Early Career Scientist

Early Career Scientists at the ECNP Congress

Early career researchers are an integral part of the ECNP Congress and ECNP has installed a variety of measures to ensure that their participation is made as easy as possible.
To find out if you qualify as an Early Career Scientist (ECS), please click here.

Welcome Reception (W)
Meet other Early Career Scientists at the designated area during the Welcome Reception on Saturday 7 October 2023 at 18.10- 19.30. Members from the Early Career Advisory Panel (ECAP) will be present to welcome you. Also, a QR code will be available that you can scan to help you stay in touch with other Early Career Scientists at the congress.

Welcome reception  Welcome reception

Career Development Sessions (CD)
45 minutes; livestreamed; available for in-person and virtual participants
The Career Development Sessions are training sessions with a leading expert in the field. The topics of these sessions focus on building your scientific career – writing scientific papers, improving presentation skills, creating a spin-off company or finding a job in the industry are just a few examples – and are especially interesting for Early Career Scientists. The session ends with Q&A.

New Findings in Applied Symposium (S)
80 minutes; livestreamed; available for in-person and virtual participants
New Findings in Applied Neuroscience is a special symposium that gives six promising Early Career Scientists – selected from the best research presented at the ECNP Workshop for Early Career Scientists in Europe – the opportunity to present their latest findings. Each lecture ends with Q&A time. Questions can be from in-person and virtual participants. (S.10)

Career Development Sessions

ECNP’s Got Talent (OS)
60 minutes; livestreamed; available for in-person and virtual participants
For this innovative format, ECNP challenges four Early Career Scientists to explain their research to a lay public audience. The contest is not about what you present, but how you present — 'storytelling' and 'engagement' are key concepts. Their performances will be evaluated by a jury and the best one will receive an award. (OS.04)

Meet your translational match (by invitation only)
Another successful event created with input from the Early Career Advisory Panel (ECAP), takes place on Monday 9 October at 15.30-16.30. During this matchmaking session pre-clinically and clinically oriented Early Career Scientists can get to know each other. Three selected 'matches' will receive funding from ECNP to organise a short translational internship.

Science on the Rocks
This special Early Career Scientist evening will take place Monday 9 October from 20.30-23.00 in the city centre of Barcelona. The evening will start with a specially developed ‘on the rocks pub quiz’. After this, there will be time to network with your fellow Early Career Scientists. The first two drinks will be offered by ECNP. A voucher for this event can be picked up at the ECNP registration desk from Sunday morning 8 October (for a maximum of 100 people on a first come, first served basis).

Registration fee

  • ECNP offers ECS reduced registration fee of only EUR 50 (excl. VAT)

Opportunities for Early Career Scientist abstract submitters 

  • Abstracts accepted for publication will be published in a digital supplement to the open access journal Neuroscience Applied.
  • At the congress, you will also gave a chance to win an ECNP Excellence Award; this award was established to encourage Early Career Scientists to present a poster during the annual ECNP Congress.
  • Up to three Early Career Scientists whose research in applied and translational neuroscience has the potential to advance the science, treatment and prevention of the brain can be annually honoured with an ECNP Rising Star Award.
  • At the congress, you will also have the chance to win a ECNP Poster Award (not exclusively for Early Career Scientists). These awards are given on-site to the posters of the highest scientific excellence, presented in the most effective way. The award consists of EUR 500 and a commemorative certificate.

Early Career Advisory Panel
The Early Career Advisory Panel (ECAP) was especially set up in 2012 to come up with ideas to involve Early Career Scientists in ECNP activities. We are continuously exploring new ways to encourage the participation of early career researchers at the ECNP Congress and enrich their congress experience. If you have ideas and suggestions, let us know by e-mail.