Updates from the ECR subcommittee
A thrilling ECR workshop, a plenary session as hot as fire, two exciting ECR lunches, outreach initiatives, webinars, and much more. It’s hard to keep the pace, so Early Career Researcher or not, read more about what’s in store!
It’s hard to describe the motivation and enthusiasm that the Operative Group of the Early Career Researchers (ECR) subcommittee is showing this year. And summarising all the exciting activities and initiatives we are working on, believe me, is equally difficult!
First of all, our big event at PTCOG-64, the ECR workshop, has taken shape! While the first invitations have been sent out to our carefully selected speakers, we carry on working hard to ensure an unforgettable experience. The workshop targets an ECR audience and any PhD, Master’s, Undergraduate, postgraduate, postdoctoral, medical physicist trainee and resident is warmly invited to register and attend the workshop! It is designed around four thematic sessions: “Managing professional relationships & mentorship”, “Imposter syndrome & building confidence”, “Communicating your research at different levels”, and “Presenting yourself & networking at conferences”. We will have front-talks, panel discussions, networking sessions and a ‘pitch competition’! To maximise the integration with PTCOG-64, the workshop will take place at the PTCOG-64 venue on Tuesday 9th June from 8:30am to 5:30pm (just in time to enjoy the PTCOG-64 welcome reception). Registration is free of charge and will be available via the PTCOG-64 registration form. Places are limited so make sure to register as soon as you can! More information can be found here: https://ptcog64.org/ptcog-early-career-researchers-workshop/ .
Talking about PTCOG-64, the ECR workshop is only building up on the rest of the ‘usual’ ECR activities at the conference, so make sure you are not missing them! Their organisation is going at a light-speed pace. Our plenary session targets everybody from baby-ECRs to Seniors and addresses an interesting and pivotal topic in particle therapy; “From Innovation to Implementation – Mind the Gap” is almost ready, with only the chairs to be finalised. In addition, ECRs be ready to sign up at our booth because we are preparing two exciting ECR lunches: an “ECR Connecting Lunch: How to Get Involved in PTCOG” aiming at providing an informal entry point to PTCOG subcommittees dedicated to ECR & a “ECR Mentor Lunch: Unusual Career Paths” focusing on non-traditional career paths deviating from the linear academic/industry trajectory.
At this point, we don’t want you to think we have only eyes for PTCOG. After launching the PTCOG-ECR Linked-In page and a WhatsApp community to boost outreach and engagement, we are progressing in our efforts to engage with under-represented regions (such as Asia and America), presenting the ECR subcommittee more effectively with the help of local particle-therapy professionals, setting up the regional ambassadors initiative, trying to overcome communication barriers and difficulties.
Another beautiful new initiative we are organising is an outreach event to introduce young scholars to particle therapy. The big plan is to set up something we can bring along at each PTCOG conference and deliver to local schools! So French readers, especially if working or living in Deauville or Caen, please do not hesitate to contact us at PTCOG.ECR@gmail.com if you have contacts with or if you are willing to help us get in contact with local schools!
Finally, as the one-year in-between PTCOG conferences is a long time, we are making continuous efforts to keep the community actively involved all year around! Our ECR Webinar Series is in full swing! All past webinars, including “Careers Opportunities in Industry”, “Meet the PTCOG Subcommittees” Part 1 & Part 2, and “Emerging Research and Funding Acquisition” Part 1, are now available online via the PTCOG website (free registration required). We are very excited about our upcoming sessions for the “Emerging Research and Funding Acquisition” series:
- Part 2, on the 4th March 2026, 15:00-16:00 UTC, featuring Drs. Lennart Volz and Konrad Nesteruk;
- Part 3, on the 28th April 2026, 13:30-15:30 UTC, with Drs. Chiarra Paganelli and Katie Lichter;
And for the “Emerging Topics in Particle Therapy – Asia-Oceania Edition” webinar, taking place the 27th May 2026, 10:00-11:00 UTC, featuring Drs. Min Cheol Han and Takahiro Oike.
Registration is already open for the Emerging Research and Funding Acquisition Part 2 (register for the webinar here), while further details for subsequent webinars are coming soon!
That’s (almost) all from the ECR subcommittee!
If you are an Early Career Researcher, don’t forget to register to our subcommittee: Register here.
See you at PTCOG-64 and stay tuned for more exciting ECR initiatives ahead!
The PTCOG-ECR subcommittee chairs
