Since its launch in 2011, the PDF Travel Awards have helped many UBC PDFs attend conferences to present their work, enriching their PDF experience and helping anchor them within the academic world. Please read below to find out more about past award recipients.
|
Name |
Department, Faculty |
Conference - Date Attended |
Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter FY 2024/25 Q4: | |||
| Dr. Lauren Eckert | Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries; Faculty of Science | Alaska Marine Science Symposium - January 2025 | Anchorage, AK |
| Dr. Daniel Martinez Sastre | Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics; Faculty of Medicine | The Biophysical Society Annual Meeting 2025 - February 2025 | Los Angeles, CA |
| Dr. Robert Reklow | Department of Pediatrics/Respiratory Medicine; Faculty of Medicine | Cilia, Mucus and Mucociliary Interactions Gordon Research Conference/Seminar - February 2025 | Pomona, CA |
| Quarter FY 2025/26 Q1: | |||
| Dr. Saeed Ataie | Department of Chemistry; Faculty of Science | Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition – June 2025 | Ottawa, ON |
| Dr. Yael Ben-Tal | Department of Chemistry; Faculty of Science | PANIC: Practical Applications of NMR in Industry – May 2025 | Rockville, MD |
| Dr. Charlotte Eben | Centre for Gambling Research; Faculty of Arts | Alberta Gambling Research Institute (AGRI) Conference - April 2025 | Banff, AB |
| Dr. Ajinkya Ghagre | School of Biomedical Engineering; Faculty of Medicine | ThymUS2025 – April 2025 | Lihue, Kaua'i, HI |
| Dr. Jordan Hamden | Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Faculty of Medicine | PsychoNeuroImmunology – June 2025 | Bordeaux, France |
| Dr. Christina Hofer | Department of Physics and Astronomy; Faculty of Science | CLEO/Europe-EQEC – June 2025 | Munich, Germany |
| Dr. Yihang Pan | Department of Zoology Faculty of Science | Canadian Society of Zoologists – May 2025 | Munich, Germany |
| Dr. Shaoxuan Ren | Department of Chemistry; Faculty of Science | 247th Electrochemical Society Meeting – May 2025 | Montreal, QC |
| Dr. Maximiliano Reyes Lobos | Department of Political Science; Faculty of Arts | LASA2025 - LASA2025 - Poner el cuerpo en Latinx América - May 2025 | San Francisco, USA |
| Dr. Babak Soltannia | Department of Mechanical Engineering; Faculty of Applied Science | Tribology International Conference 2025 - April 2025
|
Albufeira, Portugal |
| Quarter FY 2025/26 Q2: | |||
| Dr. Amirhossein Bahreyni | Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Faculty of Medicine | Academy of Cardiovascular Research Excellence (ACRE) Canada – July 2025 | Winnipeg, MB |
| Dr. Sarah Kappel | Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems | The 58th Congress of the International Society of Applied Ethology - August 2025 | Virtual |
| Dr. Chantelle Recsky | School of Nursing; Faculty of Applied Science | Medinfo 2025 - August 2025 | Taipei, Taiwan |
| Dr. Matthew Perry | Department of Philosophy; Faculty of Arts | Forgotten Animals - September 2025 | Leicester, United Kingdom |
| Dr. Carolyn Wang | Department of Medicine; Faculty of Medicine | The European Respiratory Society Congress – September 2025 | Amsterdam, The Netherlands |
| Quarter FY 2025/26 Q3: | |||
| Dr. Ignacio Catala Vilaplana | Department of Physical Therapy; Faculty of Medicine | II Congreso Nacional de Investigación en Ejercicio Físico y Cáncer – November 2025 | Castellon de la Plana, Spain |
| Dr. Emilia Caylor | Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences; Faculty of Science | GSA Connects Conference– October 2025 | San Antonio, TX |
| Dr. Jaime Korner | School of Biomedical Engineering; Faculty of Medicine | Pacifichem – December 2025 | Honolulu, HI |
| Dr. Sara Kramers | School of Kinesiology; Faculty of Education | Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology (SCAPPS) - October 2025 | Charlottetown, PEI |
