On 2nd June 2026, AIchemy welcomed 50 Early Career Researchers, academics and industry representatives to the Technology and Innovation Centre at the University of Strathclyde for ECR Exchange: Scotland 2026. With the event selling out, it was clear that there is a growing appetite to connect researchers working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and chemistry. The event was designed to provide a platform for emerging researchers to showcase their work, build professional networks and explore opportunities for future collaboration.
Opening the Day
The day began with a welcome from Dr Ben Alston and Dr Tahereh Nematiaram, who highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for Early Career Researchers to share ideas, develop connections and contribute to the growing AI and chemistry community across the UK. Their opening remarks set the tone for a day focused on collaboration, innovation and community-building within the rapidly evolving field of AI and chemistry.
Our first session was chaired by Dr Yashar Moshfeghi, who guided delegates through a series of engaging presentations that demonstrated the breadth and innovation of research from Dr Katerina Vriza, Principal Scientist at GSK and Dr Thomas Pickles, CMAC. The second session, chaired by Dr Tahereh Nematiaram, continued to showcase cutting-edge research from Cecilia Hong, University of Edinburgh and Dr. Ross Urquhart, University of Strathclyde.
Posters and Networking
The poster session provided a fantastic opportunity for delegates to showcase their research in a more informal setting while encouraging discussion and collaboration across disciplines. The quality of submissions was exceptionally high, and attendees enjoyed exploring a diverse range of projects and research approaches. The session generated lively conversations and enabled presenters to receive valuable feedback from fellow researchers and experts in the field.
We are delighted to congratulate Rong Wei from University of Edinburgh, who was awarded the Best Poster Prize and Malin Zollner from University of Strathclyde as runner up.
Leadership and Collaboration
Following lunch, the programme continued with a session chaired by Professor Tell Tuttle, Head of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde. The talks from Dr Joanne Cook, Formulation manager at Unilever and Fiona Gordon, Heriot-Watt University, highlighted exciting developments across AI-enabled chemistry and reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in tackling scientific challenges.
The final session of the day was chaired by Dr Tahereh Nematiaram, bringing presentations from Dr. Laia Vila-Nadal from University of Glasgow and Dr. Roisin O’Connell, University of Leeds and concluding a programme that demonstrated both the quality and diversity of research taking place across the community.
Building Connections for the Future
The event concluded with networking drinks, giving delegates the opportunity to continue discussions, share research interests and explore potential collaborations. One of the core aims of the ECR Exchange event was to foster connections between researchers from different institutions, disciplines and sectors. It was encouraging to see so many conversations taking place throughout the day, with attendees discussing future collaborations, exchanging ideas and building relationships that will extend well beyond the event itself.
Looking Ahead
We would like to thank all of our speakers, presenters, poster contributors, session chairs and delegates for helping to make ECR Exchange: Scotland 2026 such a success. We are also grateful to the University of Strathclyde for hosting the event and providing an excellent venue for the day. The enthusiasm, quality of research and collaborative spirit on display throughout the event demonstrated the strength of the UK’s emerging AI and chemistry community. We look forward to seeing the partnerships and collaborations that develop from the connections made and to continuing to support Early Career Researchers as they help shape the future of AI-enabled scientific discovery.
We look forward to seeing you at our next event!
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