Workshop Information

Biography

Workshop 1: AI tools - AI Is Not Your Co-Author: Practical Ways to Use It in Research

The hands-on workshop is aimed at early-career researchers in ceramics and materials science and offers practical, discipline-specific guidance on the responsible and effective use of AI tools throughout the research process. It covers a broad range of applications relevant to scientific work, from literature search and writing support to data interpretation and research communication, illustrated with concrete examples from academic practice.

The workshop combines methodological input with hands-on exercises and open discussion, giving participants the opportunity to work directly with selected tools and reflect on their own research workflows.

Participants will gain a clear framework for integrating AI into their work, including understanding which tasks benefit from AI support, how to maintain academic integrity, and where their own expertise and authorship remain essential.

Biography

Workshop 2: Networking skills - How to Network Without Awkwardness: Assertive Communication Skills - Basics, Tips

Communication & Assertiveness for Young Researchers

A 2-hour Behavioural Lab with Paulina Makol

This hands-on workshop focuses on one core skill that shapes everyday research life: saying no and setting healthy boundaries — with supervisors, co-authors, and peers. Instead of covering everything at once, we go deep on one practical tool you can actually start using the next day.

What we'll work on together:

Understanding your own communication patterns — a short self-diagnostic using Transactional Analysis

The DESC framework — a clear, simple script for difficult conversations

Live demo based on real situations collected from participants before the session

Short practice in pairs to try the framework in a safe setting

Group Q&A on your most pressing communication challenges

Each participant receives a Workbook with additional frameworks and exercises to explore independently over the summer — covering topics like authorship conversations, asking for what you need, and managing workload.

In late September, we meet again online for a 1-hour Q&A to troubleshoot your "summer experiments" and sharpen what's working.

Minimal theory. Maximum practice. One tool you'll actually remember.

Biography

Workshop 3: Funding strategies - Smart Project Selection for Early-Career Researchers

This training provides a practical and strategy-driven approach to scientific proposal writing, tailored to early-career funding schemes such as the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship. It covers the core logic of competitive proposals, including developing a clear research question, structuring ambitious yet feasible objectives, and aligning methodology with impact and career development goals. Specific guidance is provided on the expectations and evaluation criteria of MSCA schemes, including how to demonstrate excellence, independence, and long-term vision. The training also addresses common weaknesses in applications, reviewer perspectives, and practical strategies to strengthen narrative coherence and competitiveness. It concludes with the analysis of two successful MSCA proposals, providing detailed insight into how high-scoring applications are structured, how arguments are built and justified, and how different sections are aligned with evaluation criteria, giving participants a concrete and realistic understanding of effective proposal preparation and drafting. 

Biography

Workshop 4: Developing Leadership Skills for Early-Career Researchers

This highly practical and interactive 3-hour training session has been specifically designed for Young Ceramists who are ready to step up, grow their influence, and make a greater impact in their organisation. Before the session begins, participants will complete a brief questionnaire to uncover their natural influencing style, setting the foundation for a deeply personal learning experience that helps them understand where their style works in their favour — and where it may be holding them back. Building on this self-awareness, the session explores the practical tools and techniques that make influence truly effective, including how to identify what motivates others, how to apply the WIIFM (What's In It For Me?) framework to shape more compelling conversations, and how to flex their style to connect with a wider range of stakeholders and communicate the value of their work more persuasively. The session then turns to leadership development, where participants discover what it means to lead flexibly — knowing when to give clear direction and when to involve others through open questions and collaborative discussion. A key highlight is a hands-on introduction to the GROW coaching model, a proven four-stage framework for problem-solving and developing others, which participants will practise with each other in real time. The session closes with a focused action planning exercise, giving every participant the opportunity to reflect on their learning and commit to concrete next steps. By the end, participants will leave feeling more self-aware, better equipped, and genuinely empowered to lead with greater confidence and impact. 

Workshop 5: Celebrating Achievements, Envisioning Tomorrow 

This interactive workshop celebrates 10 years of the Young Ceramists Network Committee (YCN) by bringing together participants to reflect on their research journeys, exchange experiences, and contribute to the future development of the community. Following an introduction to YCN history and its activities, participants will rotate through a series of discussion stations focused on different aspects of academic and professional life. The workshop will provide opportunities to share valuable advice, lessons learned, common challenges, conference experiences, and practical insights from peers. Participants will also discuss ideas for future YCN activities, and new formats to strengthen the community. In addition, the sessions will encourage the exchange of memorable and challenging experiences from research life. Finally, participants will explore the personal side of being a researcher, discussing topics such as work–life balance, hobbies, cultural differences in research environments, and motivations for pursuing a career in science. Through these discussions, the workshop aims to foster meaningful networking, encourage peer-to-peer knowledge exchange across career stages and countries, strengthen the YCN community, and gather ideas that will help shape future YCN activities. 

https://www.youngceramists.eu/en/yc/committee