| Dr. Judy Li | Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences; Faculty of Science | The 4th AsiaEvo Conference– December 2025 | Kunming, China |
| Dr. Zoe Maylin | Department of Urologic Sciences; Faculty of Medicine | Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer Symposium - August 2025 and the BC Cancer Summit - November 2025 | Seattle, WA and Vancouver, BC |
Quarter FY 24/25 Q4
Alaska Marine Science Symposium - January 2025
With PDF Travel Support, I co-led and presented the workshop "Gathering for Indigenous-Led Science, Management, and Practice: Shared opportunities and creative solutions in Alaska". Our workshop, focused on advancing Indigenous-led activities and governance in ecology and research, brought together approximately 20 participants representing 8-10 Indigenous Nations/Tribes, tribal governments, non-profits, and research organizations. The session created space for rich dialogue on the opportunities and challenges of maintaining and reasserting Indigenous-led approaches in environmental research, particularly in navigating colonial systems, building ethical partnerships, and protecting knowledge sovereignty. Through facilitated sessions, participants shared successes, raised difficult questions, and reflected on how power and positionality shape our work.
The Biophysical Society Annual Meeting 2025 - February 2025
In February 2025, I had the opportunity to attend the Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society in Los Angeles, USA. The conference featured the most cutting-edge and up-to-date research in the fields of ion channel physiology, drug discovery, and protein structure – fields directly relevant to my postdoctoral research – and enriched my scientific perspective with new and exciting ideas. I presented a poster titled “Electrophysiological and structural characterization of the binding of the cardiac ion channel blocker UCL2077 to KCNQ1 channels” (Monday, February 17th), as well as a brief flash talk presentation with the same title as part of the platform on Voltage-Gated K Channels (Tuesday, February 18th). My work drew interest from researchers in the fields of ion channel regulation and pharmacology, inspiring me with valuable feedback to improve my work and leading to potential future collaborations. I also connected with several scientists working in both academia and industry from different parts of the work, helping me expand my professional network. I am sincerely grateful to the PDFO for contributing to this transformative experience, which has enriched my work with novel perspectives and supported the development of my scientific career.
Cilia, Mucus and Mucociliary Interactions Gordon Research Conference/Seminar - February 2025
In February 2025, I attended the Cilia, Mucus and Mucociliary Interactions - Gordon Research Conference & Seminar in Pomona, California. At this conference, I presented at two poster sessions on my work entitled “Assessing an optimized immunofluorescence antibody technique as an adjunctive, confirmatory diagnostic test for Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.” I was also invited to deliver a one-minute, one-slide rapid preview of my poster during one of the daily oral scientific sessions. This conference brought together approximately 200 clinicians, scientists, trainees and industry partners interested in cilia and mucus, which play important roles in human health and beyond. I was immersed in daily sessions that began at 9AM until 9:30PM. There were talks from international researchers that allowed me to hear expert perspectives on ciliopathies and numerous disorders affecting mucus and its clearance, particularly in lung pathologies. I developed excellent connections at this conference, which I believe will foster collaborations in my future work completed throughout my Postdoctoral Fellowship. I am excited to follow up with this new network at upcoming meetings this summer, including the American Thoracic Society’s Annual Meeting in May.
