Around 40 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers have come together to launch Agrotecnio’s Early Career Network, a support network for early-career researchers. The initiative was created with the aim of providing training, mentoring, discussion forums, and representation for the center’s youngest researchers.
The Early Career Network is an evolution of the cross-cutting forums (Early Career Forums) that Agrotecnio has been organizing since 2021. This new initiative aims to go one step further, making the most of existing resources in the university ecosystem and promoting contact and collaboration between early-career researchers.
During the launch event, Agrotecnio’s communications manager, Paola Lloret, reviewed some of the resources available, such as the training courses offered by the University of Lleida for teaching and research staff, the Agrotecnio Welcome Manual and its Gender Equality Plan. Giada Centerano, researcher from the Forest Management group, also presented the ‘Tercer Espai’ initiative from the UdL Doctoral School.
The main novelty of the new network is that it will offer a professional coaching service provided by Centenaro. This service will only be available to members of Agrotecnio’s research groups.
Irene Teixidó, researcher in the Applied Mycology group, explained to the audience how Agrotecnio’s Steering Scientific Management Committee (SSMC) works and how pre-doctoral and post-doctoral scientists are represented. Teixidó, together with Ana Stoian from the Animal Health group, will represent the younger members of the center on the SSMC.
To ensure that the Early Career Network meets real needs, an organizing committee has been set up. Diego Barranco, researcher in the Crop Protection group, presented its structure and invited attendees to participate actively. The next session of the Early Career Network is scheduled for February 2026 and, based on the feedback from the first session, will feature a seminar on securing research project funding.