2025 PhD and ECR Cancer Career Pathway Workshop

The 2025 PhD and ECR Cancer Career Pathway Workshop, held on June 2nd, was a remarkable event that brought together many individuals to connect, share experiences, and build their networks. Organised by the Maridulu Budyari Gumal (SPHERE) Cancer Clinical Theme, this fourth iteration of the workshop was a great success, providing both seasoned researchers and those at the beginning or nearing the end of their post-doctoral careers with valuable opportunities to learn and grow.

The event commenced with a profoundly moving and inclusive Welcome to Country conducted by Binowee Bayles, setting a tone of community, collaboration, inclusivity, and continuous learning for the day. These themes continued to seamlessly weave throughout the program. Two inspiring and thought-provoking keynote addresses were given by Professor Karen Canfell AC (USYD) and A/Prof Orazio Vittorio (UNSW).

PhD candidates and Early Career Researchers (ECRs) participated in roundtable discussions with mentors from various fields. The informal setting allowed attendees to ask pressing questions, clarify any uncertainties about their career paths, and connect with both peers and mentors. The workshop left participants with a renewed sense of confidence and direction for their future careers.

The final part of the day focused on building one’s professional profile by learning how to fully engage with LinkedIn and a forward-thinking approach to crafting a compelling CV. Attendees described this session as “amazing,” “fantastic” and “useful”.

It was incredibly rewarding to hear and see that attendees found interacting with diverse mentors and gaining insights into life after a PhD was incredibly beneficial. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all who attended, to the mentors for the generous contribution of time and support, and wish our future cancer research workforce all the very best in their future endeavours.