Graduate Forum Committee

The Graduate Forum is run by an elected committee of UACES PhD Researcher and Early-Career Members. We work together with the UACES Committee of Trustees to organise events and conferences and to represent the voice of graduate and early-career researchers within the Association as a whole. Committee members are elected by members of the Graduate Forum.

"I am Sydney, a PhD candidate at Queen’s University Belfast, and I am eager to apply for the position of Chair in the UACES Graduate Forum committee. Building on my experiences leading the Peer Mentors and participating as a Student Skills Assistant at QUB, I look forward to continuing in a role focused on student representation, networking, and research culture. As a PhD student who benefits greatly from UACES’ networks, I value the work done by previous committees and am excited to continue this momentum over the next years through research events, personal development, and further community building."

"I'm Elena, a third-year PhD candidate at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and a pre-doctoral researcher at the Barcelona Institute for International Studies. My research interests encompass disinformation, digital security, and geopolitics. I am enthusiastic about running for an events officer position because of my strong organizational skills. My membership in UACES has been invaluable, connecting me with a wide array of opportunities, including participation in the Doctoral Training Academy and the chance to establish meaningful connections with academics in my field. I look forward to the opportunity of bringing my skills and passion to the UACES Graduate Forum events, helping to enrich our academic community."

"Hi! I'm Blanca, a PhD student at the Madrid Autonomous University. I am eager to apply for the position of Events Officer, as it aligns with my experience organizing impactful academic and networking events in other youth-oriented associations, such as the European Guanxi Youth Conference or the Young Indo-Pacific Forum. I highly value UACES’ mission to support younger academics and have benefited from the opportunities it offers in the past to attend UACES Conferences and the Graduate Forum itself. I am committed to organizing engaging, inclusive events for others to benefit from similar opportunities and enhance their professional development."

"I am Valeria, a PhD candidate at the University of Trento and a Research Fellow at the University of Bologna, and I am excited to apply for the Communications Officer position with the UACES Graduate Forum Committee. After years of experience in youth-led initiatives focused on EU and EU-China relations and active involvement in UACES activities, I decided to apply to contribute to the Forum’s social media strategy. I aim to create engaging content that combines academic life, UACES events, and a touch of pop culture, making the Forum a dynamic hub for innovative research and academic exchange."

"My name is Roberto Baccarini, and I am a third-year PhD student in European Politics at the University of Exeter (United Kingdom). I decided to nominate myself for the Student and ECR Representative position because I strongly believe in promoting the creation of a vast network of PhD and early career researchers. It will be my duty to address and resolve the main issues and problems that may prevent PhDs and ECRs from making the most out of their journey and to ensure that the voice of PhD and ECR members of UACES is adequately represented within the UACES Graduate Forum Committee."