Quarter FY 25/26 Q1
Dr. Saeed Ataie
Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition – June 2025
Attending CSC 2025 in Ottawa was an exciting and rewarding experience that significantly enriched my postdoctoral journey. I had the opportunity to deliver an oral presentation titled “Tantalum Metallacycle Size: A Key Determinant in Catalytic Efficiency for Hydroaminoalkylation Reactions.” The session was well-attended by leading researchers from top Canadian institutions, and I was grateful for their thoughtful questions, valuable feedback, and genuine interest in my work. This conference also provided the chance to connect in person with inspiring scientists I had long admired, including Dr. Rob Morris, whose insightful opening talk set a dynamic tone for the meeting. Engaging with colleagues across different research areas sparked stimulating conversations and potential collaborations, while the overall atmosphere of intellectual exchange and collegiality made the event truly memorable. Beyond presenting, I attended diverse sessions that broadened my scientific perspective, especially in catalysis and organometallic chemistry. The experience helped sharpen my communication skills and reaffirmed the impact of our research within the broader chemical community. I’m sincerely grateful to the UBC Postdoctoral Fellows Office for supporting my participation. This opportunity allowed me to represent UBC, share my research, and return with new ideas, motivation, and connections.
PANIC: Practical Applications of NMR in Industry – May 2025
PANIC (Practical Applications of NMR in Industry Conference) was held in Rockville, Maryland in late May 2025. The four days of the conference included user meetings from major NMR vendors, two poster sessions and a variety of talks and workshops by researchers from academia, industry and government agencies. I was really blown away by how diverse the research discussed at the conference was; even though we are all working in the field of applied NMR, both the applications and the techniques used were incredibly varied. Thus, I was able to learn a lot both about unfamiliar NMR techniques and about applications I had not previously considered. Additionally, the collegial atmosphere of the conference was very welcoming, and I was able to connect meaningfully with many of the attendees. I was fortunate to attend as an invited speaker and my talk was very well received. Indeed, following my talk I received requests for further details about my research so that it can be applied in industry. I have also returned with several new ideas or directions of my future research. Overall I think attending PANIC was an incredibly useful experience and I feel very fortunate to have had this opportunity.
Alberta Gambling Research Institute (AGRI) Conference - April 2025
The PDF Travel Award enabled me to attend the AGRI conference 2025 in Banff, Alberta. Since it is a conference with a special focus on research on gambling in Canada, I got to meet many important people from within the gambling field from Canada but also experts from abroad. The conference provided me with excellent network opportunities which led to a collaboration on open science in the gambling field. Especially valuable for me, was to get in contact with gambling researchers from other provinces within Canada to know where policies and legislations around gambling are currently standing. During the poster session, I received valuable feedback on my current research about emotional signals in gambling, some of which I can immediately incorporate in my ongoing research. I was mainly interested in the research on the use of AI in gambling treatment and cognitive mechanisms in sports betting and more broadly gambling. Between sessions, I had many stimulating discussions. In summary, this conference provided me with insight into the newest developments of gambling research within Canada and around the world. I was able to make new connections and extend my network.
ThymUS2025 – April 2025
Attending Thymus 2025 was a highly enriching experience. The conference’s focus on thymic degeneration and regeneration provided a valuable platform to engage with leading researchers working to restore thymic function and improve immune resilience. I presented my work titled “T cell differentiation from hematopoietic progenitor cells using 3D thymic-like hydrogels,” which aims to engineer hydrogel-based thymic niches that replicate the native thymus environment to drive T cell development from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Our study identified a hydrogel formulation that supports the differentiation of CD4⁺CD8β⁺ progenitor T cells and mature, cytokine-producing CD3⁺CD8β⁺ T cells. This living material provides a novel in vitro model for studying T cell education and holds translational potential for scalable therapeutic T cell manufacturing. The conference facilitated insightful discussions on key thymic signals involved in T cell maturation, which I plan to integrate into future hydrogel designs. Additionally, sessions on thymic aging deepened my understanding of age-related immune decline and its implications for regenerative strategies. Overall, Thymus 2025 was instrumental in advancing both the technical and conceptual aspects of my work and in shaping future directions in synthetic thymus development.
