Testimonials from previous PhD Days INGENIO [CSIC-UPV]

Julia Olmos Peñuela - PhD Days 2013

"INGENIO PhD Days allowed junior students to discuss and received enriching feedbacks about their research from widely recognised researchers in the Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) fields.."

Three years ago an interesting and stimulating initiative emerged within INGENIO (CSIC-UPV) institute: INGENIO’s PhDstudents proposed to entirely organize a workshop for PhD students. This project started as a challenging and enthusiastic adventure for young and junior people like us, without any experience in organizing academic events but with a lot of passion to do it. I had the opportunity (and also the honour) to be a member of the organizing committee in the two first editions of INGENIO PhD Days, and I am very proud of acknowledging its success in terms of knowledge exchanges between junior students but also between junior and senior researchers. Indeed, INGENIO PhD Days allowed junior students to discuss and received enriching feedbacks about their research from widely recognised researchers in the Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) fields (such as Dr. Paul Nightingale, Dr. Ammon Salter, among others). Moreover, the workshop provided the opportunity to bring together PhD students around the entire world that could share their experiences and start to build or even increase their research networks. Finally, I would highlight the social activities that were conducted (dinner, tour around the city, etc.) during these days since it contributed to a higher rapprochement between the participants, providing a pleasant environment  both inside and outside the academic activities.  I really keep a wonderful memory of my experience as an organizer but also as a participant and that is why, without hesitations, I strongly encouragePhD students interesting on STI studies to form part of this enriching and irreplaceable experience.

Mabel Sáncez Barrioluengo- PhD Days 2013

"Although we were relative rookies doing something similar, the call for papers was well-received and works arrived from all over the world!"

“During my second year as a PhD candidate at Ingenio (CSIC-UPV) I was one of the organizers in the first edition of the PhD Days. It was a rewarding experience because PhD students were in charge of the full organization process: from applying for funds until coordinate the parallel sessions and social events during the conference. Although we were relative rookies doing something similar, the call for papers was well-received and works arrived from all over the world! Putting our efforts together and combined them with the support of the young researchers the first edition was a completely successful experience!“
 
Cristian Matti- PhD Days 2013
 
"At the end, I think we have contributed to create a more professional and independent perspective on research and collaboration"
 
The first experience of PhD days in INGENIO was motivated in the search of introducing opportunities for more horizontal interaction among PhD students and researchers which has a long practice in northern European countries. Then, the challenge was to face a bottom up approach to design and organize the event by highlighting the proactive capacity of PhD students and pushing a team to explore the development and use of management and communication skills. At the end, I think we have contributed to create a more professional and independent perspective on research and collaboration that has become an essential tool for our careers.
 
Javier Ortega Colomer- PhD Days 2014
 
"...That was awesome!! And finally, I enjoyed by playing with my rock acous-tric colleague...in the social event after the official dinner"
 
Last year (2014) I had the chance to co-organize the “INGENIO PhDs Days”, an international forum where PhD candidates around the world could share their experience with other peers, junior and senior researchers. It was fantastic in intellectual and emotional terms! We had the chance of knowing face-to-face different kinds of people, from different countries, who pursued similar aspirations (develop and finish his/her PhD studies) but from different approaches. We also enjoyed by discussing (in a very informal way) with senior world-known researchers in the field of Science, Technology and Innovation studies: imagine the face you show to others when you are talking to Ammon Salter, someone to whom you have been reading for so long and you could never ask any question... That was awesome!! And finally, I enjoyed by playing with my rock acous-tric colleague, Damià, from The Morrows Band, in the social event after the official dinner. We all demonstrate that we definitely love not only science, but also music and people.
 
Elena Mas Tur- Phd Days 2013/2014
 
"I fully believe that this kind of events represent a great opportunity for both visiting and organizing PhD students to learn and have a lot of fun!"
 
As a PhD student of INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), I had the chance to collaborate in the organization of two editions of INGENIO PhD days. For assistants, this meeting offers a great opportunity to meet with other young researchers from around the world with similar interests and questions. Also, we could present our work and get enriching comments from junior and senior discussants. As a member of the organizing committee, it was also a good training for conference organization and coordination, since the application for grants, through the coordination of the scientific committee and the distribution of parallel sessions, all the way to the practical arrangements like caterings and social events  management. I fully believe that this kind of events represent a great opportunity for both visiting and organizing PhD students to learn and have a lot of fun!
 
Ana García GraneroPhd Days 2013/2014
 
"We also managed to attract leading academics and politicians in the fields of innovation and management, such as  Dr. Ammon Salter, David Hammerstein (former member of the European Parliament), Prof. Philippe Laredo ..."
 
My experience as a member of the organizing committee in both editions of INGENIO PhDs has been more than enriching! In both workshops we received more than expected number of contributions with interesting insights about Science, Technology and Innovation. Moreover, the contributors came from all over the world and from distinguished universities and other education and research centers. We also managed to attract leading academics and politicians in the fields of innovation and management, such as  Dr. Ammon Salter (University of Bath), David Hammerstein (former member of the European Parliament), Prof. Philippe Laredo (University of Manchester and Université Paris-Est), Dr. Paul Nightingale (SPRU) and Dr.Wolfgang Sofka (Copenhagen Business School). Both, PhD students, early career researchers and invited speakers were able to exchange in a friendly atmosphere about the state of the art, and build research networks that we hope are useful for their careers. From a personal point of view, the experience was unforgettable!