Early Career Researchers Corner: welcome to our brand new Chairs!
Early Career Researchers Corner: welcome to our brand new Chairs!
Message from the New ECR Chairs: Building on Our Community, Looking Ahead
Dear PTCOG community,
We are fortunate to take over as the new Chairs of an Early Career Researcher (ECR) subcommittee that has developed so strongly in just three years and want to take a moment to celebrate this achievement. The success of this Subcommittee would not have been possible without the dedication, energy, and vision of Beth Rothwell, Gabriele Parisi and Giorgio Cartechini, who, as the founding Chairs, did an absolutely fantastic job of building this community from the ground up. Their achievement is something to be genuinely proud of, and we hope they know how much their work is appreciated! Stepping into their shoes is no small task, and for us, taking over this role means first and foremost carrying forward what has already been built so successfully.
The same gratitude extends to all members of the operative group over the past years, who have contributed their time, ideas, and enthusiasm to bringing the ECR community to life. We would also like to thank all ECRs across PTCOG who have taken part in our activities, shared their perspectives, connected with one another, and shown us that these initiatives are valued. Without your engagement, none of this would have the same meaning. We very much hope to keep this spirit of openness going in the years ahead.
Many of the opportunities created over the past years have only been possible because of the support of the wider PTCOG community. We are especially grateful to Marco Durante, our biggest advocate, for his continued trust and support of the ECR Subcommittee. Also thank you to the many speakers and mentors, the collaborating subcommittees and industry partners, as well as conference organizers who have all helped to make our ECR activities possible. They have played an important role in connecting ECRs with the wider particle therapy community, creating opportunities for exchange, mentorship, and involvement, and we are hoping to continue strengthening these connections as we move forward.
Looking ahead, we are excited to build on this strong foundation and continue developing the ECR community together. One of our priorities will be to further strengthen the Subcommittee from within, with sustainable working structures and new opportunities for ECRs to become more actively involved in shaping its activities. At the same time, we would like the ECR community to better reflect the diversity of the particle therapy field itself. While our activities have so far been strongly driven by physicists, the field depends equally on clinicians, biologists, radiation therapists, and many other disciplines. We hope to bring more of these voices into the ECR community, while also strengthening connections across regions and increasing involvement from communities that are currently less represented, particularly across Asia.
We have many ideas for the years ahead, but just as importantly, we want to hear yours. The ECR Subcommittee should continue to be shaped by the people it represents, so we warmly encourage ECRs to reach out with your feedback. We are excited for this next chapter and look forward to building it together with all of you!
Cristina Totis, Nadine Vatterodt & Sebastian Tattenberg
