The Women and Non-Binary Doctoral Researchers in STEM (WoNDRS) Conference was held for a second consecutive year on Monday 7th July 2025 at the University of Liverpool. The conference is organised by a group of postgraduate and academic researchers from the University of Liverpool who are studying a range of STEM fields including LIV.INNO students Katie Ferraby, Lauryn Eley and Marina Maneyro. Researchers attended from over 25 different national universities during the day; a huge success being as 2025 was the first year the conference was opened countrywide. Attendees arrived to a welcoming community and there was an air of excitement to begin the day’s events for a second year running.
Professor Rachel Bearon began the days itinerary with an interesting presentation on her fortuitous career journey to becoming the current Executive Dean of the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical and Engineering Sciences at King’s College London. Her journey showed the audience that not all career paths need a structured plan. As the co-founder of HydRegen, Dr Holly Reeve showcased how project management is an important skill that can be learned when commercialising her technical knowledge; how sometimes you must go against the grain to achieve what you believe in. Sustainability was at the forefront of delegates minds when listening to Diane Hardy, a developmental chemist at Beckers Industrial Coating Ltd, to understand the importance of sustainable choices when producing a universal paint product.
Attendees were encouraged to network and join conversations with others during the lunch break; fostering a sense of community among like-minded people as the main initiative for starting the WoNDRS conference.
Dr Dominika Vasilkova kickstarted the afternoon presentations by not only showcasing her passion for physics and undiscovered particles but her work on investigating the muon and the importance of reviewing results and previous experimental plans; it was truly an inspiration to be an onlooker to a person’s life dedication. Next Professor Tracey Berry highlighted her career path to becoming the Vice-Dean of EDI for School of Engineering, Physical and Mathematical Sciences at Royal Holloway, University of London. Highlighting the need to have hobbies outside of your research to keep your brain ticking. Dr Esther Garcia-Tunon Blanca closed the day’s talks by presenting her multidisciplinary research on 3D printing of advanced materials alongside juggling motherhood; emphasizing how sometimes careers can be a balancing act to be able to achieve everything you want.
After the day’s talks, the judged poster session began featuring over 45 presentations. The breadth of knowledge across the STEM field that was being developed by early career researchers was clear to see this was a highlight of the day that is often not seen at conferences that have a stricter disciplinary scope. Two prizes were on offer to a judge’s winner and an attendee’s winner. This allowed the conference attendees to fully engage with the posters on display and interact with other researchers who came from different backgrounds.
The panel session then began hosted by Dr Laura Gardiner, Dr Esther Garcia-Tunon Blanca, Professor Tracey Berry and, Dr Mara Chiricotto. After the success of the panel session at the WoNDRS conference 2024, it was exciting to see how the audience engaged with the panellists. Questions were constantly being asked that included how to bridge the gap between finishing a PhD and your next steps, dealing with imposter syndrome and, the proudest moments for the panellists, career based or personal. We were privileged to have panellists who were so open minded to answering any questions; it strengthened the community that the WoNDRS conference was built on and we hope it made attendees feel less alone in their struggles. The panel session was rounded off by announcing the results for the two poster winners who went home with a little piece of Liverpool to remind them of their achievements.
The day ended with a fun and relaxed networking event set to a backdrop of the University of Liverpool while atop the Physics building. The WoNDRS conference would not have been possible without the sponsorship of The Institute of Physics, The Royal Society of Chemistry, The London Mathematical Society, The Postgraduate Researchers Wellbeing Ambassadors and The University of Liverpool. They allowed the creation of a safe and welcoming environment for all attendees.
The WoNDRS Conference 2025 was a huge success in celebrating the achievements of women and non-binary researchers in STEM. Though only established in 2024, the community is already expanding in creating an environment where individuals feel safe to discuss the highs and lows of research. The organisers hope that this conference and community grow for years to come, to continue to celebrate the achievements of those underrepresented in the STEM field and allow people to showcase their work between different interdisciplinary subjects.