Wednesday, 28^th of January, 2026
Empa St. Gallen
 

Keynote Speakers:

Esther Amstad (EPFL)

Ralph Spolenak (ETHZ)

Invited Speakers:

Melina Spycher (EMPA)

Samira Jafari (Daetwyler)

Alexandre Pauchard (CSEM)

The 2026 PhD Symposium at Empa, Switzerland, themed "From Lab to Life: Interdisciplinary Steps to Real Life Change," aims to empower researchers to share their science beyond the laboratory. This year's focus is on the art of connection: explaining complex ideas in accessible ways, building networks that spark collaboration, and turning small insights into meaningful contributions for society.

PhD students are invited to present their research exploring effective strategies to engage diverse audiences, from industry partners to the public. Through a combination of presentations and interactive sessions, the symposium will highlight how Empa’s cutting-edge science transcends disciplinary boundaries and creates real-world impact.

Join us to strengthen your communication skills, expand your network, and reflect on how to bring your research from lab to life!

Participants who would like to contribute with a presentation or poster are requested to submit an abstract according to the guidelines. The guidelines and templates are available on this website. Do not forget to indicate your preference for a poster/presentation in the registration form.

Every abstract will be considered, and the selection will be made based on equal distribution of themes. You will receive a notification if your abstract is selected.

Oral presentations are restricted to 12 min, followed by 3 min of discussion. Make sure you provide a clear introduction to the topic to guide the audience.

Posters are expected to have an A0 size format (841 mm × 1189 mm) in portrait.

The scientific image can be submitted by email () before: 16^th January 2026 (23:59 CET).

08:30 – 09:00        Registration and Coffee
09:00 – 10:00        Morning Session (Introduction and keynote/invited)
10:00 – 11:30        Poster Session and Coffee (Starts with poster pitch talks)
11:30 – 12:30        Morning Session continued (Keynote/invited and students)
12:30 – 14:00        Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:20        Afternoon Session (Invited and students)
15:20 – 16:20        Poster Session and Coffee
16:30 – 17:50        Afternoon Session continued (Invited and students)
17:10 – 19:00        Closing Ceremony and Apero
19:00 – 20:00        Dinner