entrepreneur is like being a poet, a singer, or a writer. It is hopeless to resist and impossible to avoid it. If you’re entrepreneurial you probably have ideas all the time. But you cannot do it all at the same time. Which one will you get started on? In this workshop, I’m going to talk about my own experience in the area of entrepreneurship. My case is probably exceptional. Coming from the purest academy, I have had the opportunity, and also the luck of being able to carry out companies from different states of maturation, with our ideas and developments, in both scenarios, without a dollar, and with a lot of funding. With hardly an idea conceived or with an already satisfactory development. We will see that there are different types of entrepreneurship and, in my humble opinion, there is no one better than another.

Link: https://sinae.es/es/equipo/

Valerie Teng-Broug

Sr. Publisher Life Sciences, Elsevier

Biopic: Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Valerie holds a degree in Communications. She has worked for Elsevier since 1995, holding various publishing positions and has worked on both journals and book series within the fields of Economics, Econometrics, Pure Mathematics, Biochemistry, Biophysics, and most recently Genetics and Developmental Biology.

Abstract: This workshop provides an introduction and overview into successfully writing and publishing your research. From the mechanics of choosing the right journal(s) to how to properly structure and write a paper covering the ethics and responsibilities of the author in scientific publications. Ensuring your research paper stands out from the crowd is a matter of details!

Link: https://researcheracademy.elsevier.com/node/1393

Carlo Battisti

European Stakeholder Engagement, My Green Lab

Degree in Civil Engineering from the Politecnico of Milan, twenty years of experience in construction companies. Fourteen as sustainable innovation manager and consultant. Master of Management and Organizational Development at MIP. Certified Project Manager IPMA®. LEED®, Living Future, WELL and RESET Accredited Professional. USGBC® and WELL Faculty™. Innovation manager for IDM South Tyrol [2009-2022]. Chair of the COST Action 16114 RESTORE “REthinking Sustainability Towards a Regenerative Economy” [2017-2021]. Since 2019 he is President at Living Future Europe. A My Green Lab Ambassador, since 2021 he is also MGL business development consultant for the European Union.

Abstract: Recent years have seen the emergence of a green lab movement. Championed by a coalition of scientists, facility managers, engineers, designers, sustainability directors and non-profits, the movement seeks to institutionalize sustainability in laboratories through the adoption of green lab programs. These programs address laboratory sustainability holistically by encouraging scientists to reduce energy, water, waste, and hazardous chemical use, in turn, creating a safer and healthier environment for the scientists.

My Green Lab, a non-profit organization, is at the forefront of the green labs’ movement. My Green Lab runs several programs around the world for scientists in support of reducing the environmental impact of scientific research, including a Green Lab Certification Program, the international gold standard for laboratory sustainability. This workshop will focus on how My Green Lab effectively engages scientists through their green lab programs, and how this engagement has a positive impact on the sustainability, safety, and culture of the lab.

Link: https://www.mygreenlab.org

Dr Manolo Castellano

Career Consultant and Talent Recruiter, Carreras Científicas Alternativas

Biopic: Manolo Castellano is a career consultant and talent recruiter specialized in guiding scientists and researchers.

After obtaining his Ph.D. in Neurobiology at the Universidad of Seville (Spain) in 2006, he moved to the USA, where he focused his research on auditory synaptic physiology at the Rockefeller University and Stanford University. Back in Europe, he worked at the Universidad Miguel Hernández in Elche, applying electrophysiological techniques to the study of pancreatic cell physiology and diabetes.

Outside the lab, he has always been active in outreach activities, science communication and science activism associations, such as Ciencia con Futuro, Científicos Retornados a España-CRE or the Federación de Jóvenes Investigadores-Precarios, where he participated in the coordination of the Research Career Report.

In 2017, he transitioned to science consulting, founding Carreras Científicas Alternativas, a platform devoted to guide scientists and researchers to find new professional paths. Manolo conducts training seminars and workshops related to professional careers, participates frequently in employability forums and runs a podcast about scientific careers, where he interviews researchers who happily made their professional career transition beyond Academia.

Manolo currently combines his career-guiding activities with recruitment consulting for R&D companies at Talento Científico.

Abstract: Do you want to redirect your professional career? In this seminar, you will have the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of professional careers inside and outside the academic world and we will provide you with useful advice when exploring new professional horizons. The options will surprise you!

Link: https://carrerascientificasalternativas.com/

Dr Amani Said

Career Coach for Scientists

Biopic: Your trainer Dr. Amani Said is the founder of Success Beyond The Lab, a company that is on a mission to empower scientists in launching dream careers while making an impact in our society.