PsychoNeuroImmunology– June 2025
The ERS Congress is the leading international respiratory conference, with 22,000 attendees from 165 countries. This year’s theme, ‘Respiratory Health Around the Globe’, featured research describing the current challenges in respiratory health. The work that I presented addressed this theme, describing the cellular damage within our young cannabis-smoking cohort and potential implications for lung disease development. My poster presentation titled “Impaired respiratory health induced by cannabis smoking is associated with a spare airway epithelium and elevated MUC5AC” was 1 of only 4 cannabis-focused presentations, highlighting the novelty of my topic and emphasizing the advantage of being able to legally study cannabis smoking in Canada. The Congress scheduled >400 educational sessions showcasing symposiums, workshops, oral and poster presentations which hosted speakers from around the world who discussed the latest advances in respiratory research. I gained insights on cutting-edge culturing techniques such as lung-on-a-chip and stem cell therapies for airway tissue regeneration. I also attended networking events including the Opening Ceremony, where I met new colleagues and reconnected with old peers, and the Basic and Translational Sciences Assembly Meeting, where I met researchers within my field of expertise and applied for open committee positions within the Assembly.
CLEO/Europe-EQEC – June 2025
From June 22-27, 2025, I had the opportunity to attend the CLEO Europe/EQEC conference in Munich, Germany. This conference is among the biggest worldwide in the field of optics and photonics. My submission “Dual-Comb Spectroscopy for Rare-Earth Element Detection” was accepted as a talk in the session titled “Optical Frequency Combs Spectroscopy”. Questions from other attendees after my talk brought up novel ideas for future directions. During mine and the various related sessions I attended, I learned about the latest progress regarding the spectroscopic system we are working on. I got to know new people from groups working on similar topics and discussed recent findings, problems and new directions/applications with them. Furthermore, various networking events in the evenings allowed me to chat with potential future students/postdocs and employers. The conference was held in parallel with the trade fair “Laser World of Photonics” which featured about 1000 international vendors from various areas in the field. I connected with the companies we purchased existing equipment from and was able to get answers to some technical questions. Facilitated by advertising talks at the conference, I got to know potential future vendors for lasers, optical components and measurement equipment.
Canadian Society of Zoologists – May 2025
At CSZ-2025, I presented my work carried out at UBC examining why larval zebrafish hyperventilate in response to hypoxia as an invited speaker for the comparative physiology symposium. This greatly increased the exposure of my work to my target audiences. The novel techniques that I was using in my studied gained much interest and as a result, I was invited for a collaboration through this presentation. At the same time, I was also able to be exposed to the amazing works that other groups were carrying out, and was especially amazed by the numerous works carried out on temperature tolerances at the conference. I was also amazed to learn about the improvements to fish cell culture techniques at the conference, which greatly opens up the possibilities for the types of research that I would like to pursue if and when I start up my own lab. In addition, this conference was a wonderful networking opportunity, meeting with potential search committee members and learning about the new job opportunities that would be opening up in the near future. And all of these experiences were thanks to the PDF travel award for funding my travel and stay at the conference!
247th Electrochemical Society Meeting – May 2025
Attending the 2025 ECS Conference was an incredibly rewarding experience. I had the opportunity to present my research on zero-emission cement production, a novel electrochemical approach to decarbonize one of the most carbon-intensive industries. My talk sparked engaging conversations and drew interest from both academic researchers and industry professionals eager to explore the scalability and impact of this technology.
Beyond my own presentation, the conference offered an inspiring glimpse into the future of electrochemical science. I attended several sessions on cutting-edge developments in CO₂ utilization, battery materials, and electrocatalysis. These talks not only broadened my understanding of the field but also offered valuable context for situating my work within the larger push for sustainable technologies.
One of the most valuable aspects of the conference was the chance to network. I connected with peers from leading institutions and engaged with industry partners interested in collaborative opportunities. The atmosphere was intellectually stimulating and supportive, reaffirming my passion for academic research and its potential for real-world impact. Overall, the ECS Conference provided me with fresh ideas, new connections, and renewed energy to push my research forward. I’m grateful for the support from the PDFO and excited for what comes next.
