02 September 2024

Forum Scientium graduate school's annual study visit is an event designed to broaden the academic and professional networks of its students. This year, the focus was on the Bay Area, a region recognised by Linköping University’s Internationalisation Office as a strategic area for collaboration.

Forum Scientium members in front of Golden Gate bridge.

The visit’s primary goal was to expose PhD students to the many post-doctoral opportunities available in this area, renowned for innovation, particularly in Palo Alto, which shares a special bond with Linköping as a sister city.

Tech hub and academic power house

The Bay Area is not only a hub for technological advancement but also an academic powerhouse, with Stanford University at its core. The university is home to the Wallenberg Center and offers annually the desirable Stanford-Wallenberg scholarship for postdocs. This initiative is part of Forum Scientium’s effort to inspire its PhD students to aspire to these prestigious scholarships.

The trip was made possible through the generous financial support of the Faculty of science and technology, Forum Scientium's largest contributor, along with equal contributions from the Faculty of medicine and health sciences, the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (WCMM), and the Rector's office. The Internationalisation Office facilitated a connection with VINNOVA’s Nordic Innovation House in Palo Alto, where a ceremony and a panel discussion provided insights into the experiences of Scandinavians living and working in Palo Alto, including starting new ventures.

The delegation was accompanied by Forum Scientium alumnus and Stanford-Wallenberg scholarship recipient, now Assistant Professor Onur Parlak, who helped arrange a

Forum Scientium member in front of the church at the centre of Stanford
meeting with the Stanford-Wallenberg Center, showcasing the enduring connections fostered by LiU.

Well-filled itinerary

The group’s itinerary included visits to renowned labs and companies such as UCSF, Berkeley, Stanford, the Stanford-Wallenberg Center, VINNOVA Nordic Innovation House, Genentech, and Navan Technologies. A standout experience was the visit to the Chief Forensic Office, where the group learned about the local efforts to tackle the considerable challenges of drug addiction and homelessness in San Francisco. The trip also included a visit to the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, adding a cultural dimension to the experience.

Promise of continued collaboration

The hope is that this visit will lead to ongoing interactions between the Bay Area entities and Forum Scientium’s PhD students, potentially resulting in exchanges or post-doctoral applications after graduation. An open invitation has been extended for Principal Investigators and students from the Bay Area to visit Linköping for talks and lab visits, with the anticipation of nurturing these relationships over the coming year. Forum Scientium looks forward to hearing about the continued collaborations and opportunities that may arise from this enriching experience.

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