Gazing into the future: The Student Futures & Research Conference 2022
Episode II: Attack of the Imposter Syndrome. The SFAR Conference is back and better than ever! Tickets available now
Published on 27th January 2022
Last year we embarked on a new adventure with the British Ecological Society, smashing our two spring-time conferences together into one behemoth of an event. The BES traditionally ran an undergraduate careers conference, while the Linnean Society ran a PhD public engagement conference - could they be combined? Absolutely!
"What an amazing inspiring and useful event this has been. Extremely good and diverse advice shared. It helped me gain a new perspective and open horizons. A great choice of speakers, with different ecological/career backgrounds was eye opening."
The Student Futures & Research (SFAR) Conference was born, bringing together 160 undergrads, 90 masters students, and 100 PhD students for two-days of optimism, encouragement and inspiration around student futures and the future of nature research. The conference included 16 sessions, 22 speakers, and over £1,000 worth of prizes.
The feedback was outstanding, with 100% of attendees saying they would recommend a friend or colleague to attend a future conference. Conference participants indicated the atmosphere created was welcoming and inclusive yet professional, and our use of platforms was highly praised in creating an immersive and social experience for the participants.
And so it may not come as a surprise that we are announcing today the return of the online SFAR Conference for 2022, with our friends the British Ecological Society and a wonderful group of current students, listed below.
- Dingha Babila - University of Bamenda, Geography and Planning PhD
- Jessica Baxter - University of Birmingham, International Heritage Management MA
- Daisy Furrokh - University of Bristol, Biology MSci
- Wasim Mustafa - University of Manchester, MEarthSci Geology with Planetary Science
- Isobel Rowe - University of Plymouth, Marine Biology BSc
Together we have reflected on 2021 and created a new plan for 2022, resulting in some changes.
The 2022 Conference
Tickets are now on sale - click here to book!
The conference will now be spread over five days, on March 7-11, with up to 3 hours of live content each day, as well as pre-recorded content, competitions, reflective exercises, and opportunities for sharing. All content will be processed and released on the same day for playback. Each day will have a different focus, giving our attendees the opportunity to delve deeper into important areas related to their future.
We are using Discord as a fun and flexible space to network, share interests and discuss ideas. Our server will be open 9-6, Monday to Friday.
The SFAR conference aims to be an accessible event to all. Please email us at learning@linnean.org if any services may help you or your peers access the content.
The ticket price for the conference is £20, which includes an all-access pass to all talks, workshops and competitions, as well as a private Discord server to facilitate open conversation between like-minded delegates. We are providing a hardship fund for those who are unable to pay for a ticket. Please visit the Eventbrite page to access the fund. The ticket price will ensure that we can pay speakers and support staff appropriately and provide accessibility services for those who need it.
Who should attend?
The SFAR Conference is an opportunity for university students at all stages (bachelors to PhD) to reflect on the future of natural science, the natural world, and their personal futures after their studies. This conference is open to anyone who feels they would benefit from this experience. Last year we welcomed students across the globe and were thrilled to hear that our conference was welcoming and accessible for mature students, returners, part-time students and aspirational students too.
If you are unsure whether this event is for you, please feel free to email learning@linnean.org
Blog written by Joe Burton, Education Manager
