On September 23rd, Unimeet Gothenburg arranged, along with Chalmers and University of Gothenburg, an inspirational evening for international PhD students from both universities. Alumni shared their journeys after graduating, and the participants had the possibility to ask questions and mingle with them. The event was organized by Unimeet Gothenburg with the aim of providing participants with a unique opportunity to learn more about the industry and expand their professional network.

Photo: Elina Maaranen

PhD students from both Chalmers and University of Gothenburg arrived on September 23rd to participate in an inspirational evening, arranged by Unimeet Gothenburg and the two universities. Six alumni, who have gotten their doctorates, spoke about the journey during and after the PhD candidacy. Sassa Chen, John J. Camilleri, Govin Induchoodan, Vasu Sah, Clarissa González and Shahnawaz Ahmed all contributed to meaningful insights, from both academy and trade & industry. The alumni, who after the individual presentations participated in a Q&A, were moderated by Javier Tello Marmolejo. After the Q&A the PhD candidates had the chance to mingle and network with each other and the alumni, which was greatly appreciated.

Aida Nikbakht. Photo: Elina Maaranen

Aida Nikbakht, 30, is a PhD candidate in inorganic chemistry at Chalmers. She appreciated the event and the perspectives it gave her regarding what the future holds. She especially like the alumni’s eagerness to share their journeys:

— It’s nice to see what the opportunities are like afterwards, and in a way, seeing that I’m not alone this path of this unknown world – like, ‘what am I going to do after graduating?’

Aida, who has not participated in any Unimeet activity before, was positively surprised by the width of participants and alumni. The chance to meet others who have moved on both in academic settings and in trade and industry, is, according to her, a rare thing:

— Thank you for organizing it!

Unimeet Gothenburg is a collaboration between the University of Gothenburg, Chalmers University of Technology, and The Trade & Industry Group at Göteborg & Co, aimed at strengthening the exchange between the universities’ international students and the business community, creating cultural and social meeting places, as well as networking opportunities.