On 22 – 23 September 2026, early-career researchers interested in mentoring students gathered at ICFO in Castelldefels (Barcelona) for two days focused on strengthening supervision and mentoring practices and fostering connections among researchers across the European photonics community.
The programme brought together international late-stage PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, and ICFO postdoctoral researchers for a combination of training, discussion and networking activities. The Supervision and Mentoring Workshop welcomed 31 participants in total, 12 of whom travelled from outside ICFO with the support of a Phortify travel grant. The Early Career Researchers Day on the second day drew an even wider audience, with 62 participants joining overall.
The first day focused on supervision and mentoring skills, with an interactive workshop exploring effective approaches to supervising students. Participants discussed practical strategies for communication, feedback, mentoring and supporting researchers throughout their academic development.
The workshop, delivered by Caroline Broad, provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and reflect on different approaches to supervision, with a particular focus on developing supportive and inclusive research environments. The discussions also highlighted the importance of strengthening the interpersonal and leadership skills that complement scientific expertise.
The second day brought together early-career researchers for a dedicated networking and community-building programme. Following a follow-up session on building your own research identity, participants took part in activities designed to encourage interaction, exchange experiences and build connections beyond their immediate research groups and institutions.
The programme concluded with an informal networking lunch, providing participants with additional time to continue conversations and strengthen connections in a relaxed setting.
By combining professional development with networking and community building, the event supported a key objective of Phortify: developing not only technical expertise in photonics, but also the supervision, mentoring and interpersonal skills needed to support the next generation of researchers.
The workshop and Early Career Researchers Day also reinforced the importance of creating opportunities for researchers at different career stages to learn from one another and build lasting connections across the European photonics community.
