The SSA is sponsoring a one-day conference for early career researchers in London in April 2023. Dr Emma Smith writes about the aim of the event, what to expect from the conference, and how to access support to help with the cost of attending.

About the conference

It’s called the Early Career Researcher (ECR) Addictions Conference, and is a one-day event for Masters students, PhD students, and post-doctoral researchers who want to:

  • increase their understanding of different areas of addiction
  • present their work
  • meet early career researchers from different institutions

The event is free, and will take place within the Strand Campus of King’s College London from 10:00–17:30 on 21 April.

Why is it being held?

We understand that presenting at conferences can be intimidating, so the aim is to provide a non-judgemental space for people with different levels of experience to share their work.

What can you expect from the conference?

The day will begin with a presentation from a keynote speaker. This will be followed by presentations from early career researchers. Some of these will adopt typical conference presentation formats (10 minutes to present, plus questions) and others will be less traditional (e.g. carousel presentations where presenters give a 5-minute elevator pitch to several tables.) We are also hoping to hold talks/workshops on wider topics such as collaborative working and careers for early career researchers. There will be coffee breaks throughout the day and lunch will be provided.

How can you apply to attend?

You can reserve your ticket here. When you book, you will be asked whether you would like to present, and if the answer is ‘yes’, you will be asked to provide the title of your research and a brief (100 words) summary.

The closing date for registering is currently 1 March, but if we reach capacity for the venue before that date, registration will close early.

Is there any financial support available?

The event itself is free, but we will also be offering 8 supported places to assist with travel to the event. When booking your ticket, please specify that you need a supported place, and provide a breakdown of any anticipated costs.

Dr Emma Smith completed her PhD at the University of Worcester, where she also taught as an Associate Lecturer in the School of Nursing and Midwifery. Emma holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Dundee and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Georgia. She joined King’s College London in November 2021 as a Research Associate on The Stepping Stones Study. If you have any questions about the event, please email Emma and colleagues at ECRaddictionsconference@kcl.ac.uk.

edited by Natalie Davies


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