2025 Tribology International Conference - April 2025
I had the privilege of attending and presenting at the 2025 Tribology International Conference held in Albufeira, Portugal. My oral presentation, titled "Studying the Ligand Chain Length Effect on Wear-resistance of Nano-stabilized Greases", was well-received and prompted insightful questions from experts across academia and industry. The opportunity to share my work with an international audience significantly enriched my postdoctoral experience and helped refine the framing of my research objectives. Beyond presenting, I attended multiple sessions focused on surface engineering, lubrication systems, and tribological testing innovations. I learned valuable lessons from keynote speakers on the role of advanced materials in energy efficiency and sustainability—concepts directly relevant to my ongoing research at UBC. The conference also served as a vital platform for professional development. I engaged in meaningful conversations with senior researchers, startup founders, and industry representatives, which have led to ongoing email exchanges and potential collaborative opportunities. I also had productive dialogues with individuals from European institutions regarding future research partnerships and career planning. This experience not only strengthened my technical knowledge but also helped grow my international network, both in research and professional domains. I am sincerely grateful for the support of the UBC PDF Travel Award, which made this valuable opportunity possible.
LASA2025 - LASA2025 - Poner el cuerpo en Latinx América - May 2025
In May 2025, I had the opportunity to present part of the work I have done in the Department of Political Science as a postdoctoral fellow at the Annual Congress of the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) and to witness the magnitude of interdisciplinary studies on Latin America. At the conference, I was not only able to address how the political constitution should be understood as a living and dynamic framework that evolves with society and adapts to the social, historical, and cultural transformations of Latin America, but also to enrich my ideas with approaches from areas as diverse as film and literature, social psychology, ecology, Latin American philosophical thought, and indigenous wisdom. Thanks to the support of the PDF Travel Award, I was able to enjoy four intense days of conferences, with more than 900 presentations, including panels, workshops, and roundtables, as well as a book fair and a film festival. Participating in this conference has been a milestone in my postdoctoral research, and I am very grateful to PDFO for making it possible.
Quarter FY 25/26 Q2
Academy of Cardiovascular Research Excellence (ACRE) Canada – July 2025
I had the opportunity to attend and present my research at the 3rd ACRE Canada Scientific Meeting, which provided an excellent platform for knowledge exchange and networking within the cardiovascular research community. I presented a poster titled “Extracellular Vesicles as Key Players in Immune Cell Activation and Cardiac Remodeling in Viral Myocarditis.” My work focuses on understanding how extracellular vesicles (EVs) contribute to immune regulation and disease progression in Coxsackievirus B3-induced myocarditis, with the goal of identifying novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The conference featured a wide range of high-quality presentations spanning basic, translational, and clinical cardiovascular research. Engaging with researchers and clinicians allowed me to gain valuable insights into emerging approaches in cardiac immunology, inflammation, and tissue remodeling. The discussions and feedback I received were highly constructive and will help refine the direction of my ongoing studies, particularly in functional characterization of EVs and their role in immune cell activation. I was honored to receive the Trainee Presentation Award (PDF/Research Associate category), which recognized the impact and potential of my research. Overall, this conference was a highly enriching experience that strengthened both my scientific perspective and professional network.
The 58th Congress of the International Society of Applied Ethology - August 2025
Attending the 58th Congress of the International Society of Applied Ethology was an enriching experience. My virtual presentation of my postdoctoral research on measuring social motivation in dairy heifers, which I conducted at the UBC Dairy Education and Research Centre, discussed the difficulties of interpreting animal behavior expressed in different social contexts. My research findings questioned current approaches in this research area. Presenting my project allowed me to receive thoughtful feedback from fellow scientists. Though I was only able to attend the conference online, I gained valuable insights into new research directions and findings by listening to other presenters and questions from the audience.
