Mark Carew
Kingston University

https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.87.14

Forty physiologists from four universities met at Kingston University (Penrhyn Road Campus) on 11 January for a poster and networking event. The event, organised by myself, as the Society Representative for Kingston, allowed Members and Affiliates of The Society, as well as other scientists interested in physiology (pharmacologists, biochemists etc.), to meet and discuss their work with colleagues from Kingston, Surrey, Reading and St George’s, University of London. The Society funded the catering costs of the event, which started with a buffet lunch and a welcome. Colleagues then viewed the posters and spoke with colleagues, old and new, and later I presented the benefits of membership of The Society.

The event was a simple way of getting physiologists in the local area to meet, and find out who was doing what research. Such an event was perfect for an institution like Kingston, with only a few physiologists who can easily become isolated, and need to club together to form a critical mass of interested colleagues. The poster and networking afternoon was a sort of ‘meeting-lite’ event that solved that problem. There were no formal scientific talks, and the informal atmosphere made it the perfect space for students, lecturers and professors to meet for the first time and discuss physiology. We hope that such networking will open the way to research collaborations and funding proposals. The event was straightforward to organise, and I would like to thank the other Reps (Chris Fry, Gary Stephens and Iain Greenwood) for encouraging their colleagues to attend; indeed, many more promised to come next time.

Colleagues are very interested in further events of this type, and there are plans to repeat the event at Reading and Surrey in the coming year. Kingston, Reading and Surrey will also club together to apply for the Departmental Seminar Scheme, now that the networking event has shown that there are sufficient physiologists at these three institutions. Anyone who wishes to arrange a similar event should contact Louise Crane, the Society Outreach manager at outreach@physoc.org