In conversation with the Chair of the programme committee

Call for abstracts

What makes this conference a unique place for researchers at different career stages?

''This conference combines strong science with a strong sense of community. It has world-leading scientists presenting next to PhD students giving their first talk, which lowers boundaries and thresholds, and I think that makes for a nice place to be, for both early career and senior researchers. Because of that setup, it’s an environment where discussing is easier and seniority feels less important. 

That also means senior researchers can be challenged more easily, and learn fresh ideas, which is good for creativity and keeps them grounded. Early career researchers, on the other hand, can learn about their field, gain visibility and confidence, and make connections between themselves and with senior researchers, which is good for their careers. That ease of exchange is, as far as I’m concerned, one of the major strengths of NWO Biophysics.''

What kind of atmosphere do you hope to create at this year’s edition?

''I hope we create an atmosphere that is open, curious, energetic, welcoming, and supportive. Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science, so it’s important that people feel comfortable stepping outside their comfort zone. Moving beyond their immediate expertise and engaging with others. 

It’s also an incredibly vital field, and one that benefits enormously from making a bigger tent and inviting new perspectives in. Technological advances continuously bring new areas of biology into the realm of physical interrogation, and in my view that excitement should be reflected in the conference. 

This also means we’re a very vibrant community, with lots of different backgrounds and (scientific) cultures, so it’s important that we keep that in mind and create a mutually supportive atmosphere. That means discussions that are not just scientifically rigorous, but also accessible, even kind, where asking questions is encouraged; and social interactions that are inclusive and celebrate our diversity of thought and scientific approach. 

I hope for these interactions to be meaningful; I hope that they are engaged in with an end goal in mind that is more collaboration than confrontation; and I hope that everyone who joins the conference, especially if it’s their first time, feels that they are welcome to be a part of this community.''

What moment during the conference do you look forward to the most?

''That’s hard to choose. Seeing a keynote speaker, a world-class researcher at the peak of their abilities, present their latest insights, can be breathtaking and lead your own research in completely new directions. But the same can be said for a PhD student with a new idea or a surprising approach. 

Let’s say that in general, I always enjoy getting a glimpse of where the different parts of the field are going to be in a few years, based on the collective work presented at the conference. That insight you can only really formulate by talking to people in between sessions. So it’s kind of a charge-discharge mechanism: the sessions give you all sorts of new ideas and information and the informal parts between the sessions allow those to be shaped into new insights and concrete plans through discussion with the many interesting people around.''