The Umeå Postdoc Society organised the Young Investigators Symposium Umeå on the 3rd of October. This is the second of the two blog posts where I reminisce about the event. Read the first one here.
As promised, this post will centre on the feedback we garnered from the fantastic audience of around 100 individuals who attended the symposium. I am thankful to all the respondents who spared some time and patience to reply to the feedback form. I also understand that many of you (including most of the organisers) have been eagerly awaiting insights into the overall sentiment surrounding the event. Allow me to disclose that we were genuinely moved by the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received. Without further ado, let’s delve into some of the noteworthy highlights of what the audience had to say about the Young Investigators Sympoium Umeå 2023.
The event was well organised!
The first and perhaps the most important highlight pertains to the overall organisation of the event. A resounding majority of respondents (59%) strongly agreed while the remaining (41%) agreed that it was well organised.
Of course, the most gratifying part is that not a single respondent had any negative comment on the organisation. Experiencing such unanimous appreciation is truly rewarding, validating the substantial amount of hard work invested in ensuring a seamless event.
Pizza at poster mingle stole the show
While everyone enjoyed the food, it was the pizza in the evening that received the most accolades! In the symposium’s planning stages, the team recognized that pairing food with poster viewing not only draws attendees to the exhibits but also ensures everyone has the energy for meaningful discussions.
After deliberating over various food options, we ultimately settled on pizza, and it’s incredibly satisfying to see that our choice resonated so positively. From my personal standpoint, this marked the first occasion I attended a poster session in Umeå with such exceptional and delectable catering!
People are talking about the symposium
Since there were more than a hundred participants, the symposium provided a great opportunity for young researchers to socialize and network. There were scientific presentations in multiple formats and two former postdocs shared their career journeys. The symposium generated numerous talking points, fostering valuable discussions and knowledge exchange among attendees. This was reflected in the feedback as all respondents agreed they were highly likely to keep the discussions going with their colleagues.
More postdocs want to be active participants
As the postdoc turnover is generally very high, UPS also undergoes a similar change in its composition. Needless to say, with all the events that we organise, we are always looking to strengthen our numbers. It speaks volumes about the success of the symposium that most respondents (47%) wanted to contribute actively to UPS. A sizeable chunk of postdocs (41%) is also likely to volunteer. These promising figures signify a strong potential for increased active membership, paving the way for the organization to host even more impactful events in the future.
A great event overall
As I mentioned in the previous post, this was a first of its kind event that UPS organised. The organising team invested substantial effort to ensure its success, meticulously considering every facet of the program. It was, therefore, extremely gratifying that all the respondents enjoyed a day full of engaging scientific presentations, thoughtful discussions, and great food! The stellar overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 is a testament to the event’s success, and we extend heartfelt thanks to our wonderful audience, whose active participation played a pivotal role in making this occasion truly remarkable.
A little pat on our backs!
In the end, I would just like to plug in a selfish pat on our backs. Besides the team that was organising the event, there were many active members who worked behind the scenes. From technical support to ensuring post-event cleanup, they put tireless efforts to ensure the success of this event. An appreciative acknowledgement of this scale means a lot. Hopefully, the Young Investigators Symposium will become a regular feature with UPS as its dedicated host.
On the cover of this post is a wordcloud generated by responses to one-word description of the event.
