DICE Network+ ECR Spotlight: Jing Pu at the SETAC Europe LCA Symposium
Supporting Early Career Researchers to build their skills, networks and visibility is an important part of the DICE Network+ ECR Community.
Through our ECR Access Fund, we aim to help researchers take part in opportunities that can support their professional development, strengthen their research networks and increase the reach and impact of their work.
One recent example is Jing Pu, who received support from the DICE Network+ to attend the SETAC Europe 27th LCA Case Study Symposium in Bruges, Belgium, from 19-21 October 2026.
The symposium gave Jing the opportunity to present her research to an international audience, engage with researchers working across Europe and build new connections that could support future collaboration.
Sharing Research on Circularity and Life Cycle Assessment
At the symposium, Jing delivered a presentation on an integrated Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Circularity Assessment framework for single-use bioreactors.
Reflecting on the experience, Jing described presenting the work as a significant professional highlight, with the presentation generating discussion around the practical application of Design for Sustainability in pharmaceutical contexts.
The event also gave her the opportunity to hear how other researchers are approaching LCA, regulation and emerging methodologies across Europe.
Building International Connections
Beyond presenting her work, Jing highlighted the value of the symposium in expanding her professional network.
During the event, she made new connections with researchers and practitioners from different organisations. These conversations created opportunities to exchange technical perspectives, learn from researchers working in related areas and explore the potential for future international collaboration.
As Jing reflected:
“Beyond sharing our work, the conference was instrumental in building key professional connections with leading LCA experts and researchers from across Europe, expanding our professional network and opening doors for future international collaboration.”
Supporting ECR Skills, Profile and Visibility
The impact of this support was also recognised by Dr Jose L. Casamayor Alarco, who shared his reflections with the DICE Network+ team:
“Jing is an ECR with extraordinary potential, and this has helped her to enhance her skills, profile, and visibility. Support like this has a very high impact in ECRs’ career development.”
For DICE Network+, supporting ECRs is about more than enabling attendance at an event. It is about helping researchers access opportunities where they can share their work, build confidence, develop their professional profile and create connections beyond their immediate institution or discipline.
Supporting Our ECR Community
The DICE Network+ ECR Community aims to create opportunities for Early Career Researchers to connect, develop and increase the impact of their research across digital innovation and the circular economy.
Through initiatives such as the ECR Access Fund, we want to help reduce barriers to participation and enable ECRs to access opportunities that can make a meaningful difference to their research and career development.
Jing’s experience at SETAC Europe is a great example of what this support can enable: greater visibility, new knowledge, international connections and opportunities for future collaboration.
The DICE Network+ will continue supporting our ECR community to build their networks, share their research and develop the skills and experience needed to take the next steps in their careers.
Join Our ECR Community