We are pleased to announce that In2careers member Palak has won a fully funded place at a STEM conference of her choice, a prize kindly sponsored by Abcam.
The Celebrate a Mentor competition, run by In2careers in partnership with global life sciences company Abcam, encouraged participants to celebrate a significant person who has supported them to reach their education or career goals in STEM.
This award celebrates the memory and career of an incredible Abcam scientist and woman in STEM, Daniella Cross, who was a passionate mentor to several young people in their early careers and continues to be an inspiration to all those that knew her.
Palak’s winning entry was a video created all about how her mother is her source of inspiration for pursuing a postgraduate degree and career in cancer immunology.
Sarah Bolt from Abcam said: “We were all moved by Palak’s insightful presentation, particularly her reflections on the support her mum had given her. We felt she had clearly understood the competition brief and her presentation was clear and well-structured. It told her story in a beautiful way. We were also impressed by the consideration Palak had given to how she would use the award. We look forward to Palak’s visit to Abcam where she can meet our team.”
Palak will use this opportunity to attend the Annual Scientific Meeting of the British Gynaecological Cancer Society, as she is interested in pursuing a PhD relating to cancer care and prevention.
On receiving the news, In2careers member and In2research alumnus Palak said: “Throughout my scientific journey, I have had various mentors who have inspired me to pursue a career in cancer research. They encouraged me to think creatively, raised intriguing questions, and motivated me to explore innovative ideas to bridge bench-to-bedside gaps. However, my mother played the most significant role in my choice to become a cancer researcher because, while she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she continued to support my education and my future career as a scientist.”
“When In2careers advertised the Celebrate A Mentor competition, sponsored by Abcam, I wanted to take the opportunity to express my gratitude for my mother’s mentorship, her resilience, and her amiable persona.”
“When I found out that I had won the competition, I was overwhelmed with happiness and excitement. I am extremely eager to learn and expand my knowledge on personalised treatments for gynaecological cancers and I look forward to connecting with senior scientists and clinicians to gain insight into their fields of expertise.”
“I would like to thank In2careers Manager and Officer, Danielle Knight and Ciara Byrne, for their continuous support on the In2careers platform and Abcam for sponsoring the competition and providing the opportunity to visit and meet some of the Abcam scientists.”