On December 5, 2024, a total of 15 female researchers and 14 male researchers from the University of Córdoba (UCO) gathered at the university's rectorate for the IX Congress of Novice Researchers. This event was organized by the Scientific Culture Unit of UCO as part of its annual outreach plan.
The congress was inaugurated by UCO's rector, Manuel Torralbo, who outlined two main objectives: to showcase the research conducted by young investigators and to enhance interaction and knowledge exchange across various scientific fields.
The event featured presentations covering diverse topics, including cybersecurity translation, the impact of rising temperatures on cyanobacteria, energy storage, linguistics, bullying, archaeology, and the status of migrant women.
Rector Torralbo emphasized the importance of continuous growth in research careers and the value of interdisciplinary dialogue, stating, 'Knowledge is not isolated. The best achievements come from collaboration across fields.'
The congress was organized into four presentation sessions and included talks that delved into various aspects of research careers. Archaeologist and Ramón y Cajal researcher Carmen González shared her journey from ignorance about doctoral theses to the internationalization of her research during her pre- and post-doctoral stages.
González encouraged attendees to prioritize 'conducting rigorous work while maintaining health,' reflecting on her experiences filled with professional and personal frustrations.
The congress also featured UCO staff involved in various research support services. María Soledad Muñoz Luque, from the International Projects Office, highlighted key aspects of Horizon Europe, the current EU research framework program.
Feliciano Priego, General Director of Research and Professor of Analytical Chemistry, discussed professional opportunities and the current funding landscape at different stages of a research career.
Keynote speakers included Alejandro Rodríguez Pascual, General Director of Transfer and OTRI, and Sara Pinzi, Vice-Rector for Equality, Inclusion, and Social Commitment, who addressed the importance of responsibility in scientific research.
The event concluded with awards presented to the eight best presentations. In the Health Sciences category, awards went to Ignacio Gil Duque for 'Characterization of Inflammasome Machinery for Identifying Diagnostic Biomarkers in Brain Tumors,' María López Sancho for 'Potential Role of Lipid Signaling in Hypothalamic Metabolic Control of Puberty,' and Alberto Ortiz Olivencia for 'Elimination of Peroxiredoxin 6 and Chemotherapy as Tools to Inhibit Proliferation of Hepatoblastoma Cells.'
In the Social, Economic, and Legal Sciences category, awards were given to Marina Luna Pineda for 'Judicial Control of Administrative Sanctioning Power: Main Challenges,' and María Dolores Pacheco Romero for 'Exposure to Cyber Hate and Bullying: The Mediating Role of Moral Disconnection.'
In the Humanities category, Paola María Osuna Lozano was recognized for 'Cercadilla (Córdoba), a Complex and Exceptional Heritage: A Proposal for Social Valuation.' In Exact and Natural Sciences, Elisa Jiménez Jiménez and Natalia Trigo Muñoz received awards for their respective studies on Fusarium oxysporum and Quercus ilex.
The IX Congress of Novice Researchers is part of the XI Annual Scientific Dissemination Plan of the University of Córdoba, approved by the Governing Council and co-financed by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (Fecyt) under the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities.