[PANEL] "PhD Done! – What Now?"
Finally! The end of your PhD journey is getting closer, and soon your PhD will be complete. Although exhausted, you still love science and want to stay in academia. But along with the joy and sense of accomplishment comes the big question: what now?
Some recent graduates move into industry, while others take on a postdoc position within an already established project. A few choose a different path—writing their own project proposals and securing independent research funding. This year, our panelists will discuss how to find, write, and apply for your own funding, putting you in the lead of your research.
Join us for this year’s panel featuring guests who have taken their research into their own hands, along with a representative from the Agency for Mobility and EU Projects. See you on Saturday!”
Panelists
Bruno Gašperov
Bruno Gašperov is a researcher specializing in reinforcement learning, evolutionary computation, and adaptive systems in complex environments. He is currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Ljubljana and leads the MSCA COFUND project FERLUDE on few-shot evolutionary reinforcement learning. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Zagreb, along with an MSc in Quantitative Finance from WU Wien. His work has been published in venues such as IEEE, GECCO, and EvoStar.
Dora Hlebec
Dr. Dora Hlebec is a senior research and teaching assistant at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, where she earned her PhD in Biology. Her research focuses on biodiversity, molecular systematics, and evolutionary biology, with a special emphasis on cave-dwelling fauna. Dr. Hlebec has held research positions at the Western Australian Museum (Perth), the University of Barcelona, the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (Hamburg), and the Slovenian Museum of Natural History, in addition to her ongoing work at the University of Zagreb. As a principal investigator, Dr. Hlebec has secured over €130,000 in competitive research funding, including the Pathfinder Grant and Exploration Fund Grant from the Explorers Club, the Croatian Science Foundation Grant, the Percy Sladen Memorial Fund Grant, and the DAAD Research Grant. She is the co-author of 14 peer-reviewed publications, has presented at leading scientific conferences, and serves on scientific committees for major symposia. Dr. Hlebec is dedicated to student mentorship and scientific event organization.
Jana Bedek
Dr. Jana Bedek has dedicated her career to the study of subterranean fauna. She earned her PhD in Biology from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science. During her time with the Croatian Biospeleological Society, she led numerous research projects, secured multiple grants for nature protection initiatives, and received several prestigious awards, including the Whitley Award for Nature Protection. Dr. Bedek has also served as a Senior Expert Advisor for Caves and Karst at a government ministry and conducted postdoctoral research at the Ruđer Bošković Institute. Most recently, she was awarded a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Ljubljana, where she will begin her research in the autumn. She is the co-author of 19 peer-reviewed scientific publications and ten books, and has presented her work at leading international conferences. Committed to fostering the next generation of scientists, Dr. Bedek is actively involved in student mentorship. In addition, she contributes to the scientific community by serving on committees for symposia and organising of scientific events.
Sandra Vidović
Sandra Vidović holds a background in Political Science and a specialist degree in Foreign Policy and Diplomacy. Since 2014, she has been part of the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes, serving as the National Contact Point for the Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions (MSCA) under Horizon 2020 and now Horizon Europe. With extensive experience as an NCP and as a member of the Horizon Europe Programme Committee for MSCA, Sandra contributes actively to the development of policy and strategic frameworks in the field of researcher mobility. Her work within the Department for Legal and Financial Affairs of Horizon Europe and Mobility of Researchers, as well as her activities in the EURAXESS Bridgehead Organisation, has enabled her to support both incoming and outgoing researchers through guidance, funding opportunities, and policy insight. Sandra has a strong track record in organising information days, conferences, NCP trainings, and proposal‑writing workshops. Through pre‑screening MSCA proposals, delivering project‑development workshops, and participating in several Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects, she has gained substantial experience in project preparation, management, and implementation.