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Follow up: Consense meets at KU Leuven!

Hey everyone! Last week was the 2nd Consense Week in Leuven, Belgium, where we had an incredible opportunity to learn new skills and share our progress. We heard cool talks about the latest research in the field of photonic plasmonic sensors and ESRs shared their own projects in continuous sensing. Plus, we had an awesome workshop on how to make eye-catching graphics and visuals! Let’s dive in!

Science

During the scientific talks, we learned about the newest discoveries in the field, like how photonic plasmonic sensors can help us monitor the environment and diagnose illnesses. It was really interesting to see all the different applications of this technology! The lectures covered a range of topics:

 

This showcased the latest advances in the field, challenges, and opportunities for future research and applications, providing a comprehensive view of the field.

But the best part was definitely the student presentations, where we got to hear about what our fellow researchers are working on. We gave each other feedback and shared ideas, which was super helpful! On top of that, this was the first meeting with all 15 ESRs physically present, and also the first one for our newest member Daniil who just started his PhD in EPFL, Switzerland.

"I was enormously excited to meet all the other participants of the project in person. It was very interesting to get involved in the network, understand other development directions, and discuss possible strategies for continuous sensor creation. For me, this meeting was also very educational, especially regarding biochemical problems. After all, it was a great opportunity to communicate with like-minded and enthusiastic people in a both formal and informal setting."
Daniil Riabov
Daniil RiabovESR11
“The 2nd Annual CONSENSE week in Leuven was a great mix of presentations from the ESRs, CONSENSE PIs and external speakers. The students had the chance not only to present their scientific progress to the consortium, but also get more insight into the plasmonic sensing, paths that lead from academia to a spin-off and the world of patenting. The week was rounded up with the outreach sessions for the ESRs and 2-days’ workshop by external consultants on How to visually succeed in academic publishing.”
Dragana Spasic
Dragana SpasicResearch manager at KU Leuven
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Transferrable skills

In addition to learning scientific disciplines, ESRs have to acquire skills to effectively communicate their research findings and bring their ideas to life. For this, we had Filip Delport (FOx) and Menno Prins (TUE / HELIA) sharing their experiences “from academia to the spin-off”, followed by “An Introduction to Patents: System, Procedures, Rights” delivered by European Patent Attorney, Ivo De Baere (KUL). It was really insightful to hear about how researchers can turn their ideas into real-world applications.

Finally, we had a workshop on visual communication, where illustrators and former scientists Luk Cox and Idoya Lahortiga from Somersault1824 taught us how to make amazing posters, infographics, and presentations. It was hands-on and fun, and we all got to show off our new skills.

Overall, Consense Week was a great opportunity for us to learn, share, and connect with each other. We can’t wait to see what amazing things will come out of this field in the future! Do not miss out!