Medinfo 2025 - August 2025
In August 2025, I attended MedInfo 2025, the 19th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics, held in Taipei, Taiwan. This global conference brought together experts in digital health, clinical informatics, and systems-level care improvement. I gave an oral presentation titled “Retrospective Sociotechnical Analysis of Computer-Related Events in Oncology Care”, where I shared findings from a system-level review of safety events involving digital tools in oncology. I also presented a poster, “Exploring Nurse Perspectives on Technology-Related Safety Events in Oncology”, which focused on the real-world experiences of nurses navigating tech disruptions in complex care environments. The conference offered a great mix of sessions on AI in clinical decision-making, digital safety, and system resilience. I had the chance to connect with international colleagues working on similar challenges, which opened up valuable conversations and potential collaborations. Thanks to the support of the UBC PDF Travel Award, I was able to share my work on a global stage and come home with fresh ideas and connections for the next phase of my research.
Forgotten Animals - September 2025
In September 2025, I attended and co-convened a two-day conference on 'Forgotten Animals' at the Unviersity of Leicester, United Kingdom, which was attended by many established and emerging scholars across the social sciences. The conference homed in on the ways animals have been forgotten in the social sciences and philosophy, broadening my understanding of the gaps in the literature. This was the latest in a longstanding series of annual 'Animal Politics' workshops which have taken place for over a decade. As a co-convenor I chaired a session and was involved in prior organisational activites. My paper presentation on 'The Desubjectification of Animals' looked at the ways animals have been forgotten in discussions of dehumanisation, and proposed a solution to address this. The conference led to a lot of generative debate, including crucial feedback on my work at its current stage, the establishment of new ties, and the invitation to be involved in organising next year's event. The conference also gave me opportunity to set up an interview with a leading scholar of the politics of the ocean about his writing for a wider audience, the result from which will be published with the blog Justice Everywhere.
The European Respiratory Society Congress – September 2025
The ERS Congress is the leading international respiratory conference, with 22,000 attendees from 165 countries. This year’s theme, ‘Respiratory Health Around the Globe’, featured research describing the current challenges in respiratory health. The work that I presented addressed this theme, describing the cellular damage within our young cannabis-smoking cohort and potential implications for lung disease development. My poster presentation titled “Impaired respiratory health induced by cannabis smoking is associated with a spare airway epithelium and elevated MUC5AC” was 1 of only 4 cannabis-focused presentations, highlighting the novelty of my topic and emphasizing the advantage of being able to legally study cannabis smoking in Canada. The Congress scheduled >400 educational sessions showcasing symposiums, workshops, oral and poster presentations which hosted speakers from around the world who discussed the latest advances in respiratory research. I gained insights on cutting-edge culturing techniques such as lung-on-a-chip and stem cell therapies for airway tissue regeneration. I also attended networking events including the Opening Ceremony, where I met new colleagues and reconnected with old peers, and the Basic and Translational Sciences Assembly Meeting, where I met researchers within my field of expertise and applied for open committee positions within the Assembly.
Quarter FY 25/26 Q3
II Congreso Nacional de Investigación en Ejercicio Físico y Cáncer – November 2025
The PDFO Travel Award helped offset the costs of attending the “II Congreso Nacional de Investigación en Ejercicio Físico y Cáncer” in Castellón de la Plana, Spain (November 20–21, 2025), where I was honored to participate as an Invited Speaker. At this conference, I presented work conducted at the University of British Columbia during my Postdoctoral Fellowship. My presentation, titled “Physiological Mechanisms of Exercise to Improve Immunotherapy Response” focused on the biological mechanisms through which exercise modulates the immune system and how these adaptations may enhance tolerance and responsiveness to cancer treatments, particularly immunotherapy. The session generated meaningful discussion around translational applications and future collaborative research opportunities in exercise oncology. This conference provided a valuable opportunity to connect with colleagues from the Spanish Network of Exercise Oncology and to exchange ideas with researchers and clinicians dedicated to advancing evidence-based exercise interventions for people living with cancer. These interactions fostered new professional relationships and strengthened international collaborations. Overall, the experience enhanced the visibility of our research, supported knowledge exchange, and reinforced the importance of global partnerships in advancing the field of exercise oncology.