Her curiosity for understanding life led her to pursue a Ph.D. in Developmental Biology at the Max-Planck Institute in Dresden, Germany. Having dealt with burnout and mental health challenges in her career led her to discover the field of personal development. Traveling all across the globe she learned from the best coaches and trainers in the field of personal growth. This helped her to uncover her potential and develop a growth mindset to create a dream career and life for herself. Applying these same tools, she has coached and trained over a thousand scientists in career & personal development to create successful careers.

“Your career is like a never-ending experiment, be curious, explore and enjoy the research” – Amani Said

Abstract:

In order to gain clarity about the career you want to create, it is important to know your professional identity and align your career goals and vision with that identity, which is based on your values, skills, interests, and personality. You will also learn mindset tools to empower you in achieving your goals. As a result of creating a strong and clear Professional Identity, you will easily identify ideal career paths and find more fulfillment in your career.

Content that will be covered:

•     Career Vision
•     Goal Setting & Career Plan
•     Mindset tools
•     Values
•     Skill Assessment

Link: https://www.successbeyondthelab.com/

Dr Manolo Castellano

Career Consultant and Talent Recruiter, Carreras Científicas Alternativas

Biopic: Manolo Castellano is a career consultant and talent recruiter specialized in guiding scientists and researchers.

After obtaining his Ph.D. in Neurobiology at the Universidad of Seville (Spain) in 2006, he moved to the USA, where he focused his research on auditory synaptic physiology at Rockefeller University and Stanford University. Back in Europe, he worked at the Universidad Miguel Hernández in Elche, applying electrophysiological techniques to the study of pancreatic cell physiology and diabetes.

Outside the lab, he has always been active in outreach activities, science communication, and science activism associations, such as Ciencia con Futuro, Científicos Retornados a España-CRE or the Federación de Jóvenes Investigadores-Precarios, where he participated in the coordination of the Research Career Report.

In 2017, he transitioned to science consulting, founding Carreras Científicas Alternativas, a platform devoted to guide scientists and researchers to find new professional paths. Manolo conducts training seminars and workshops related to professional careers, participates frequently in employability forums and runs a podcast about scientific careers, where he interviews researchers who happily made their professional career transition beyond Academia.

Manolo currently combines his career-guiding activities with recruitment consulting for R&D companies at Talento Científico.

Abstract: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Researchgate… which one to use? In this workshop, we will talk about how to do networking efficiently in professional environments. We will also explore the pros and cons of using social media in professional settings. In this workshop we will combine individual work with teamwork to learn practical tools that improve our personal brand, increase our network of professional contacts and help us take advantage of everything that non-academic professional networks such as LinkedIn can offer us.

Link: https://carrerascientificasalternativas.com/

Sašo Kočevar

Director of HFP consulting

Sašo Kočevar is the founder and director of HFP consulting, a company specializing in professional and personal development for scientists, with a particular focus on life sciences and biomedical research. For the last 17 years, Sašo has trained and coached biomedical researchers and clinicians from diverse backgrounds. He helped them develop their skill sets in order to master professional challenges and progress in their careers. Sašo shaped and facilitated numerous collaborations and workshops at renowned international institutions in the USA, Europe, and Middle East (e.g. Yale School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, University of Oxford, Sheeba Health, Weizmann Institute of Science).

Abstract: In this workshop, we will introduce the general framework of an interview process, how to prepare for it and what elements are needed for a successful job interview. The focus will be on the most challenging part: the interview questions. Participants will be equipped with a strategy to answer any type of interview questions and they will practice it in mock interviews and practical exercises.

The goals of this workshop are to:

• Practice useful tools to become confident with the selection process
• Prepare participants for various types of job applications, be it within or outside the academic environment

Link: www.hfp-consulting.com

Rebeca Kenda Nana Barrantes

Associate Consultant, Research Partnership, and Career Coach in Libertad con Ciencia

Biopic: Rebeca is a biotechnologist who decided to pursue a career outside Academia. She found her way into the Pharma world and more specifically, into consultancy in Market Access. Since then, she has supported dozens of PhD students to move into the Industry as a mentor and career coach in Libertad Con Ciencia.

Title of the workshop: How to land a job in the Industry (even if you aren’t “qualified”)

Abstract: Are you hesitant on what career path to follow? In this workshop, you will learn about your options in the Pharma and Biotech world as well as how to elevate your market value via an industry-specific CV, which is a key element into moving outside Academia.

Link: https://libertadconciencia.com/