SAFE Labs

Starting Aware Fair & Equitable Labs

SAFE Labs – a workshop on starting fair, equitable, and successful labs

Starting Aware Fair & Equitable Labs” is a meeting for principal investigators at the beginning of their research careers to provide a safe and open forum for exchange about starting a lab. Building a research group that is socially safe, equitable, fair, aware, and produces great research is challenging. SAFE labs provide a space to exchange and learn from each other’s experiences.

The meeting will bring together a diverse group of researchers from across Europe to foster community, and better understand the common, and divergent, problems faced by starting researchers in different countries. There will be no scientific talks as part of the program. Instead, the discussions at the meeting will be centered around building successful, equitable, fair, and environmentally sustainable labs.

The SAFE Labs workshop 2025, will take place on June 1st to 4th in the Barcelona Riviera (AQUA Hotel Promenade & Spa, Pineda de Mar). We aim to select 10-12 attendees, who will actively shape the meeting. Full-board accommodation will be fully covered for the selected applicants and travel costs can be (partially) reimbursed. The meeting is funded through University College London’s Global Engagement Fund.

How to apply? If this speaks to you, please apply using the Application Form. Applications will be open until March 2nd.

Photo "Pineda de Mar" by Isidro Jabato (CC BY-SA)
Photo “Pineda de Mar” by Isidro Jabato (CC BY-SA)

What to expect?

The program depends on you! In discussion groups and various formats, the meeting will focus on building labs with positive research cultures. Based on the interests and preferences of the selected attendees this can include, for example

–Recruitment
–Funding
–Equity and Diversity
–Team management
–Sustainable research
–Institutional Politics
–Career Development

The meeting will take place over 2 days (3 nights). Attendees should arrive on June 1st and can expect to leave in the morning of June 4th.

Who Should Apply?

SAFE Labs is designed to be an open and welcoming space for new principal investigators. The workshop is primarily aimed at early-career group leaders who have established their labs within the past 1–6 years and gained initial experience supervising team members.

Applicants must have started their own group, or have a confirmed position as an independent group leader, at the time of application. We particularly encourage applications from groups underrepresented in the scientific community. We welcome applications from any European country, however, it is possible that not all travel costs can be reimbursed. If you can only attend the meeting if your travel is fully covered, please feel free to apply and state this in the application form.

FAQ

I’m a postdoc looking for a position. Can I join?

Unfortunately not. However, if you have a confirmed position to begin an independent group within the next year, then please apply!

Can I attend remotely?

Although we appreciate the benefits of remote attendance, we feel that it is not suited to the free-flowing and open discussions planned for this meeting. Therefore, all attendees are expected to be present in person for the full duration

Why only Europe and Biological Sciences?

Although some topics are common to all labs across the globe, others depend on the research area and/or geographic location (e.g. sustainability, conference attendance, funding, recruitment). For this reason, and because of the focused nature of the meeting, we are limiting applicants to Europe and the biological sciences.

Can I be notified about future SAFE Labs events/meetings?

Yes! fill out this form and you will be added to a mailing list for notifications about future meetings

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