Looking back on the FBA networking event for early career scientists with Amritha Nair
21 July, 2025
Here we join Amritha Nair for her reflections on the FBA's Early Career Member Network (ECMN) event at Nottingham Trent University in June.
The ECMN event took place on Thursday 26 June, the day after the Annual Scientific Meeting, with the wish to improve the support FBA gives to early career researchers and practitioners.
Please share a little bit about you and your freshwater science research interests...
I am a PhD student with a strong interest in freshwater science, particularly in river monitoring using remote sensing techniques. My research explores whether stress in aquatic vegetation—especially submerged river plants—can be mapped and monitored using these methods. I use a combination of image analysis and 3D modelling to visualise plant stress, with the aim of applying this to a section of the River Wye using satellite imagery.
What were some of the highlights of the Early Career Member Network event?
The ECMN day was a valuable and energising experience. One of the highlights for me was the opportunity to engage in 1:1 conversation with FBA Fellows. Even in a short format, these chats were insightful and encouraging, offering Early Career Researchers (ECRs) the chance to ask questions and receive guidance from more experienced scientists. Their availability and openness made the environment feel especially supportive.
The lightning presentations were another standout. They offered a great platform for ECRs to share their work in a lively, informal setting. I found the feedback from Fellows particularly meaningful—it created a positive atmosphere and reinforced the value of early career contributions. For those presenting for the first time, especially newer PhD students, that kind of encouragement can be a real confidence boost.
Photos from the Early Career Member Network in June 2025, including (bottom right) Rachel Stubbington, Professor in River Ecology at Nottingham Trent University, FBA Fellow and long-standing Editor of FBA science articles.
How do you feel the ECMN could be helpful to you in the future?
I believe the ECMN could be even more impactful by involving mid-career professionals in its events and resources. This would help ECRs gain insights into a wider range of career stages and transitions. Additionally, it would be useful to see job opportunities—such as postdoctoral positions or research roles in both academia and industry—featured in the FBA newsletter. This would make the network an even more valuable tool for those looking to take their next step.
It would also be beneficial to include more international mentors. Many international students face additional challenges in finding jobs due to visa restrictions, salary thresholds, and lack of tailored guidance. Mentors who understand these issues or have navigated them personally could provide much-needed support. Speaking from my own experience, this kind of targeted mentorship would be incredibly useful.
Do you have thoughts on how the ECMN should develop to benefit early career freshwater scientists?
Overall, the ECMN supported by the FBA is a vital resource for ECRs, and with continued development, it can become even more inclusive, informative, and empowering.
Attendees of the FBA Early Career Member Network event June 2025, at Nottingham Trent University.
In conversation with Amritha Nair at the FBA Annual Scientific Meeting 2025
We asked Amritha if she had any thoughts she would like to share with early career freshwater scientists...
“So what I would like to suggest is to make sure that you are a part of the ECM Network, it is easy to get confused and not really know what sort of community you need to get involved with, but if your work is related to freshwater science it’ll be great to get involved because you can present and, you know, get feedback from people. People who are at different stages of their career, it’ll be great to know what’s really happening and also I think it’s the community building, it’s great for networking, so the conference is also a great way for you to perhaps even find a potential external supervisor at some point, so I think they all have added benefits and it’s also great to have a potential network of people that you can connect with.”
Interested in discovering more?
Find out more about the FBA Early Career Member Network
Amritha Nair is a full-time PhD student in the School of Science and Environment at the University of Worcester.
Amritha’s main research interest is using advanced remote sensing techniques to map and monitor plant stress in riverine ecosystems. Her PhD research focuses on mapping and monitoring the vegetation cover extent and topography as well as vegetation structure and composition of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation(SAV). She is conducting a mixed methods study into identifying and assessing the different stress factors within the SAV canopies using information obtained from Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry.
