Joining the Young Scientist Lunch with Plenary Speakers at ISABC 2023
The Young Scientist Lunch with Plenary Speakers has become one of the most talked-about sessions at the International Symposium on Applied Bioinorganic Chemistry. Set against the lakeside backdrop of Ioannina in June 2023, the gathering offers early-career researchers a rare chance to sit down with senior figures in the field over a relaxed meal. For attendees travelling from the southern hemisphere, the programme slot is deliberately timed to feel approachable rather than formal, giving PhD students and postdocs a structured window to ask questions they might not raise in a packed lecture hall.
For Australian researchers, the appeal is immediate. Many delegates from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth routinely cross multiple time zones to attend European meetings, often arriving in Greece bleary-eyed after twenty-something hours of travel. A seated lunch with plenary speakers is a low-pressure way to recalibrate before diving into the week's poster sessions and oral contributions. It also helps those back home, where funding bodies such as the Australian Research Council weigh international engagement heavily when assessing track records.
This is not a networking scramble. The format is small, capped, and facilitated, which means candidates are not left hovering near the coffee station hoping to catch a plenary speaker on the way back from the loo. Instead, participants apply, receive confirmation, and turn up knowing exactly who they will be sitting with. That level of predictability is something Aussie postdocs quietly appreciate, since informal corridor chats at larger meetings can be hit-and-miss when you only have a narrow window between sessions.
Signing up does require a little preparation, however. The University of Ioannina organising committee has kept the process straightforward, but seats are limited and demand is consistently high. Below is a practical guide covering eligibility, registration, etiquette and how to actually benefit from the conversation once you are seated.
What the lunch actually covers
Each table seats six to eight early-career researchers alongside one or two plenary speakers, with a facilitator from the scientific committee keeping the discussion moving. The brief is intentionally broad: career trajectories, choosing a postdoc, grant strategy, industry versus academia, work-life balance in research-intensive roles. The plenary speakers have signed up voluntarily, which means they have already indicated a willingness to share their own stories rather than offer polished keynote-style answers.
For a delegate from Adelaide wondering whether to stay in Australia for their first postdoc or head overseas, this is the room to be in. The conversation is unscripted, and speakers often share the bumps along the way, including rejected papers and grant disappointments, which can be unexpectedly reassuring for someone still building their confidence. Topics that come up include how to identify the right lab, the realities of moving a family across hemispheres, and how to manage the publication pressure that comes with the job.
| Format | Setting | Size | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Young Scientist Lunch | Seated, facilitated meal | 6–8 per table | Targeted questions, longer conversation |
| Poster session | Standing, hall | Open floor | Visual feedback, broad exposure |
| Coffee break | Informal | Variable | Quick introductions |
| Symposium dinner | Social, evening | Large group | Networking, social ties |
Who can apply
Eligibility is restricted to registered delegates who are within seven years of their PhD award, with allowances for parental leave or serious illness. Honours students and master's candidates are not eligible, even if they are presenting a poster. The committee reviews applications on a first-come, first-served basis once eligibility is confirmed, so a complete application submitted early in the registration window has a clear advantage.
Australian applicants should be aware that their home institutions, including members of the Group of Eight, are well represented in the applicant pool, which means spots fill quickly. If your supervisor has previously sent students to ISABC, it is worth asking whether your research group has a typical turnaround time for registrations. The application form is short, asking for a one-paragraph statement on why you want to attend and what you hope to gain.
The sign-up process
The official symposium secretariat, Zita Congress & Event Management, handles all registration logistics including the lunch sign-up. Once you have registered for the symposium itself, you will find a separate tick box on the portal for the Young Scientist Lunch. You complete a brief motivation statement, nominate any dietary requirements, and submit. Confirmation typically arrives within two weeks, and a waiting list operates once the room is full.
Delegates in Australia often find the timing tricky because the portal is administered in Central European Time, and the cut-off date falls during the Australian working week. Sorting out your application during a quiet arvo, rather than first thing in the morning, can be wise if you want to give your statement a final read. If you miss the first round, watch for second-round emails in the lead-up to the symposium, as cancellations do happen.
What to wear and bring
The dress code for the lunch sits between standard conference attire and something you might wear to a relaxed work lunch. If you are already puzzling over what to pack for the rest of the symposium, the conference attire guidance covers the social events in detail. For the lunch specifically, business-casual works well: a collared shirt, neat trousers, and comfortable shoes, since you may be walking from another session.
Bring a small notebook or have a notes app ready on your phone. You will not want to rely on memory when a plenary speaker mentions the name of a funding scheme or a particular technique you have never heard of. It is also worth having one or two specific questions prepared, not a generic list. Speakers respond better to focused curiosity than to a nervous brain dump.
Day-of etiquette and logistics
The lunch runs on the third day of the symposium, usually from 12:30 to 14:00, with doors opening fifteen minutes earlier so participants can find their assigned table. Table numbers are printed on your confirmation email, and the facilitator will guide introductions. Mobile phones should be on silent, and while taking notes is fine, avoid typing full transcripts out of respect for the conversational tone.
If you are the sort who likes to plan every moment, the poster prize guidelines sit one floor away in the same building, so you can drop in before or after. That pairing works particularly well if your own poster is being judged that afternoon and you want to observe what the reviewers are prioritising across different disciplines.
Making the conversation count
The most useful thing you can do is listen as much as you speak. Plenary speakers at this level have given hundreds of talks and fielded thousands of questions, so they tend to value participants who ask specific, considered questions over those who try to summarise their own research. A question about a specific paper the speaker published, or about a tricky decision point in their career, will land far better than a generic "what advice do you have for early-career researchers?"
After the lunch, follow up within a week. A short email thanking the speaker for their time, referencing something specific from the conversation, is all it takes. Many of the speakers travel on to other meetings, and a thoughtful follow-up is often the difference between a pleasant chat and a future collaboration, particularly when you are several time zones away and need every connection to count. For those thinking longer term about industry partnerships, Thermo International is one of several bodies that liaises with academic groups on collaborative projects and can be a useful next step once you have a contact from the lunch.
Reserve your seat through the symposium portal before the cut-off date, prepare one focused question, and turn up ready to listen. The Young Scientist Lunch rewards preparation, not performance, and the speakers involved are genuinely keen to meet the next generation of bioinorganic chemists, including those who have made the long flight from Australia to be there.