European Neuroscience Conference ENCODS, 2024

The European Neuroscience Conference by Doctoral Students (ENCODS) 2024 took place this year under the theme "Emerging Technologies in Neuroscience: Unveiling the Next Frontiers" as a satellite event of the FENS Forum from June 23rd to 24th in Vienna. This annual conference is organized by a team of European doctoral candidates in the field of neuroscience. This year, two students from the CoBeNe Doctoral School, Thomas Karner (Faculty of Psychology and Microbiology) and Julia Braunstein (Vienna Cognitive Science Hub and Faculty of Psychology), were part of the organizing committee.

The purpose of ENCODS is to provide young researchers with a platform to present their work in a safe space among peers. The focus is always on the participants, with ample room for posters, flash talks, or longer presentations. In addition to participant presentations, the event offered an extensive scientific program, including keynote lectures given by young professors each day. Dr. Gašper Tkačik from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) presented "Neural Coding: From Data to Optimality Theories," and Dr. Gabrielle Girardeau from the Institut Du Fer à Moulin (Inserm, Paris) spoke about "Neural mechanisms for memory and emotional processing during sleep."

The keynotes were complemented by numerous workshops that provided practical skills for the future careers of young researchers. The workshops included:

  • "Tips for giving an Excellent Presentation: How to design your presentation and explain your data" (Natalie Badstuber, Paris Lodron University Salzburg)
  • "Public Speaking Skills for PhDs" (Magda Kufrej, Chaperone)
  • "Getting Published: from writing to submission and beyond" (Prof. Antoine Adamantidis, European Journal of Neuroscience)
  • "Exploring Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) in Neuroscience: a PhD Workshop" (Dr. Erkki Raulo, ERA-Net Neuron)
  • "Mental Health in Academia" (Dr. Jelena Brasanac, Dragonfly Mental Health)

A special highlight was the career panel, where various professionals shared their career paths post-PhD. The panelists included a principle investigator (Dr. Gašper Tkačik), a scientific writer (Dr. Joana Enes), a science communicator (Dr. Juditha Huber), a start-up founder and post-doc (Dr. Nace Mikus), a start-up founder andconsultant at the interface of research and business (Sabria Lagoun), and a medical doctor and post-doc (Dr. Oliver L. Eichmüller). Participants had the opportunity to ask questions about topics such as research funding, entrepreneurship, and work-life balance, which they eagerly utilized! Beyond the scientific program, social interactions were also a key component. A "Scientific Speed Dating" session at the beginning of the event helped participants to quickly and casually get to know each other. These initial conversations oftencontinued during coffee breaks. The first evening ended with a relaxed gathering over food and drinks, and the second evening concluded with a closing party featuring a DJ.

In summary, ENCODS 2024 was a great success. Participants showed a lot of interest in the topics presented and were actively engaged in discussions. Best of all, many participants who met and networked at ENCODS continued to attend the FENS Forum together afterward!