Meet Our First ECR Representative Candidate!
Dear Young ISDR member,
You might remember Andrea’s post from February—”Young ISDR: One way to be an ECR representative“—where she shared what it’s like to take on this exciting role. Being an Early Career Researcher (ECR) representative means standing up for the interests of fellow young diatomists within the International Society for Diatom Research. It’s a shared role between two reps (one incoming, one outgoing) to keep things running smoothly and offer support.
ECR reps help plan events—especially at the International Diatom Symposium—stay in touch with our community via emails and social media, and work with an amazing team of volunteers from around the world. It’s a fantastic way to get involved, build your network, and gain valuable leadership experience in a warm and welcoming global community.
And now… we’re excited to introduce our first candidate: Raquel Viso Rodríguez!
Many of you may already know Raquel as our very own “Social Media Magician”, behind the beautiful and engaging Instagram posts and stories you love. But let’s hear more from Raquel herself in her own words:
Hi! Let me introduce myself :) My name is Raquel, and I’ve been interested in diatomology since my final undergraduate year in 2021. My bachelor’s thesis is what inspired me to start in this field. I had the chance to learn and train in diatom studies thanks to Dr. Saúl Blanco in Spain, and I continued working with him and his group during my Master’s. From the beginning, I’ve been involved in sharing and promoting this beautiful profession on social media, collaborating in various projects and outreach activities. I’m currently in my first year of a PhD on Antarctic diatoms with the DiCE group at Charles University in Czechia. I feel very lucky, because all of this has allowed me to meet and build good relationships with many researchers I admire and continue to learn from. I strongly believe in the importance of working together to move science forward—and that science should be shared, especially from the early stages of a research career. That kind of support is essential. I’d love for the next generations to receive the support that is still lacking in some parts of the world. That’s why I’m putting myself forward—to contribute. I feel like I’m in a good take-off moment, with lots still to learn and do, and I have the motivation and energy to do my best within my possibilities! :)
If you believe Raquel would be a great fit as the next incoming ECR representative, you’ll have the chance to vote either in person at the upcoming International Diatom Symposium in Skukuza, South Africa, or online on 7 August, starting at 9:00 AM (local time).