Career day for Early-Career Researchers
A cooperation between the Agenda 2030 Graduate School and ClimBEco graduate research school
We have gathered inspirational speakers from within and outside of academia to give their personal take on career paths for those with university degrees. We will here how these individuals ended up where they are, get ideas on career balance and general tips and tricks along the way.
Inspirational Career Day
Wednesday 12 November, 2025
M-huset, LTH, Lund University and Zoom
9:00-15:30
Organised by: the Agenda 2030 Graduate School & ClimBEco graduate research school
agenda2030graduateschool.lu.se and climbeco.lu.se
Invited participants: The one-day event is open for PhD students and other early-career researchers (within 5 years of PhD) at Lund University, as well as current ClimBEco PhD students from other universities. Master-level students are welcome to attend as space allows.
Register no later than 6 November (below). Maximum 50 participants on-site.
Programme
08:45-09:00 Welcome with coffe mingle
We start the day with coffee/tea and mingle.
09:00-09:45 Keynote on sustainability
Keynote with Maya Essebo followed by Q/A
Maja Essebo is Researcher and Director of Studies at the Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, LUCSUS. She has a research interest in naturalized stories, or myths, and their role in the creation and legitimization of environmental politics and policy.
Maja Essebo | lu.se
09:45-10:00 BREAK
10:00-11:00 Session 1: Career within academia - staying put and jumping out and in again
Some academics follow a traditional route – PhD, postdoc and all the way to professorship. Others step out and come in again, gaining experience in industry or government before returning back. And some even return to academia, but take on an administrative role instead. What can we learn from these different career paths?
Panelists:
- Andreas Bergh (Andreas Bergh | Lund University) (School of Economics and Management)
- Anna-Karin Wihlborg (Anna-Karin Wihlborg | Lund University) (Research Services)
- Lina Eklund (Lina Eklund | Lund University) (Faculty of Science)
- Henrik Thorén (Henrik Thorén | Lund University) (Faculty of Social Science)
11:00-11:15 BREAK
11:15-12:00 Session 2: Career within academia, but at another university
Moving to another university can be a valuable step in your academic career and it is often encouraged to do so. Whether for a postdoc, teaching position, or a new research environment, changing institutions can expand your network, diversify your experience, and open up fresh opportunities. What do you need to keep in mind when doing so?
Panelists:
- Christie Nicoson (christienicoson.com) (University College Dublin, Ireland)
- Frans Libertson (Frans Libertson | chalmers.se) (Chalmers, Gothenburg)
- Ina Möller (Ina Möller | wur.nl) (Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands)
12:00-13:00 Lunch break
13:00-14:00 Session 3: Recruitment and message
Whether you're applying within academia or beyond, how you present yourself—your message—matters. Recruitment isn't just about qualifications; it's about how well you communicate your strengths, values, and potential fit. Both when you apply for jobs, but also when you use tools such as Linkedin.
Clear, confident messaging helps you stand out—and makes it easier for others to see the value you bring. So how does LU work with communication and outreach?
Panelists:
- Anders P Håkansson (Anders P Håkansson | Lund University) (Faculty of Medicine)
- Julia Edgerton (Julia Edgerton | LinkedIn) (Human Resources, LU)
- Sanna Trygg (Sanna Trygg | lu.se) (Research and External communication, LU)
- Ellen Albertsdóttir (Ellen Albertsdóttir | LinkedIn) (Research and External Communication, LU)
14:00-14:30 BREAK
14:30-15:30 Session 4: Career outside of academia
Leaving academia doesn’t mean leaving research or impact behind. Early-career researchers are highly valued in sectors like industry, government, non-profits, and consultancy—for their analytical thinking, problem-solving, and ability to handle complex information. But there are of course differences. So what can be good to know if you want to persue a career outside academia?
Panelists:
- Maria Takman (Maria Takman | linkedin) (Syvab AB)
- Tobias Nielsen (Tobias Dan Nielsen | LinkedIn) (European Environment Agency)
- TBD
16:00 onward Afterwork/get together
We will round off the day at a local pub, for those keen on joining. (not part of the official programme. Everyone pays for their own expenses.)