Botanicon is an early career researcher community event supported by Plants @ Cambridge – a body that co-ordinates plant science activities across the University of Cambridge.
This one-day event brings together members of the Cambridge plant biology community to explore the future of research in the field.
The goal is to encourage meaningful dialogue and spark new collaborations between individuals and institutes and provide a platform for early career researchers to present and discuss their work.
This year’s Botanicon took place at St John's College on Friday 3 July.
Professor Alex Webb, Director of Plants @ Cambridge, said: “I am very grateful to the organising committee, representing all the constituent components of Plants @ Cambridge, for their hard work in bringing Botanicon 2026 together.
“I enjoyed hearing all the presentations this year, and being inspired by the innovative activities that are a feature of Botanicon. I am particularly excited to see what has been achieved in response to the pump-priming competition initiated at Botanicon 2025. This is an example of an early career researcher initiative that will drive success in our community.
“Plants @ Cambridge continues to find ways in which the researchers in plant biology at Cambridge can interact. This year we have developed an approach to work more closely with the School of Biology themes. We hope that this will help us provide the best support possible for early career researchers in Plants @ Cambridge.”
Reflections from the committee
We hear from members of the organising committee with their thoughts on the day.
Dr Edwige Berthelot
Research Assistant
Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU)
Expectations
As one of the organisers, I was hoping Botanicon would strengthen connections across the Cambridge plant science community by bringing together researchers from different institutes and creating opportunities for new collaborations and exchanges of ideas.
Unlike a traditional conference, Botanicon is designed not only around talks and posters, but also around creating opportunities for people to meet, interact and discover the expertise that exists across Cambridge. To support this, we introduced colour-coded badges indicating each participant's research interests, making it easier to identify people to talk to throughout the day, not just during the networking lunch.
Another goal was for the Career Panels to help early career researchers explore the wide range of career paths available to them. I hoped the panellists' experiences would reassure participants that there is no single ‘right’ path, but many different ways to build a fulfilling career in and beyond plant science.
Highlights
One of my favourite moments was the themed networking lunch. This year, we introduced colour-coded badges, themed discussion tables and a Collaboration Board to encourage interactions. It was incredibly rewarding to see colleagues naturally sitting with researchers from other institutes and talking to people they had never met before. It was lovely to see people using the badge colours to spot researchers working in areas they were interested in and starting conversations that might not otherwise have happened. Watching those conversations happen around the room made me feel that we had achieved exactly what Botanicon set out to do.
I also really enjoyed the Career Panels. The discussions were incredibly dynamic, with thoughtful questions from the audience and enthusiastic contributions from all the panellists. It was wonderful to see how engaged everyone was and how interested participants were in hearing about such different career journeys.
Another highlight was the new Institute Introductions session. It showcased the breadth of expertise across Cambridge plant science and highlighted facilities and contacts that many participants may not have been aware of.
Takeaways
One of my biggest takeaways is that meaningful networking doesn't happen entirely by chance, it benefits enormously from a little structure. Simple ideas such as colour-coded badges highlighting participants' research interests, themed discussion areas, a Collaboration Board and dedicated networking time helped create an environment where people felt comfortable approaching new colleagues and starting conversations.
The Career Panels also reinforced how valuable it is for early career researchers to hear honest stories about different career paths. The level of engagement from both the audience and the panellists showed how much these conversations are appreciated.
Just one word
Connecting.
Junior Lusu Kika
PhD student
Crop Science Centre
Expectations
On one hand, as a member of the organising committee, I was looking forward to working with a team of passionate people and gaining skills relevant to event facilitation, organisation and coordination. On the other hand, I saw Botanicon as a place where science would be shared, early career researchers in botany-related fields, such as myself, would feel supported and promoted, and an avenue that facilitates connections and collaboration among peers at various career levels.
Highlights
The highlight for me was the diversity of research, journeys, opinions and scientific experiences that characterised every aspect of the event. It was amazing learning from people across different facets of plant sciences through the research talks, who have also had very different career paths, all converging at the point where they are doing what they want in plant science. This encompassed the whole event and it was amazing.
Takeaways
I want to engage in more collaborative work.
Just one word
Engaging.
Brigid Wong
PhD student
Department of Plant Sciences
Expectations
I was particularly looking forward to learning more about the research being conducted and the support available at other institutes.
Highlights
For me one of the highlights was the short talk session. I was impressed by the very high-quality presentations and excellent presentation skills in an area that is directly applicable to my work.
Takeaways
I am inspired to actively explore opportunities to expand my research topic, seek opportunities to collaborate, and read broadly to widen the scope of my research interests.
Just one word
Constructive.
Tochukwu Chisom Iguh
PhD student
Niab
Expectations
I was hoping to learn about the research being carried out across the plant science community at Cambridge, meet colleagues and make new connections.
Highlights
The best session for me was the Careers Panel. I attended the Post-PhD Career Panel hoping to learn about the different career options available after a PhD and how I could start working towards them.
Takeaways
One takeaway is to be patient and not overthink what the future holds after my PhD. One of the most important things I learned from the Post-PhD Careers Panel was that while it is good to have a set career path to follow after my PhD, it is also okay to explore different career paths to find what I love the most.
Just one word
Enlightening.
Thanks to the organising committee
Many thanks to everyone who took part on the day, and special thanks to the organising committee:
- Dr Edwige Berthelot, SLCU
- Elisabeth Burmeister, SLCU
- Qianyu Chen, David Attenborough Building
- Dr Emma Deeks, David Attenborough Building
- Daisy Garratt, Niab
- Isobel Gilham, David Attenborough Building
- Dr Vincent Hanlon, Crop Science Centre
- Tochukwu Chisom Iguh, Niab
- Junior Lusu Kika, Crop Science Centre
- Darius Kosmützky, SLCU
- Dr Edwige Moyroud, SLCU
- Kate O'Brien, Department of Plant Sciences
- Chetan Pandey, SLCU
- Ruvini Udugampola, Niab
- Kate Wetherell, SLCU
- Brigid Wong, Department of Plant Sciences
- Dr Tom Worthington, David Attenborough Building
About Plants @ Cambridge
Cambridge is a leading centre for plant biology, offering one of the largest concentrations of plant research in the world.
Plants @ Cambridge brings together plant scientists and partner organisations from across the University and beyond for closer collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Members include the Department of Plant Sciences, Crop Science Centre, Sainsbury Laboratory University of Cambridge, Department of Biochemistry, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Cambridge University Herbarium and the UK crop science organisation, Niab.
Our research spans from the fundamental study of plant development to real-world applications in crop science, sustainable technologies, engineering biology and ecology.
Through this work we are tackling urgent challenges facing the planet, from protecting biodiversity to feeding a growing global population.
Strong connections with industry and research partners enable us to translate scientific discoveries into practical solutions and deliver impact from research.
Our vision is to work together to ensure our high-quality research and discovery work contributes to addressing fundamental challenges including the growing bioeconomy, sustainable agriculture, food security and resilience to climate change.
As a gateway for industry and policymakers to access plant research expertise, we welcome collaborations with business, industry and other organisations.
Top image: Members of the organising committee at Botanicon 2026. Photo by Kathy Grube.