Unlocking the power of virtual networking for early-career researchers

Abstract

Many successful researchers in the biomedical sciences have benefitted from mentors and networks earlier in their career. However, early-career researchers from minoritized and underrepresented groups do not have the same access to potential mentors and networks as many of their peers. In this article we describe how ‘cold emails’ and social media platforms – notably Twitter/X and LinkedIn – can be used to build virtual networks, and stress the need to invest in maintaining networks once they have been established.

Keywords

• equity
• diversity
• inclusion
• early-career researchers
• mentoring
• networking