1 April 2022

Working together with organisers from the research community, The Company of Biologists runs Workshops that bring together leading experts and early-career researchers from a range of scientific backgrounds, making these meetings an ideal setting for the exchange of ideas and the beginnings of fruitful collaborations. Previous Workshops have covered topics right across the scope of our journals, and we are now seeking proposals for Workshops to run in 2024. Here, we explain why organising a Workshop with us is such a great opportunity.

Anyone can submit a proposal

We are looking for suggestions from researchers working anywhere in the world. Particularly strong applications from early-career researchers will also be considered, so you do not have to be a group leader to put forward a proposal. If you have an idea for a Workshop, we would love to hear from you, whatever your career stage or field of expertise.

One Workshop will take place in a Global South country

We are looking to diversify our Workshop programme so that we can support a wider selection of research communities around the world. We are therefore excited to announce that we are reserving one of our 2024 Workshops for an application from a Global South country to host an event abroad.

At least one organiser should be based in the host region, and we hope that this overseas event will provide opportunities for local early-career researchers to attend. If you (or anyone you know) are working in a Global South country and have an idea for a Workshop topic, this option could be for you.

We are open to fresh ideas

Our Workshop Committee is keen to run a varied spectrum of Workshops on a range of topics and are therefore open to novel proposals. We also want our scientific organisers to have the intellectual freedom to pursue interesting themes, so please do apply if you have an idea for a Workshop that sits anywhere within the broad scope of the biological and biomedical research community’s interests. Ideas need not be directly related to conducting research; for example, our 2022 programme includes a Creative Science Writing Workshop, which aims to nurture new voices in science writing.

We are also committed to enabling sustainable event solutions and will be looking to run a number of Workshops virtually in the future. Please state clearly on your application if you wish to be considered for a virtual or hybrid Workshop.

We handle the logistics, so you can focus on the science

Organising a meeting involves a lot of work behind the scenes, from venue hire and catering to setting up equipment and booking travel for speakers. That’s why The Company of Biologists handles all the logistics surrounding the organisation of a Workshop, so that you can concentrate on the science. All you need do is define the topic and determine a diverse list of speakers for the meeting. As Assaf Zaritsky, an organiser of the Data Science in Cell Imaging Workshop, put it: “All you need to focus on is the science and all the administration is done”.

Funding

As well as organising the logistics of your Workshop, The Company of Biologists will fund it. This means that you won’t need to secure additional funds or sponsors. We also offer funded places for early-career researchers, meaning that they need only pay for their travel to and from the venue. This helps to improve the accessibility of our Workshops.

Our Workshops are held in beautiful residential settings

The residential nature of our Workshops means that attendees can fully immerse themselves in the meeting. This helps stimulate discussion and facilitate networking. The Workshops take place in beautiful locations; in the UK, these have included the historic Buxted Park and Wiston House. We organise social activities such as walks to further promote a community atmosphere.

The chance to bring your community together

Jacqueline Tabler, who attended one of our Workshops in February 2020, said she had particularly enjoyed “the diversity within the field that we managed to get together in one room”. This opportunity to bring together researchers from a range of backgrounds is one of the most rewarding aspects of organising a Workshop with us. Attendees also represent a range of career stages and everyone is awarded an equal amount of time to speak at the meeting, from early-career researchers to established group leaders. These meetings therefore represent a unique opportunity to assemble people from within your community who might not usually interact in traditional conference settings. Looking to the future, our Workshops can also give a real sense of the direction that your field is moving in as well as catalysing exciting collaborations.

We hope this has given you some insight into the benefits of organising a Workshop with The Company of Biologists. Find out more and submit your proposal for 2024 here.