The EACR, AACR, and The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research recently teamed up to offer a number of travel grants to help EACR or AACR members to attend the 36th Pezcoller Symposium and present their work as an oral or poster presentation.
We reached out to one of the recipients, Rafaela, to hear more about her experience:
“The 36th Pezcoller Symposium remains the best scientific event I have ever participated in. Beyond that, the scientific news and opportunities I discovered through EACR have been invaluable; from learning about research by potential collaborators in the field to, more recently, as I approach the end of my PhD, postdoctoral opportunities in Europe. I always recommend that my colleagues join and take advantage of what EACR offers!”
What was special about the opportunity to attend the 36th Pezcoller Symposium?
First of all, I need to say that the trip to Italy for the 36th Pezcoller Symposium was remarkable in every way. It was my first time in the country with the second best cuisine in the world (since Brazilian cuisine is in first place, of course!) and the beauty of Trento made everything even more special.
I always tell my colleagues that this symposium was a turning point in my career, and what stood out the most was how intimate and welcoming it felt. It was like watching a big family of researchers talking to each other with genuine enthusiasm, and interacting with students as equals. I had never experienced scientific networking like that before. This environment also gave me the opportunity to discuss my research with senior researchers whose work directly supports mine, and those conversations were incredibly motivating.
How did the content of the symposium relate to your research?
The talks surprised me in ways I did not expect. Even though I work with machine learning, I saw applications I had never imagined and did not even know existed. The symposium considerably broadened my view of what is possible in the field and raised many questions that showed me how much I still have to learn. The presentations were so well constructed that they made me rethink how I present my own results at conferences and lab meetings. I believe that level of presentation is only possible when speakers truly love what they do.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
It was a pleasure to participate and I really hope to have the opportunity to attend future editions. As an EACR member, I am always following the opportunities posted on the website, and this is actually how I first learned about the Pezcoller Symposium. I am grateful to be part of an association that genuinely supports early-career researchers like me.
Inspired by Rafaela’s story?
We organise a variety of excellent cancer research conferences, both in person and virtual, where the latest research topics and interaction for participants are the very highest priorities.
To assist researchers who need financial assistance to attend our in-person conferences, we offer EACR-Worldwide Cancer Research Travel Grants. Recipients also get the opportunity to present their work as an oral or poster presentation. Each Travel Grant includes a free registration and funds to support travel and accommodation costs.
Make sure you add the dates of upcoming EACR Conferences to your diary now. Don’t forget we offer EACR member discounts on all of our registration fees!