GSA Connects Conference– October 2025
I was able to attend the Geological Society of America's 2025 annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas U.S.A. ith support from the UBC PDF travel grant. I presented a talk titled "Detrital Zircon U-Pb Geochronology of he Selwyn Basin, Canada: Implications for stratigraphic correlation and provenance of the Late Devonian arn Group". I also co-convened a session and attend a specialized short course taught by Dr. Jonny Wu on ectonic plate modeling using GPlates software—skills that are directly applicable to my current and future esearch. I was able to attend topical sessions including advances in geochronology, tectonics, and sediment rovenance. My participation in the conference allowed me to share findings from my postdoc research, engage in critical conversations with colleagues and experts in my field, and share my research the a roader audience.
Pacifichem – December 2025
This funding made it possible for me to attend at present at the International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies, aka Pacifichem, 2025. ~10,000 chemists from around the Pacific Rim gathered in Honolulu for the first time since 2015 to share advances in all fields of chemistry, from biological applications to chemical education. I had the opportunity to share two oral presentations (“Microbrewidics: a microfluidic platform to investigate what stabilizes hop oil emulsions in beer” and “Sex affects cell membrane permeability in intestinal drug absorption model”) as well as a poster entitled “Droplet microfluidics for spatiotemporal investigation of rare tumour cell genetics.” In my own sessions, those I attended, and receptions hosted by Pacifichem, ACS, and CSC, I had the chance to connect with reconnect with the chemistry community, something which I don’t generally have access to in my current role in biomedical research. I’m excited to explore potential collaborations and projects over the next few years and already can’t wait for 2030!
Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology (SCAPPS) - October 2025
Attending the 58th Congress of the International Society of Applied Ethology was an enriching experience. My virtual presentation of my postdoctoral research on measuring social motivation in dairy heifers, which I conducted at the UBC Dairy Education and Research Centre, discussed the difficulties of interpreting animal behavior expressed in different social contexts. My research findings questioned current approaches in this research area. Presenting my project allowed me to receive thoughtful feedback from fellow scientists. Though I was only able to attend the conference online, I gained valuable insights into new research directions and findings by listening to other presenters and questions from the audience.
The 4th AsiaEvo Conference– December 2025
In the 4th AsiaEvo conference at Kunming, China, I co-organized the symposium titled “Evolvability in the Anthropocene: unraveling adaptation to contemporary environmental change”, within which I also presented my work on how warming shapes animal resistance to pathogens. Although the conference had a regional focus, it successfully attracted diverse and international scientists, leading to a rich discussion across diverse and important topics in ecology and evolution. This 4-day conference was consisted of panels of keynote talks and full days of parallel symposiums with cutting-edge topics. I was glad to see that all sessions were highly active with keen participation and Q&A. The conference also encouraged and facilitated networking by providing communal lunches and dinners for participants in the same dining hall, as well as offering tea breaks in the middle of symposiums. I felt this truly helped me build connections and foster collaborations with peers in my field. This was my first experience organizing a symposium, and I greatly appreciate the professional development opportunity it provided, including engagement with the other organizers at the gala dinner. I also want to express my gratitude to UBC PDF travel awards for their support of my attendance at this conference.
Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer Symposium - August 2025 and the BC Cancer Summit - November 2025
I gave two separate oral presentations of our work titled "NFIX: A key driver of Prostate Cancer dormancy and relapse" at the conferences of 20 minutes and 15 minutes duration in total. The work delves into a potential driver of prostate cancer dormancy and how it may facilitate this disease state and then how it may further drive resistance. The presentations were very successful with innovative questions that both challenged my and gave further ideas to bolster it. Aside from the presentations, the conferences allowed me to network with prostate cancer specialists and the wider oncology community, whereby I learnt a new techniques and analysis from others’ presentations and discussions that I will bring into my own work.