It was great to have such an active, engaged group of EASO Early Career Network (ECN) colleagues involved in the 2024 European Congress on Obesity (ECO2024), held in Venice, Italy.
In collaboration with early career representatives from Societa Italiana dell’ Obesita (SIO), the Italian Society of Obesity, the ECN Board hosted a range of networking activities aimed at supporting early career students, researchers and other professionals interested in the field of obesity. The ECN Lounge in the ECO2024 congress centre served as the central hub for these activities, providing a dedicated space for early career delegates to connect, share insights, and build professional relationships.
Throughout ECO2024, ECN members gathered in the ECN Lounge to share lunch, listen to expert interviews, and participate in networking games. On the first day of the congress, early career delegates were welcomed to have lunch in the Lounge to meet others and establish a network for the rest of the congress. The second day of ECO2024 featured Networking Bingo, a fun activity which helped delegates connect and expand their professional networks. The third day of ECN activities included expert interviews on the importance of networking and collaboration in advancing obesity research. The initial expert interview featured Associate Professor Dr. Caterina Conte, who works in Internal Medicine at San Raffaele Roma Open University in Rome. Professor Conte shared personal and professional experiences with ECN members. Following Dr. Conte, representatives from the European Coalition for People Living with Obesity (ECPO), Mr. Andrew Healing and Ms. Diana Castillo, highlighted how early career researchers can effectively network and collaborate with patient representatives for research purposes.
The EASO ECN Board would like to thank all early career delegates who joined ECN activities across ECO2024, and look forward to reconnecting with members of the ECN soon.
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The EASO ECN is a community for students and early career professionals interested in obesity to collaborate, learn together and share experiences. The EASO ECN is free to join, and members benefit from:
- Education and training opportunities including annual residential courses
- The opportunity to apply to annual early career awards
- Monthly eLearning Hub online events to support career development
Complete the ECN registration form to become a member, registration is free!